I arrived in Ciudad Bolívar this morning after a 9 hour overnight bus ride. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. It was a rather comfortable sleeper coach with wide seats that reclined a lot and I had plenty of leg room. But there was on thing that everyone else on the bus seemed to know beforehand that the gringo didn’t. These nice coaches are kept as cold as meat lockers. Everyone, except me, had on a jacket, sweater, heavy blanket or a combination of the three. I had on only jeans and a t-shirt. Once I got on the bus, and realized how cold it was, I couldn’t go get my fleece because it was buried at the bottom of my bag and checked under the bus. I was actually ok for the first six hours. After that, I started to get a little cold.
I am staying at a cool posada outside of town called La Casita. It is run by a German guy that also operates a tour company and a few other enterprises in town, so I am told. At the posada they have rooms, bungalows and even hammocks to sleep on. And in back they have a small zoo of sorts. There’s a reindeer, two small monkies, some kind warthog thing and some turtles. The trees were visited this morning some large parrots and a tucan. I was told that tonight the mosquitos will visit.
Tomorrow I leave for three days in Canaima to see Salto Angel and the surrounding area. When I get back I will leave for Santa Elena de Uairen and Roraima! I also hope to squeeze in a day or two at Puerta La Cruz before leaving for Perú. I will be out of phone and e-mail contact until about the 13th or 14th.
If you aren’t familiar with Salto Angel or Roraima google them, although I hope to have some good photos and stories when I get back.