A final update to update the updates so that they are currently up to date. Except for the photos, because I forgot to bring the right gear, even though the internet here is fast. Sorry.
We arrived at the border crossing between Brazil and Venezuela sometime around 1pm, checked out of Brazil, and then had to wait till siesta time was over to get into Venezuela. We also put our clocks back half an hour due to a change in January brought in by their "crazy President" Hugo Chavéz.
We checked into the hotel in Santa Elena, ate some edibles, and had a relaxing day. The next day was a full day of sight seeing around the Gran Sabana, which is in a massive national park the size of Belgium. It features rolling hills, and extremely old mountains, that are now table-topped because they have been eroded away. Most of the area is grass land, mixed in with some tropical trees. There are also many many waterfalls. Only indigenous people are allowed to live in the area, in their huts which feature roofs made out of palm leaves. The roofs are waterproof for at least seven years (which is good, considering how much it rains), and take three months to make. We visited some waterfalls, got bitten by possibly some of the most annoying bugs on earth, and marvelled at the table top mountains. There´s also one that looks like a "finger" (but it really looks like an erect nipple to be frank).
The next day, yesterday, was a chilled out day. There was the option of going on another tour with the very nice tour guide we had the day before, to see the gold and diamond mines. You can get diamonds very "cheaply" in Santa Elena - the mines are still very much being used. Around the area is also where the largest diamond in the world was found, at a mere 156 carats. I didn´t go, and just chilled instead, but apparently it was good. There wasn´t much in Santa Elena, but I had a walk around and saw what was in the town. Then last night we got on our final night bus for the trip, on Venezuelan roads. Which, in simple English, means that they have been maintained, and therefore there are no potholes.
One last thing before I tell you about what my future holds. The petrol prices here are mental. I´d heard it was cheap, and that Venezuela was oil rich, but nothing prepared me for the disbelief of seeing something so unbelievable. There were lines about 200m long outside the gas station in Santa Elena, filled with people from Brazil, trying to get some of the limited ration of petrol allowed to be dished out each day. Naïvely I thought that was strange, until I saw the price. About 0.074 Bolìvares per litre for 91 unleaded. That´s about NZ$0.03, and the Venezuelan Bolívar is quite high at the moment. Insane. It´s about the same price to fill up a small tank as it is for one litre in most places at the moment. Lots of people own big cars here.
Now I´m in Cuidade Bolívar, which is our guide´s hometown. From here, those that can afford the unmissable and expensive trip to see the Angel Falls will fly out tomorrow morning for two nights in the jungle beneath the Falls. The Angel Falls is the tallest waterfall in the world, with the water free falling from a height of 976m. It should be spectacular.
