Think a canoe trip in the Pantanal region on Brazil is a quiet affair? Think again!<\/span><\/h2>\n(Visiting\u00a0the Brazil stand at the World Travel Market yesterday made me think back to this most memorable of days during my solo trip to this incredible country) \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nToday we\u2019re talking reptiles and mammals and despite the night safari being cancelled due to high winds,\u00a0the 7am\u00a04km walk through the neighbouring area showed up a whole array of strange and exotic creatures. That may sound like an early start to some of you, but believe me, it\u2019s impossible to sleep past 5am as\u00a0a cacophony of birds, ably led by the extremely loud and ubiquitous chaco chachalaca, shake you out of your bed whether you\u2019re ready or not. (Side note here \u2013\u00a0I am awarding the chaco chachalaca\u00a0my \u2018how to big yourself up\u2019 award as it has a fabulous name that sounds like a samba step and a call like nothing you\u2019ve ever heard before yet it is the<\/em>\u00a0dullest and most boring looking thing you\u2019ve ever seen. The thing is, everyone knows it and it is completely unforgettable \u00a0\u2013 a great job of self-publicity that we could all learn from!)<\/p>\nBack to the morning walk and it wasn\u2019t long until we came across howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, yellow armadillo, marsh deer, and South American coati.<\/p>\n
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When I say we, that means me and my personal guide Edson.\u00a0He and I are now joined at the hip and he\u00a0leads the way on our daily walks, thrashing through the undergrowth with his large machete \u2013 why push a branch out of the way when you can hack it off in one majestic swoop? I do, however, love a man with a machete. It makes a person feel very safe!<\/p>\n![\"IMG_1086\"](\"https:\/\/deborahives.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/img_1086.jpg?w=768\")
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The highlight of the day, however, came during our afternoon canoe trip. Edson and I were paddling down the river, taking in the incredible array of birds\u00a0along the river bank, when we came across two enormous male caimans, nose to nose in the water, staring at other, neither one moving a muscle. Edson explained that they were in a fight\u00a0for a female caiman and that it could get very nasty. We watched for a minute or so and then went on our way. About an hour later, as we came back past the same spot, there they were, still nose to nose, only now they were hissing at each other and looking as though the dispute had moved up a gear. Just as we decided to leave them to it and paddle past, one of the caimans lunged at the other and the fight was on.\u00a0Unfortunately, we just happened to be in the exact wrong spot\u00a0as two huge, marauding caimans came right for us, drenching us with water, rocking our canoe to the point of almost turning it over and pushing us up against the river bank. I was petrified and screamed like a chaco chachalaca. I was sure we were going into the river, to be bitten to shreds by the caimans and then finished off my flesh eating piranha. \u00a0Edson found it all highly amusing \u2013 although he did tell all the other guides about the encounter in great detail as he had to fess up that he\u2019d never experienced anything quite like it before. I now have a phobia about caimans \u2013 they seem to be everywhere, their beady eyes following my every move. They may not be dangerous to us humans but I have\u00a0heard them hiss and I am giving them a very wide berth.<\/p>\n
![\"IMG_1092\"](\"https:\/\/deborahives.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/img_1092.jpg?w=768\")
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Shocked and still shaking from my near death experience, I walked back to my room only to be greeted by a group of capybara happily munching away on the grass in front of my porch. \u00a0Docile and content, they barely gave me a glance.<\/p>\n
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That evening, after dinner, Edson lit a fire in the pit out front of the dining room. We\u00a0all sat, drinks in hand, and chatted about our day. Personally, I think he did that so he would have a captive audience for a retelling of our afternoon adventure. I\u2019m\u00a0sure\u00a0that will go down in history as one of his\u00a0more memorable canoe trips. I for one will never forget it!<\/p>\n
I was stayed at Araras Eco Lodge<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 booked through Original Travel<\/a><\/p>\nLike my Facebook page Deborah Ives, Solo In Style<\/a>\u00a0or join my Facebook group \u00a0Solo In Style: Females Over 50 Travelling Solo & Loving It<\/a><\/p>\nYou can follow all my travels on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
This post was originally published in May 2016 and updated today.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Today we\u2019re talking reptiles and mammals and despite the night safari being cancelled due to high winds,\u00a0the 7am\u00a04km walk through the neighbouring area showed up a whole array of strange and exotic creatures. That may sound like an early start to some of you, but believe me, it\u2019s impossible to sleep past 5am as\u00a0a cacophony of birds, ably led by the extremely loud and ubiquitous chaco chachalaca, shake you out of your bed whether you\u2019re ready or not. (Side note here \u2013\u00a0I am awarding the chaco chachalaca\u00a0my \u2018how to big yourself up\u2019 award as it has a fabulous name that sounds like a samba step and a call like nothing you\u2019ve ever heard before yet it is the<\/em>\u00a0dullest and most boring looking thing you\u2019ve ever seen. The thing is, everyone knows it and it is completely unforgettable \u00a0\u2013 a great job of self-publicity that we could all learn from!)<\/p>\n Back to the morning walk and it wasn\u2019t long until we came across howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, yellow armadillo, marsh deer, and South American coati.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n When I say we, that means me and my personal guide Edson.\u00a0He and I are now joined at the hip and he\u00a0leads the way on our daily walks, thrashing through the undergrowth with his large machete \u2013 why push a branch out of the way when you can hack it off in one majestic swoop? I do, however, love a man with a machete. It makes a person feel very safe!<\/p>\n The highlight of the day, however, came during our afternoon canoe trip. Edson and I were paddling down the river, taking in the incredible array of birds\u00a0along the river bank, when we came across two enormous male caimans, nose to nose in the water, staring at other, neither one moving a muscle. Edson explained that they were in a fight\u00a0for a female caiman and that it could get very nasty. We watched for a minute or so and then went on our way. About an hour later, as we came back past the same spot, there they were, still nose to nose, only now they were hissing at each other and looking as though the dispute had moved up a gear. Just as we decided to leave them to it and paddle past, one of the caimans lunged at the other and the fight was on.\u00a0Unfortunately, we just happened to be in the exact wrong spot\u00a0as two huge, marauding caimans came right for us, drenching us with water, rocking our canoe to the point of almost turning it over and pushing us up against the river bank. I was petrified and screamed like a chaco chachalaca. I was sure we were going into the river, to be bitten to shreds by the caimans and then finished off my flesh eating piranha. \u00a0Edson found it all highly amusing \u2013 although he did tell all the other guides about the encounter in great detail as he had to fess up that he\u2019d never experienced anything quite like it before. I now have a phobia about caimans \u2013 they seem to be everywhere, their beady eyes following my every move. They may not be dangerous to us humans but I have\u00a0heard them hiss and I am giving them a very wide berth.<\/p>\n Shocked and still shaking from my near death experience, I walked back to my room only to be greeted by a group of capybara happily munching away on the grass in front of my porch. \u00a0Docile and content, they barely gave me a glance.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n That evening, after dinner, Edson lit a fire in the pit out front of the dining room. We\u00a0all sat, drinks in hand, and chatted about our day. Personally, I think he did that so he would have a captive audience for a retelling of our afternoon adventure. I\u2019m\u00a0sure\u00a0that will go down in history as one of his\u00a0more memorable canoe trips. I for one will never forget it!<\/p>\n I was stayed at Araras Eco Lodge<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 booked through Original Travel<\/a><\/p>\n Like my Facebook page Deborah Ives, Solo In Style<\/a>\u00a0or join my Facebook group \u00a0Solo In Style: Females Over 50 Travelling Solo & Loving It<\/a><\/p>\n You can follow all my travels on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This post was originally published in May 2016 and updated today.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n