A journal of my travels...in Brazil

Iguazu Falls 25th May 2004

The falls on the Brazillian side proved to be just as spectacular with wide panaoramic views. We spent the morning exploring before planning to catch a flight to Rio.

The worst thing about traveling is ironically the traveling. So we thought we'd treat ourselves to a flight Rio rather than the numerous 24 hour bus journeys that we had been taking. We'd had 55cms of rain in the previous 24 hours which mant that Foz Iguazu airport was closed the previous day and in the morning when we arrived but by the time we had returned from the falls the weather had cleared enough to take off.

Rio de Janeiro 26th May to 1st June

We'd met a travel writer in Salta who gave us a tip for accomodation. As well as hotels and hostals, a common option is hiring a self catering appartment. It proved to be right on Copacabana beach, spacious and well equiped. At 9 pound a night each - a bargain including the sound of the waves crashing on the beach in the background.

From Iguazu, the wet weather meant that we'd picked up some guests, as leaving your socks out to dry in a tropical storm is obviously an invitation for a spider to hatch it's young. About 300 of them in the dirty washing pile - but what about the smell, I hear you cry... well, spiders don't smell that bad!

Copacabana

Copacabana is an area of 4km square with a population of 250,000 making it one of the highest populated areas in the world - with that comes problems such as poverty and crime. We had been warned by all we met about the crime and learnt they have about 70 muggins a day on this stretch of beach. But if you go out with only what you need and be street wise - it's safe enough compared to any other large city.

One of other main contrasts from other major cities we have been to in South America is that the locals look after their dogs better than the children. In Santiago, Chile and Argentina the dogs had been seen as pests but in Rio poodles, spaniels and all other puppies are all dressed up and treated like royalty. Stark contrast to the kids who beg on the street and are chased away by the locals when they get too close.

Our time in Rio was very much a well needed rest after 5 weeks of traveling but as well as the beach, we visited several of the Rio top spots. As well as the CapriVodkas at 60p a glass we got tickets for a Samba night club show up Sugar Loaf Mountain, a mix of western pop and Samba beats got the crowd going and it was such a stunning place for a club. They also had huge chill out beds all around so when the clubbing got too much there was the option of 40 winks looking over Rio at night. Zoe being able to sleep anywhere took full advantage.

Hanggliding and Corcovada - 2 ways to meet your maker

Hang-gliding on Saturday morning, proved refreshing with a hangover! Not scary at all, by the time you need to think about jumping off the cliff you're already in the air and the peace and tranquility of gliding over countryside, city and sea is fantastic. Try it if you ever get the chance.

We visited Corcovado (Christ the Redeemer) www.corcovado.org.br 710m on top of a hill, it is a 38m high statue of JC looking over the bays of Rio, with stunning views and breathtaking closeness of the helicoptor tours that spin round the statue in the style of a 1930s King Kong movie.

Maracana Stadium, Vasco vs Botafogo Sunday 30th May

One of the largest football stadiums in the world with a capacity of once 200,000 people, this is where the legedary John Barnes scored 'that' goal against Brazil at the Maracana Stadium. We got tickets for the local Rio derby of Vasco (who we supported as it was wise to do so due to our seating) against Botafogo. The stadium was amazing and the Samba beats in the background from the fans made it seem a lot fuller than it was. Unlike the game in Argentina they served beers and there was a more party atmosphere from the local fans. Vasco won 4-0 although there was at least one dodgy penalty - the standards of referees is universal.

San Teresa

At the back of the city there is an area known as the coolest part of Rio. The area is also known for it's crime so no camera today but mostly inhabited by artists and intellectuals it is set in narrow, tree lined steep roads it is a village with the city accessible by tram. 12 pence gets you a one way ticket to the top on what can only be described as the equivalent of the ghost train at Blackpool pier. The rickety tram pushes upwards with anyone who can't afford the 12p jumping on and holding onto the outside for a free ride. At the top we settled for Sobrenatural Resturant, famous for fish and had a sword fish steak for 2 prepared in the traditional brazillian way with fried flour and shrimp sauce.

Belem 1st - 4th June

Belem, in the North of Brazil, sits on the Baia do Guajara at the mouth of the Amazon River. Here we are only about 250 miles south of the Equator - And it´s hot! Very hot! Pushing 40c at 9am means that life is at a different pace.

We linked up with Liana (who we met on our travels in Puerto Montt, Chile). Liana lives in Belem and works within conservation of the Amazon and when she found out we´d be in Belem she helped us out loads and booked a taxi from the airport, the hotel and the boat for our onward journey to Manaus. She also enlightened us with facts about the area (that it didn´t mention in the guide books!) and about the food. We went out for a meal for´local´food in a restaurant in the Estacao das Docas (restored warehouses) and wound up eating vegetables that have to be boiled for 7 days to remove poisons. Just imagine if you forgot which day you put it on to boil!?

From what we saw of Belem, it has a beautiful theatre - Teatro da Paz- and cathedral. But one of the highlights has to have been the market. In fact the whole town is one big market! Founded by the Portuguese in 1500´s the towen is the link between South America, Africa and Europe - so the market reflects the cultures. Known as the Ver-o-Peso ´see the weight?market is one of the most varied and colourful markets in South America - huge, unidentifiable fish, next to brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, Brazil nuts by the kilo, medicinal herbs and natural perfumes, manioc flours and grain, places for the fishermen to eat ... it completely overtakes your senses. I nearly bought a dragon as they sell almost anything.

Cabin Fever on the Onze de Maio (Belem to Manaus) 4th - 10th June

5 days sailing up the Amazon River - not my idea!. But Zoe thought it would be romantic and jumped at the chance. We had a private suite with air conditioning and private bathroom so what could go wrong! It sounded so much more appealing than slumming it in hammock class.

In reality the ´suite?was a cupboard with bunkbeds (and optional death stained mattresses), a vent with a wisp of air and a toilet with overhead shower - So we set sail on a floating Petrie Dish waiting for disease to engulf us - Romantic eh?. The food would have been alright if not repetitive and the dwindling numbers at the dinner table suggested we had more on board than passengers, had they not used river water to wash our food we may have survived but we had to resorted to dry crackers, tomato sauce and mineral water after a few days as the bugs had a party.

On the Sunday we celebrated Zoe´s 30th birthday and while we got slowly intoxicated I started to develop Dengue Fever. By 4am I was chucking up for England (both ends) and had a tempreature of 41c (a new personal best according to my mother). A day in the cabin with no more than water to drink and Anti Thermic Tablets - kindly supplied by Aventis! - I broke the fever but lost 4.5 kgs.

Overall, though the expeience was a good one. It has to have been the best chance to appreciate the sheer vastness of the Amazon River, and the isolation of it´s communities. Local children risked life and limb to attach their canoes to the boat - for a free ride and a chance to sell their wares. The sunsets were out of this world, and you could never get bored of the jungle forest scenery or the amount of stars you can see when night falls and there is no other light around.

We made some great companions on board from Ireland, the States and Denmark and there´s few people who can say they sailed down the Amazon, After 6 days (delay of 15 hours to gice us another night on the Swab Test Boat) we reached the source of the Amazon as we crossed the confluence of the Solimoes and Rio Negro and into Manaus. The waters of the 2 rivers flow side by side (one black the other brown) without mixing for over 50km due to the different density and pH of the two rivers.

Manaus 10th - 12th & 15th June

Population of 1.4 million people -it is somewhat strange to see a large city in the middle of the jungle. Only one road from Venuzuala reaches this part of the Amazon and the next significant city is 3 days by boat.

After checking into the Palace Hotel the first stop was the pharmacy! Manaus (capital of Amazonas state) has really been a place to recouperate after the boat journey and put a bit of weight back on. We´ve had a couple of really nice meals out - one was to an all you can eat Brazilian BBQ where meat, sausage, fish are constantly being brought to your table. We also had a night out at the theatre - Teatro Amazonas.

Ariau Towers 12th - 15th June

This was high on the list of things to do before we left England but we didn´t know what to expect at Ariau Towers (www.ariautowers.com.br). We could have been letting ourselves in for anything in between DisneyLand Jungle to Tents and a camp fire. however it turned out to be excellent - the only tree top hotel in the Amazon, and has certainly been one of the highlights of South America. We enjoyed it so much that we stayed an extra night!

We did canoe trips, jungle trekking, piranha fishing, aligator spotting, a visit to a native village, saw pink Amazonian dolphins, had fantastic food, sun rise tour and so on - and these were only the organised excursions. All over the hotel complex it was possible to feed the squirrel monkeys, macaws and parrots. We had a fantastic guide Rui (pronounced Hoy) and boatman Fabien who helped us see so much wildlife and taught us so much about the Amazonian environment, native beliefs and customs. We also met Peter and his children Peter (Jnr) and George, from New York who made the excursions even more exciting!

Brazil has been great from Iguazu to Rio to the Amazon. Hot, lively, fantastic food and diseases! It´s onto La Paz, Bolivia at 4am with the prospect of altitude sickness when we arrive (it´s the highest airport in the world at 4,058 m!).