SO last time we wrote we were waiting for the train in Santa Cruz which was delayed by 10 hours. Finally it left at around 10.30pm, 10.5 hours later then the schedule. WE had ¨first¨ class seats so didn¨t have to queue to get a seat or anything altho we did cos everyone else was so we thought we better as well. The train is pretty grubby but good leg room and the seats were ok. ALso could open the windows all the way so was great for sticking your head out and looking around. Managed to get some sleep in between ticket and drug checks which happened every couple of hours or just when we had always managed to fall into a deep sleep!
There was quite a few Mennonites on the train as they have population centres around San Jose De CHiquitos and places like that. Quite strange seeing them all dressed up identically in their nice smart overalls and shirts and hats and dresses for the women. THink they found us strange too as they stared at us a bit and there wasn{t that many backpackers on the train maybe 4 of us all up.
The train stopped at EVERY little place for the 600kms between Santa Cruz and the border. AT every stop, hoards of local kids and women got on the train to sell lemonade which was really good and a variety of empanadas, bbq meat, and other various dishes. GOod entertainment!
THe highlight of the trip was passing by the area of Chocis which has got an area of sandstone plateaus that look really cool. WOuld love to check that area out for walking sometime. Reminded me of a cross between KIngs Canyon and the Budawangs in Australia but really green since its the wet season. Very beautiful tho and will post photos at some stage. THis was the bonus of having a late train otherwise we would have passed this area at night time!
EVentually got to Puerto Quijarro around 8pm on the friday night after a long hot day sweltering on the train. WE stank and were pretty exhausted. FOund an ok place to stay and some dodgy food to eat and slept like logs. Puerto Quijarro is a hole - typical dodgy border town with plenty dodgy characters and just not a nice place to be. IT was dusty as hell when we arrived and an hour later got a huge storm so everything turned into rivers of mud.
THe next morning we headed to the border early. WAs stinking hot ... probably mid 30s at 8am and we got covered in mud walking across the border. HEaded to COrumba which is in BRazil and experienced a kind of time warp sensation as Brazil and COrumba is clean, dry, well off, nice cars, paved streets, no mud, happy well dressed people and just about as far from BOlivia and Puerto Quijarro as you could imagine. Was really strange feeling. Of course the prices jumped about 600percent once we crossed the border as well!
GOt our brazilian passport stamps at the bus station after having to walk about 2kms wityh out backpacks as the taxi prices were outrageous. Arrived drenched in sweat and stinking. THey stamped my australian passport, didn-t even look at DUnks visa and off we went.
Booked a bus to Miranda where our pantanal tour started on monday. MAnaged to miss the bus as I had gone to town looking to an ATM as we had no reais. We forgot that BRazil is an hour ahead!! anyways the very sweet and amused ticket seller changed our tickets no hassles! COst us 15 euros each for a ticket which is about 10 times more expensive then BOlivia BUT when we saw the bus we knew why. I have never been on a better bus anywhere in the world. IT was amazing! Air-con that was properly cold, beautifully clean and loads of space with the most comfy seats ever.
HAd a great view of the pantanal from the bus, managed to see caiman, jabiru storks, spoonbills, deer, etc and we hadnt even started the tour. In Miranda, the tour guys picked us and we stayed with them for sat and sunday. THey cooked us some great traditional food and it was good to chill out after the epic journey from Santa Cruz. WAs ridicously hot on the sunday gain ... probably getting near to 40C and humid too. I was melted!!
OK next post will tell ya all about the Pantanal!
BTW we did a tour with Explore Pantanal.
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