The Big Trip - Delta Orinoco

Finally, we've started the big trip! The one trip that this Venezuela trip is really about - and it started out with, as many other trips on this journey, a 14 hour drive! One of the girls on the trip, Laura, turned 21 the day we started out. I don't know about you, but I could think of better ways to spend my 21st birthday than driving for 14 hours and then spending the night camping out in little tents. Apparently, so could the guides so they got a posada for us, and we had a nice dinner and partied at night. loads of fun! :)
The next day we drove the last four hours to a little place where we could put up our hamocks and sleep. During the day we got to jump from a little bridge (app. 4 meters) and into the water. It was okay, but not something i enjoyed a lot - especially since I hurt my ear. Nothing serious, just enough to scare my a little. That night was the first night we spent in our newly purchased expedition hammocks, and small as they were they were surprisingly comfortable as well. A nice surprise when you are expection worse :)
In the morning of May 1st we headed out in the kayaks. The first day felt really long as we were not used to using out bodies nor the kayaks properly. However, it was amazingly beautiful! The next day we headed out, and quite frankly I was not looking forward to a week of kayaking, but it turned out to be a lot better that day! Apparently your body gets used to the motions of a kayak real fast. Furthermore, we all started talking more while kayaking so the time passed a little faster ;)
On the third day of the trip we had the big day, as we had to get up at 2 am, leave in the kayaks at 3 and then go on for 62,7 kms! For those of you who do not know how far that really is - it takes around 13-14 hours, and that my friends is a very long time! Unfortunately, I got sick so I was only able to go the first 30 kms, but thouse 30 were so interesting and very beautiful, as we got to see the head lamp reflected in the eyes of the caimans and the sun rise and hear the jungle wake and rise to a new day! Two other girls were sick that day, so the three of us went the last 32 kms in the boat, and we were at the camp. The special thing about this camp was that is was a big indian camp. Not big enough to be a village, but still is was like 4-5 houses. I am uncertain as to whether it was one big family (some Indians have up to 20 kids/couple!!).. Anyways, we got there around 2 pm and Louis and Alberto got out of the boat and talked some stuff through with the Indians. Like prices and such. So Helle, Inge and I waited in the boat, and little by little came the kids and watched us. At first it was only like 3 and they tried to hide behind the tree as they were curious yet cautious. Then as more and more kids joined them they for more and more bold and in the end they were 8-10 kids just standing there watching. It was a curious experience as we were just as interested in looking at them as they were in looking at us. Finally somebody brought out some food and then the kids went to eat. That's when we decided it was time to get out of the boat and unloading all the stuff. So we did, and were all surprised when the kids raced each other to get to the bags to carry them to the hammock house. One bag was so heavy that it took 6 children to carry it! And they gladly did! I am not lying when I tell you that some of these kids were no more and 3 at the most! and then they were so happy to be helping us carrying big bags. It was a fun thing to watch:)
When we had all the lugage in the "house" we put up our hammocks and sat down to wait while the others were still in the kayaks. As we sat there the kids gathered around again, we counted 32 ! and there were more, cause sometimes some left and others arrived. I think there were around 40 kids in the camp! and they were all around the same age. like babies - 10 or maybe 12. It was so much fun watching them watch us, as they were both shy and super curious at the same time. finally they started playing again and so Inge tried to play a little with them. At first they were scared but then they thought it was funny. We took some pictures which they thought were very interesting and they saw all our photos. Then Loui and Alberto found a tarantula in the "bathroom" (three walls and a floor all made of concrete and very open for all to see). We took some photos with the tarantula, including onces were it was on our heads/faces.. not as nasty as I would have thought.
The next day we only had to go 800 meters by kayak, to a place called Delta Lodge. A very luxurious place, little huts for 2-4 ppl with a shower and a toilet that could flush. It is amazing how happy you will be when you see one of those for the first time in a long time! Our guide, Martin, had that great idea of pulling a practical joke on us, so he told us all that they Delta Lodge was closed, due to renovations or something like that. Now we had to sleep out side a little indian man's house. Two could sleep in the kitchen (which was outside), 3-4 in the duck house 4 in a little hut and the rest of us had to sleep under the palm trees. Furthermore we had to clean the place up otherwise there might be tarantulas hiding in the fallen coconuts. Boy, were I frustrated. We all tried so very hard NOT to show, but it was difficult. Some kept saying "this might be fun" "it's an experience" "hey, I get to sleep out in the open" "maybe we can get beers from D.L. and then we can make our own party with out the stupid flushing toilet!" etc. it wasn't till the place was all clean that Martin told us it was just a joke. Afterwards I can see how it is funny, but right there.. I did not believe him, and then I got angry. As did most of the group. After yelling and laughing in disbelieve we headed to Delta Lodge and had fun. Turned out they had a giant Odder (the most dangerous animal in the jungle if you ask Martin), a parrot, a puma and a peacock, so it was both a time to party, relax and take pictures :)
They next day we had to go 8 kms in the kayaks to an indian camp which by Eventure is called "Mama's Camp" because Rene (one of the founders) lived there for a long time and the woman became like a mother. We spent two days in mama's camp and got to talk to the kids a lot as we got to teach them english one day. It was great fun, but a scary experience as well as many of them did not recognize the alphabet in Spanish! I must admit that the kids were adorable though, and so eager to learn! :)
When we headed out from Mama's Camp we left in the boat and sailed for about 3-4 hours to a city in which the cars were parked safely. Then we drove for a while and got to a place called Bruno's Camp. The special thing about Bruno's Camp is that it marks the transition from the Delta trip to the Gran Sabana trip. This is marked by a 14 meters tall bridge from which you jump into the river and swim to Bruno's camp. Most ppl jumped, but I was not able to convince myself that I would not get hurt so I could not make myself jump. That night we slept in the tent for the first time, and so our Gran Sabana Trip begun...