Days 18 & 19: C de G and Pocone

Another excursion with Guierreiro, who drives us to a different part of the national park, along a rough track to some scenic views over the landscape. Later he takes us to a waterfall which despite it being the dry season, is still in flow. It's called the Vea da Novia (bridal veil) which while not a unique name in South America, is appropriate.

Looking ahead to the Pantanal where we are destined next, we find that the jungle lodge which had been recommended to us cost US$300 a night and was full anyway so we make other plans. The following day we take a bus to the state capital of Cuiaba and connect to the bus to Pocone, a 2 hour journey on which curiously, although my ticket is booked for seat number 4, there is no such place on the bus. Luckily the bus is far from full!

Pocone (accent on the e, hence poc-on-AY) is a small town about the size of C de G and while not yet in the Pantanal, is the northern gateway to it. We've been told that there is a tourist office and tour guide service just opposite the rodoviaria but when we pull in, there is no sign of them or indeed of anything much. Just lots of heat and an unshaven man in a battered car who offers trips to the Pantanal, but we have no idea of his reliability and so give him a miss. I feel like the Sundance Kid when he and Butch Cassidy turn up at a godforsaken railway halt in the back country of Bolivia.

We check into a friendly motel-style guest house south of the town centre. They don't arrange tours themselves but gives us some phone numbers and Doree negotiates two day trips in her fluent Portuguese. Let the Pantanal begin!Read more