×

Loading...
Ad by
  • 最优利率和cashback可以申请特批,好信用好收入offer更好。请点链接扫码加微信咨询,Scotiabank -- Nick Zhang 6478812600。

Floating in a tropical river, Day 4: Catching fish

Same as yesterday morning, there is a layer of fog this morning, waiting for the sun to burn it away.

There is no gold mining in this part of the river.  Also there are a lot less motor boats.  The river appears very peaceful.

We start fishing in the morning.  Ruben uses the super thick line with a huge hook of about one and a half inches wide.  His bait is a piece of fish meat from yesterday.  I've been wondering how big a fish he is going to get, with such a huge hook.

Interestingly enough, he gets one regular size cat fish.  I get one as well.  That's all what we get for the whole morning.

We stop at another plantation.  This time Ruben picks cacao fruit for me.  It's the one that chocolate is made from, probably using the seeds.  But the fruit itself does not have much to eat.  It's only a slippery thin layer covering the seeds, with some slightly sweet flavour.


At noon time we arrive at a place where a branch river is joining.  This branch is of clearer water.  While Ruben is preparing lunch, I dip myself into the water, wearing only my hat to block the sun.  So far this is the best dip!

The lunch is fried fish and fried plantain, quite tasty.

As we continue to float down, I see something jumping near the shore, where a creek joins the river.  Fish!  Ruben obviously knows it quite well.  As soon as we reach the beach, he jumps down with his machete, quickly runs to the creek, and starts to chop in the creek.  He gets fish!  Then he starts trying to catch fish with just bare hands, and he gets one!

Later in the afternoon we enter the Madidi Nation Park.  To be exact, we are just outside the boundary.  Separated by this river, on the left it's the park, while on the right it's reserved land for indigenous people.

Later in the afternoon we enter a canyon section.  High mountains are on both sides, the river becomes deeper and appears not flowing.  We had to paddle a lot.  Another annoying thing is there are many mosquitos, a lot more than the previous days.  They are tiny but aggressive.  Although I wear long sleeves and long pants, they bite on every possible exposed spot: my face, my hands, and my neck.

We paddle even after it turns dark.  Finally we land on a small beach, which sticks into the river like a small peninsular. 

This location is far away from any villages, no light can be seen.  While we are having dinner, the stars are so bright.  We can see the milky way!  I'm thinking about taking pictures, but when I finish the dinner, the full moon rises and the milky way disappears.

It becomes very windy late at night.  The river was so calm in the afternoon, but now it has big waves.  We have to fix the tents with extra ropes in order to keep them in place.

Sign in and Reply
Modify
Report

Replies, comments and Discussions:

  • Floating in a tropical river, Day 1 of 6: Adventure on the road +6
    • I don't know if I would travel this way myself +3

      It seems very interesting and kind of sketchy. I don’t think it’s the kind of travel for normal ordinary people, it takes a lot of gut… But good for you for being so brave.

      I think it’s better to know more about Spanish if you really want to travel in South America though… and good writing by the way :)

      • It takes some time and experience to feel comfortable to travel in a backpacking way. Along my trips I've met numerous young backpackers. Many of them just finished high school.
    • Floating in a tropical river, Day 2 of 6: River trip starts +1
    • Floating in a tropical river, Day 3 of 6: Fishing in the river +1
    • Floating in a tropical river, Day 4: Catching fish +1
      • Ruben rocks!
        • For catching fish with bare hands? :)
          • For being a good guide and a handyman. :)
    • Floating in a tropical river, Day 5 of 6: Wild macaws +1
    • Floating in a tropical river, Day 6 of 6: It rains finally. +1
    • Just found that my American friend Kim, who I met in my Ecuador trip, also took the same adventure!

      Here's what Kim wrote:

      It was the best thing I did in Bolivia! Too bad more people don’t know about it... or maybe it’s a good thing!

      I was at the same check point waiting for the bus to come...only I didn’t have a plate number. The police were freaked out that I was sitting there for hours. I didn’t speak Spanish either. The bus ended up coming 7 hours late due to a flat tire that happened before I got on. Luckily I have 3 other gringos that were on the bus who knew to look for me and I woke them up when I got on the bus to see if they were expecting another gringo. We arrived at our destination at 2:30 am and Ruban wasn’t there. Luckily, I was the only one with a phone and was able to call him otherwise we wouldn’t have known what to do. In the end Ruban was awesome and the trip was well worth it! 
       

    • Some of the best memories in life are from traveling. +2
      • Exactly! Read a thousand books, travel a thousand miles...
        • Should be 10 thousands.
          • You read more and go further. :D
    • Thanks for sharing. I think it's an interesting but scary experience! It's an adventure but not tourism. Did you feel comfortable and peaceful to float on the river for 6 days (not a short time) , +1
      especially when you were having language issues and equipped simply?
      • Hello new friends, it's my first time to visit the Rolia english version. Please feel free to let me know the errors and mistakes in my english writing. Thanks! +1
        • Welcome! Your writing is amazing. No need to worry about mistakes, if there is any. It's like the way we use Chinese: there might be errors but we are not concerned.
          • Thanks!
      • I was expecting to have a group of guests. So when I confirmed that I was the only one, I was quite disappointed. But I felt peaceful. It was not a comfortable trip though. Very primitive. :)
        • Perhaps your name, Prince Sailor, makes you brave to face that type of adventures, doesn't it? 😁😁
          • It's just not as comfy as staying in a 5-star resort. But throughout the trip I was like a prince: no need to work, someone cooked for me... isn't it amazing? :D
            • Yes, that real 1:1 small group services of both guide and hospitality. +1
        • Perhaps you have had lots of experience and skills of living near and on the sea?
          • Not really. :p I don't know how to sail, how to fish using a net, etc...
        • Could I know how much (roughly) did you pay for the guide or the travel agency? Please don't be offended. I have no intention to dig your privacy numbers,
          but just want to learn the local economic conditions and estimate the possible public safety issues for travellers. Thanks for your understanding.
          • I paid the agency. Around USD $320. It's an expensive one according to Bolivia standard. Regarding safety, Latin American countries are not so good on this issue, especially in big cities. Avoid going out after sunset.
            • 6 days' adventure for $320. The cost is low. It's a good deal as long as no robbery or other safety issues.
              • The service is minimum though... :D Among the several Latin American countries I've been too, Bolivia is safer, especially in the countryside.
                • Thanks for sharing your adventure experience!