Pantanal/Bonito- Thurs 21st Feb 2008

Trip Start Feb 11, 2008
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10
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Trip End Ongoing


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Where I stayed
Sao Jorge Pousada
(Pantanal hotels)

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Saturday, February 23, 2008

Loud knocking at our door at 03:55 woke us from our deep slumber with a start! It was the guide telling us it was time to go. We were supposed to be ready for a safari at 04:00. I stupidly set my alarm for three thirty in the afternoon, not the morning! We hurriedly got dressed and grabbed the essentials - sunscreen, repellent, water, camera, and headed off. We saw some wildlife by torch light and then stopped to watch the sun rise, which was beautiful. All in all we saw caiman, toucan, macaws, large rodents, coatis, large lizards, jabiru, snake and monkeys. The jeep was uncomfortable and I already had a sore bum from the horse riding! Despite that, I still found myself dozing off at certain points - the 04:00 start proved too much!
Arrived back on-site for breakfast at 08:00. Sleep deprived, Mike and I went straight back to bed until lunchtime. After lunch, we packed and then one of the crew drove us out of the Pantanal to catch our bus to Bonita.
Overall, I'd recommend the Pantanal although it didn't meet my expectations. I imagined there would be swarms of unusual wildlife but in most cases, it was very much blink or you'll miss it or you had to strain your eyes to catch sight of a toucan in a tree. But I think it depends on whether you get a good day or bad day - after all, you can't force the animals to come out! I enjoyed the experience of being somewhere completely different and remote on a peaceful farm. The activities could have been squeezed into two or three days instead of four as we had on average, five hours to spare each day. I would have been keen to have the days more packed with activities. The fishing and horse riding were the highlights for me as they gave me the opportunity to experience something new. The family, who ran the farm were helpful, friendly and welcoming and we felt at home as much as we possibly could.
For those that are brave enough to face the mosquitoes, there is a campsite just down the track. But whether you camp or stay in the pousada, there is no escaping those damn mosquitoes! I got at least 10 bites and I practically bathed myself in repellent!


After a five hour bus journey, we arrived at our next destination, Bonito, which means beautiful. A couple of girls we met on route to Campo Grande were heading there and told us how it had a reputation for being an idyllic snorkelling resort so we thought we'd squeeze in a day there before heading to Rio.
We checked into a pousada that was recommended to us by Gil, the guy who runs the Pantanal tours. It's not a patch on Santa Clara but it'll do for one night. From what we have seen of Bonito, after a stroll through the centre, it looks like a quaint, peaceful village with cute boutiques, cafes and restaurants.
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