Lost World – Searching for jaguars & pumas in Brazil’s Atlantic Rainforest – Day 1

[Photos not available yet]

Getting to the Tulip Inn near Curitiba airport from Curitiba city centre was a bit of an expedition in itself – my taxi driver didn't have a clue where we were going. After radioing base & calling his mate on his cell phone for directions, and after I told him I wasn't paying any more than R$50 seeing as he didn't know where we were going – we eventually got there. Tired & hungry, I just wanted to chill out but in the hotel lobby I met one of my fellow expeditioners, and we went for dinner in the deserted restaurant – my filet mignon was ok, but not a filet mignon by irish standards J, while Michael's chateaubriand looked excellent – I'm gonna have that when we get back.
We are quite the international bunch – 1 Australian, and another to arrive next week, 2 Germans, 1 Irish, 1 Norwegian, 4 British and 1 American – and that's just the volunteers. Our expedition leaders are German and our scientist is Brazilian.
Sunday May 9: We met this morning in the hotel lobby, had a brief introductory meeting where we introduced ourselves, handed over our paperwork and then loaded up in the jeeps to head to base camp about 2 hours away. Land Rover sponsor the expedition so I was riding in the back (cos I have the shortest legs) of a lovely new Discovery – very comfortable, even for the back seat J. We drove along the motorway for 45 mins – stopped off at a petrol station for some sundry supplies (read alcohol) and then started off down a dirt road, which got rougher & rougher & rougher as we went along (see video below). We drove over tiny wooden bridges that you would not believe would support the weight of our jeep with us & our entire luggage on it.
So far today, we have just spent getting to know each other, having safety talks and an introductory lecture on the science behind what we are trying to do and the difficulties facing conservation in Brazil. Arriving at base camp I am pleasantly surprised. Our briefing documents warned us that conditions here would be basic, but there is electricity, flushing toilets and even an electric shower! Maybe I've just been hardened by all the horse riding – but this is not what I would call basic – and I am thrilled about that J. Although I still do have to sleep in a tent...hmmm.