9 - 11 March Ciudad Bolivar and Angel Falls

Another campsite with lots of animals, including a few dogs (another Rottweiler!), a monkey and other friends. This would be our hop off point for Angel Falls, the tallest waterfall in the world. We were also introduced to the drink of the country, rum. This travelling's a hard job. I discovered that Cuba Libre here is made with a fair amount of lemon juice rather than a quick squeeze of lime.






We took a 19 seater plane to get to the town by the Falls, which is the smallest plane I have ever been on. 3 of the group went in a smaller plane which took 1hour15 mins to our 30 min flight. We settled into our lodgings, a 60 second drive away from the airport, and met the entertaining and quite nibbly macaw that lived there.
Yes Duncan, they must have known you would sit there - nice headrest by the way





Most went for a dip in the sea a couple of minutes walk away, whilst Mikkel and I took a wander through the forest to reach the top of the first of several waterfalls nearby.




We jumped onto a passing pick-up truck for a more relaxing trip back to town and after lunch, we all went off on a boat to see the waterfalls.
Hitching a lift back


Our first stop was to see the waterfall that appears in one of the scenes in Last of the Mohicans. Walking behind it was absolutely amazing.
Ok, let's go


From the beach





Inside the waterfall


Side view of the waterfall


Me inside the waterfall. It was wetter than this looks


Some clown with a brolly inside the waterfall


From inside the waterfall


We then went to another spot and after clambering over rocks, some of us went for a dip as others showed off their diving/jumping/bombing skills from the top of the rocks.
Terry led the way


After a quick shower, Kirsten and I decided to take a gentle walk around town. 12 minutes later, we'd seen town and bumping into a few of the others, went in search of a bar before dinner. We plumbed for a rather posh beach side lodge hotel and watched bush tv (a bush fire which was perilously close to our chosen spot).

Monday morning saw us return to the airport to go to see Angel Falls. 7 of us including the pilot on our plane, I wasn't sure if we'd all be seeing my breakfast again. But no, I loved it. I've never been in such a small plane and whilst it's not for me, I now 'get' why people learn to fly.




The fact our pilot had a pronounced twitch and giggled a lot for no reason (we suspected tourettes) made it even more fun. The falls didn't have a huge amount of water running over them (it is dry season) but nearly a km high, they can't fail to be impressive. The scenery around them though was even better. In the middle of nowhere, barely accessible and surrounded by spooky looking rocky mountains, touching the clouds and dense jungle below, a definite highlight of the trip.
Spooky scenery near Angel Falls



Angel Falls



Angel falls


Jeanne's squeals of fear made me chuckle


Just after a bit of turbulence. Eek.


Leaving the lodgings proved a little tricky when the nibbly macaw decided to trap me in the ladies loo and run at me every time I tried to exit. Much to everyone else's amusement, I wasn't going to take that little fellow on whilst I was in flip flops! Once freed by Terry, a 36degree (everyone melted) flight took us back to Ciudad Bolivar for a night there then off the beach for a few days.