Welcome to the jungle (we've got fun and games)

So, for the measely cost of 125 English pounds I was able to purchase flight tickets to and from Rurrenabaque in the Amazon, and a three day two night tour of the jungle, led by a bonafide Amazon dweller (tour guide). So at the lovely and enjoyable time of 5am (or Navy O Clock as I prefer to call it) I was on my way to La Paz airport with fellow Loki workers Chris and Charlie, and new friends Anna, Katie and Pete (Dirty Ozzys the lot of them). Unfortunately the flight was delayed by rain, but when we saw the size of the plane and the 'runway' at the Rurre end (glorified flattened mud) we were more than happy to have been delayed half an hour in our arrival. Rocking up at the tiny airport (loved it) in Rurre we were greeted by Mark and Tara, fellow travellers who would be joining us for our adventure and our "yes your tour guide will definately be English speaking.... ha ha ha" tour guide, Mario. Shockingly he spoke no English. Either that or it makes his life easier to pretend he doesn't and is actually a toothless evil genius. So, I was given the role of trip translator as my Spanish was the best of the group, which is flattering and impressive as I only really started learning so recently and havent been having lessons, but was very tiring when I had to translate the days itinerary at 6am each day. However, I do love speaking the language and was keen to get in some practise and only made one mistake of note when I told the group we would only see anacondas if they had had good dreams (sueno), when the guide actually said we would see them if we were lucky (swerte). Day one started with a three hour bone- jolting trip in the back of the 4 by 4, a vehicle that had clearly had a hard life as each time we went through a puddle (numerous) the splashback entered the car and by the time we arrived at the rendezvouz with the boat we were all coated in mud. Luckily we were excited for our adventure, and pre- resigned to the fact that we would be dirty for the next few days, and we hopped out the car to the local village 'restaurant' in high spirits to partace in very nice food surrounded by a menagerie of unusual pets. I can now honestly say I have partaken in a meal while there were 2 hogs, a monkey and a massive and terrifying heron in the vicinity. Post animal farm lunch we were off in the boat that was to be our main method of transportation for the next 3 days, and a delight to be sat in after the rough road into the national park (Bolivian don't really do roads, presumably a side effect of the tourist trade here growing faster than the economic infrastructure can realsitically support- top tip for Bolivia, pay for the most expensive bus going because its the only one that even might have suspension!). In the boat we were lucky enough to catch our first look at the locals; and by that I mean spider monkeys, alligators, camen, campivaras (perfect pet to keep our new coatamundi company I recon Kathryn) and trees full of Birds of Paradise. The anaimals were literally everywhere and it was such an immense pleasure to see them in their natural habitat.
It took about three hours on the river to reach our camp (the national park only being travesible via Amazon tributaries), during which point we were lucky enough to see a nest of baby alligators (and our guide demonstrated that ecotourism was his watchword by picking one up... a theme that continued throughout, the more deadly it seemed the keener he was to handle it) and our guide managed to tempt spider monkeys onto our boat. The camp itself was perfect... exactly what an Amazon camp should be, wood huts and mosquito screens, and after such a long day we all fell into our beds after another good dinner at the awesome time of 7.30pm! I had one of the best sleeps I've had in months, finding the immense noise of the nighttime Amazon nothing compared to the joys of the Loki staff room. I actually loved sleeping in the jungle, and found the noises of hundreds of animals going about their nightly buisness incredibly relaxing, others on my trip didn't feel the same way, finding the early morning Howler monkeys that lived in the camp trees too much at 5am.
The next day saw another early start, and after dodging the howler monkeys morning ablutions to get to the breakfast hut we were all given wellies so we could go anaconda hunting in the swamps. During the four hour trek we were incredibly fortunate and saw several black and green mambas and one anaconda! Now being a relatively intelligent being (I like to think anyway) it seems logical to me that a wild animal wouldn't particularly enjoy being surrounded so when we found the anaconda I stood myself firmly behind the guide. Unfortunately this line of reasoning didnt seem to occur to everyone else in the group and they spanned around it. Now I was right in my reasoning, and according to the guide later (when my heart had restarted) a surrounded snake will attack. Me. Yep, the anaconda sized up its audience and decided I provided the poath of least resistance and started to circle my feet. Now if this ever happens to you every instinct you posses will be telling you to run. Three jungle worn Bolivians shouting 'DONT MOVE!!!' (including 'I dont speak english' Mario) were just about enough to quash this instinct and with my heart beating a mile a minute the guides moved the group away and the snake backed down. An important reminder that we really were in the wild, and the animals ruled the roost. A further reminder of this came later in the day when we heard a soft woof woofing noise and the group were immediately hushed and then rushed out of the locale pretty sharpish, apparently a wild jaguar was very close by. The four hour hike was definately very enjoyable, and wading through the swamps in leaky wellies was very much up my street, although I was secretly glad after my experience not to see anymore anacondas I know we were so lucky to see one!! After lunch back at the camp we were off for a spot of pirhana fishing, and between the eight of us managed to catch two pirhanas and two catfish; awesome to see wild pirhanas (or rather feed them as I was rubbish st the fishing and they just ate the meat off from round my hook), especially as I used to be one who lived in the Amazon! Unfortunately I lost all my pirhana fishing photos trying to download to the hostel computer upon my return, but will endeavour to get copies off friends....
After pirhana fishing we were off to watch the sunset which was unfortunately obscured by clouds (not as unfortunate as the fact sunrise which we got up at Navy o Clock to see the next morning was obscured by clouds too...) but still pretty. And then on the journey back we did alligator watching in the dark watching their eyes flash red, creepy but fun. The final day we went swimming in the river with the pink dolphins, which sounds insane as there were alligators and camen on the banks, and pirhanas in the water, but we were assured we were safe if the dolphins were there, and it was amazing to be near pink river dolphins and see them play. In retrospect the whole trip could be percieved to be incredibly dangerous, and I'm glad I did it, but feel the experience will be a once in a lifetime one. And despite all the ominous warnings about bug bites (and there were lots of bugs!) I only came back with one mozzy bite on my elbow, and an ant bite on my bottom due to a typical Alex not looking where she's crouching moment.
The return journey was also as bumpy as the way out, and we were please to get back to Rurrenabaque and find ourselves a hostel, which was very accomodating at the steep rate of 2.50 pounds a night!! I really liked Rurrenabaque and found it to be charming! I could have spent longer there, and the flight back to la paz the next day was educational as the pilots let us come and sit in the cockpit mid flight which was very cool!
The jungle has to go down as one of my trip highlights to date, but I was happy to get back to Loki for my first proper hot shower in four days and my final few days in the crazy city that is La Paz....

Oh yes. And I did all this wearing an Indiana Jones hat.