Thursday, July 17, 2025 — the Pipilintu crew lands in Rurrenabaque, the tourist gem of the Bolivian Amazon.
There’s a certain relief with this arrival.
After four days of sailing packed with adrenaline — jagged rock rapids, dangerous barge maneuvers, and multiple groundings — we’re pretty glad to have made it through this risky section.
One thought keeps running through our heads: “Holy crap! And to think we had planned to do this alone — and without a motor...”
We’re deeply thankful to have been accompanied by the Navy, who pulled us out of some tricky situations — and turned out to be a great bunch of travel companions.
After a well-deserved night’s rest (the four of us slept squeezed together on dusty mats in the Naval office), everyone gets to work: the to-do list before returning to the river is overwhelming (in four days of sailing, pretty much everything that could break, broke).
Everyone? Not quite!
Our beloved captain Fabien, aka Baboune, is stuck in bed, zero energy… and still digesting the loss of his phone.
History will never say where it disappeared, but odds are it decided to free itself and join the depths of the Río Beni.
Meanwhile, the rest of the crew discovers Rurrenabaque one service at a time:
— One has to get vaccinated
— Another sends clothes to be repaired
— And so on...
By the end of the day, the three captain-less crewmates regroup at a well-known restaurant (Luna Lounge) to debrief the day and map out the next steps in our stopover.
The evening takes a surprising turn: we meet Willy at the bar, a seasoned jungle guide full of wild stories about the city’s history and the regions we’ve crossed.
We dive into long conversations about gold mining — a pretty controversial topic around here.
As the night goes on, we realize the expedition is starting to make a name for itself.
People invite us for free meals, free stays…
Everyone wants a photo with us or to buy us drinks.
The beer flows freely! 🍻
The night ends late in a local club, and we finally crash with the same phrase looping in our heads:
“This is completely insane!”
The next morning, the four crewmembers wake up in pretty rough shape.
For Baboune, it’s official: salmonella! He’s now on antibiotics, bedridden…
The other three are battling brutal hangovers, courtesy of excessive CH₃–CH₂–OH 🍺
Still, it’s time to repair and prepare the boat.
We’re lucky to have access to a well-equipped workshop at the Naval base — grinders, hammers, and saws echo through the walls.
Among all the people who lent us a hand, we’ll especially remember Ben “Jaja”, a Frenchman settled in Rurre, who supplies us with everything we need for the next 10 days of the expedition.
He insisted we mention him on our website — we’re happy to have an “official sponsor” on board!
Morning, afternoon, evening — we keep getting invited to restaurants, and we don’t hold back: we treat ourselves to good food all over town.
And most importantly: the captain is recovering!
Just in time, because we’re getting a fair bit of media attention.
Pipilintu makes its first appearance on Bolivian national TV, and the whole team takes part in a press conference with the Rurrenabaque city hall, who then invites us to explore the surrounding areas.
On Tuesday, we set out again with a grand ceremonial departure, under the cameras and in front of local residents.
Our reed boat has a very limited lifespan, and every day matters.
We know the rest of the expedition will be a true race against time. It’s unlikely we’ll get to spend so much time in one place again.
For us, Rurrenabaque will remain an unforgettable stop — a place where we formed deep connections with generous, curious, kind people who welcomed us with open arms for several days.