10/12/2011 - Orinoco Delta Day 1

Waking early and retracing my route back to Puerto Ordaz I met Wolfgang (or “Lobo” which means wolf in Spanish) who drove me to a town on the cusp of the Orinoco delta several hours from the city. There had been a lack of communication with my guide in the morning so he wasn't waiting for me. Lobo sorted out a boat ride with another guy he knew which would take me halfway to my eventual encampment in the jungle. The ride was good fun and the guy was in a very good mood since he had 2 shiny new Yamaha motors on his boat that he had received yesterday - “Presents from Chavez” he told me. And they really were. Turns out one of the ongoing government schemes was to give free engines to all the communities in the towns and villages around the delta. I didn't quite figure out what it took to qualify for one but it was clear, from the way he waved to everyone we passed and pointed at the engines, that this man was one of the supporters of Chavez of who's existence I had, up till now, been sceptical of. I was treated to cigarettes and coke and the guy let me drive the boat for the majority of the journey which was a first for me.

Arriving at the half way point, there was a bit of a delay in sorting out an onward boat (including a false start in one which was clearly taking on a lot of water and who's engine cut out as soon as we got into the middle of the river) but eventually I made it to my encampment. I really had no idea of what to expect so when I was shown to a wooden cabana with a double bed and a bathroom (AND toilet paper) I was well chuffed. The encampment itself is idyllic and if I wasn't itching to see more of the Orinoco I'd be in danger of spending the whole time just relaxing and catching up on some reading on the little terrace at the back of my cabana. 

 

I met my guide, Lui, who apologized for the lack of communication, and after lunch we headed for our first trip into the delta. Drifting along the Orinoco, while Lui pointed out humming-birds, toucans, and monkeys (all of which I took terrible photos of with my inadequate camera) was fantastic and the sunset over the river was picturesque to say the least (at which point Manuel's voice came into my head with the words “Falta chicas y falta rom” haha).