Just to let you know that we should have an update and post soon. The new netbook I bought in London broke so we bought a new one in Bahia Blanca, which went on the blink in Ushuaia so hoping to het it into an HP dealer in Bariloche to get repaired under warranty..
Till then,
Not a sausage! So for those who thought I was completely bonkers buying an old Land Cruiser in Kenya, try this one on for size… We went to go look at an original 1983 VW Kombi Campervan yesterday in Buenos Aires. Wow, this cab was mint and even had the original campervan handbook and service manual. Everything was original and there was not a single tear on the vinyl seats nor the slightest crack on the dashboard.. Drove like a gem, even without power steering and the engine purred like the 1600 boxer T2 engine should.
Spending a few days sorting out how to take ownership and will let you know how we get on with aquiring ‘Burro’ (Donkey).
Here is a link to the add I found for a few pics.. Fun times ahead..
http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-107528947-volkswagen-kombi-unica-motorhome-_JM
The time for us to embark on our new adventure came upon us quickly. After 2 very busy, fun filled weeks in London we were packed and ready to make our way to City Airport in East London. The airport was packed with businessmen and ladies all making their way back to Europe after meetings and I am sure we were the envy of many people as we were one of very few to be wearing casual clothing and armed with a backpack.
Our flight to Frankfurt was delayed by 45 minutes as we circled the airport waiting for confirmation to land. This meant that Kirk and I had a long run to the next gate as we were still on the bus when the boarding call had been made. We managed to get onto the plane to Sao Paulo with 5 minutes to spare only to get told that there was a communication problem with the aeroplane and that there would be a delay. We waited for 2 hours before our Boeing 747 left European soil and made its way to Brazil.
We landed at 8am and faced long queues at immigration and customs but within an hour and a half we were stamped in and navigating our way to a bus transfer that would take us right to the Backpackers door. Kirk and I didn’t know what to expect of Sao Paulo and were pleasantly surprised. The roads resembled wide boulevards and some of the buildings could have come directly from Regents Street. The bus followed an interesting route that took us through the down town area and the affluent areas of Bella Vista and Jardins. Our hostel, GOL backpackers was right off Avenue Paulista, an upmarket business area that showed wealth and remote safety.
It took Kirk and me a few hours to adjust to our new surroundings but after an afternoon nap and a visit to the supermarket we were good to go and ready to embrace our new adventure.
Backpackers have many pros and cons. The pros in this case were that we made friends with many like minded travellers in the 1st hour of being in Sao Paulo. Dinner was enjoyed at a local Brazilian café followed by a beer at a local bar. It all seemed very European and we felt comfortable taking a stroll back to our hostel at 11pm. I’m sure we will discover the cons as we get further on in our travels.
We woke up the following morning feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the sights that Sao Paulo had to offer. Without wanting to tempt fate we decided it best to not take our big camera into the downtown area as it is a prominent area for muggings and pickpockets and we didn’t want to draw attention to ourselves. Along with Peter (Danish) and Ivan (Brazilian and Portuguese speaking – huge bonus!) we made our way towards the metro where Ivan and Peter left us at Sao Bento and we continued on to the bus station where we had to buy our tickets for our bus trip to Rio de Janeiro. Kirk impressed me as he proceeded to speak to the ticket salesperson in Portuguese, without the use of a phrase book, and managed to buy 2 tickets to the correct destination! I was left speechless and very proud! We headed back to Sao Bento and met up with our friends and started our sightseeing tour. The 1st stop was the Edificio Altino Arantes, a 160m high building with a somewhat uncanny resemblance to New York’s Empire State Building. We were given free access to the top where we were blown away by the view. The sight from the top accentuated the true dimensions of the city of Sao Paulo. Sky scrapers continued as far as the eye could see and we were able to get our bearings of the old city and plot our next sightseeing attraction visit. The buildings surrounding the Edificio were old colonial styled buildings that housed banks and other prominent businesses. We were limited to 5 minutes at the top of the building and so made our way down the elevator to the ground floor level and took a stroll to the Mercado Municipal.
When it comes to markets all I can say is Borough Market, eat your heart out. The Mercado Municipal was any foodies dream come true with a variety of Amazonian Forest fruit I have never seen before and of sizes any allotment owners would be envious of! The cured meats, pickled olives, dried fruits, fresh cheeses and fresh meats were astounding. We had arrived at lunchtime and where better to be than at a local market that specialises in traditional Brazilian lunches? Kirk and I shared a mouth watering cheese, ham and sun dried tomato baguette that was to die for and I mean literally! It was artery clogging material but delicious.
We left the market feeling full and satisfied but were faced with a downpour of rain. We bought a cheap umbrella and continued our walk back to Sao Bento Metro station where we saw genius salesmen standing at the top of the stairs to the Metro providing immediate cover with umbrellas to businessmen who were unprepared. This ensured a quick sale and everyone was happy! The evening was spent indoors with a light dinner and more research for our onward travel.
The following day was definitely a lowlight. Backpacking is something that Kirk and I are going to take a while to get used to. Dorms are noisy and we seem to be much older (by at least 5 years) than our roommates. Mvubu is sorely missed and we wish he was here with us. The convenience of having a house on wheels was a luxury and it is frustrating not having a supply of food and a fridge to store it in. We are already craving vegetables and fruit but can’t buy too much because we just don’t have the space to store it and I am most definitely not carrying it. Fun times ahead! We will get into the spirit of backpacking soon…hopefully! After 3 days in Sao Paulo it was time for us to move on to sunnier more tropical climates. We were desperate for some sun, sand and blue sky as it had rained for the 3 days that we were in Sao Paulo. We took a midnight bus to Rio de Janeiro and arrived in the sunny city at 6am.
Kirk and I arrived feeling as though we had done an all nighter. The night bus was an experience to say the least and another thing we would need a quick adjusting to. We got a taxi to our Hostel, Lemon Spirit, and booked into a double room. It was available and had air conditioning and we were too tired to care about the price. We were going to enjoy Rio! We took a quick walk to the beach to see what was in store for us for the next few days, bought some breakfast – cheese and ham roll – and returned to our hostel to nap before hitting the beach later on in the morning. Leblon beach, situated west of the infamous Copacabana beach was our local spot and it promised a safer environment to sun ourselves and enjoy the beach. At 11am it was already 36 degrees, the locals were unaffected by the scorching sun and it was an education to spend 2 hours people watching. Brazilian women are not very body conscious. The smaller the bikini bottom, the better and the bigger your bum, the sexier you are. We sat shoulder to shoulder on the beach as close to the water as possible. There was no sense of personal space. It was a completely thrilling experience for me but not as enjoyable for Kirk. At 1pm we headed to the supermarket and bought more cheese and ham rolls. The cost of food was extortionate in Brazil and the affordable staple of cheese and ham rolls was already becoming monotonous and sickening! Brazil was far more expensive than we had anticipated.
The next day was approached with more gusto! I was on the beach at 9:30am in the hope of avoiding the mid day heat but it still wasn’t any better and I was sweating within 10 minutes of exposing myself to the elements. Kirk decided to stay in the comfort of the air conditioned room until 11am and then joined me on the beach for a few minutes. We had booked ourselves on a guided tour of all the sights in Rio and were fetched promptly after lunch (cheese and ham rolls!) and whisked away to the most famous sight, Cristo Rendentor, which was perched upon the 710m high Corcovado. The statue of Christ is 38 meters high and weighs a staggering 1145 tonnes. It was very impressive to stand below this imposing statue that overlooked the city of Rio. The panoramic views from the Corcovado were equally as impressive and displayed long stretches of white sandy beaches that were littered with thousands of red umbrellas sheltering the many beachgoers from the blazing sun.
Our next stop was the quaint neighbourhood of Santa Teresa. It had a real bohemian atmosphere with its cobblestone roads, aging mansions, art galleries and bars. The graffiti on some of the walls was remarkable and added to the soul of this wonderful place.
Further down the road was the Cidade Nova – Sambodromo – the epicentre of Rio’s carnival. Only the rich and famous are able to afford the seats in the stadium as the price per ticket starts at R$800 and soars to R$10 000. This was an area that I would not like to be left alone at in the dark as the Favellas (informal settlements) down the hillside make this an unsafe area. Police presence was evident and we were told that the Special Forces had been into various Favellas that morning in tanks as calming measures!
Another fascinating sight was the world famous Escadaria Selarón, the work of Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón who claims it as “my tribute to the Brazilian people” This staircase was a marvel and we could have spent hours looking at every tile that made up this art attraction. Jorge Selaron works on his art on a day to day basis, updating the tiles with new ones sent from people all over the world who have visited this masterpiece. He has various assistants that show tourists tiles from their countries.
Our last stop for the day was the landmark Pao de Acucar – Sugar Loaf Mountain. A cable car took us to the top of the 365m granite domes and again we were afforded stunning views all over the city of Rio. The city unfolded beneath us and we were gazed upon by the Cristo Rendetor. It was a busy day full of sightseeing but worth every minute.
Our time to leave Rio was upon us and we were headed for a more serene location, Ilha Grande, a 193 square kilometer island off the coast of Brazil. We took a bus for 3 hours from the main bus terminal in Rio and arrived in the scorching heat of Angra dos Reis. From there we transferred to a ferry that took us to the fabulous island retreat that once served as a pirate’s lair. We managed to get accommodation at Hollandes Hostel, which was situated up a hill under the thick canopy of jungle that covered most of the island. As we roamed around the car free town of Vila do Abraao we were drawn in by the quaint town’s charm. It was here that we got our first taste of Acai, a delicious sorbet like ice cream made from a small berry similar in size to a blueberry that grows on the Acai Palm Trees in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. It was a cold, refreshing and filled the gap between lunch and dinner. It was also guilt free indulgence as it packs a nutritional punch unlike any other food in the world. Topped with granola and banana, Kirk and I were smiling and feeling relieved that we now had an alternative to the mundane ham and cheese roll!
Ilha Grande is all about the pristine beaches and thick jungle vegetation that one has to walk through to get to these remote spots. We set off early in the morning to find tropical paradise and after an hour and fifteen minutes we were treated to just that. Praia des Palmas lay waiting for us with coarse light brown sand and a turquoise ocean lapping gently onto the shore. It was simply stunning and Kirk finally felt that he had found the kind of beach he enjoys –one not shared with others! We spent most of the day sunbathing, cooling off in the ocean and eventually hiding, under the shade of some coastal vegetation, from the tropical Brazilian sun. Later in the afternoon we walked a further 40 minutes to Lopes Mendes beach, a much longer beach more suited for surfers body boarders. We took the easy way home and opted for a boat ride back to the town and were treated to some dolphin spotting. The day could not be over without an Acai and a BBQ at the hostel.
Our budget was being eaten away very quickly with the price of food and accommodation and we had yet to even scratch the surface of Brazil. We left Ilha Grande and got a local bus towards Paraty. The bus didn’t get very far before breaking down 5 minutes out of town. A new bus was sent and after 30 minutes we were on our way again. 3 hours later we arrived in Paraty hot, bothered and very thirsty! The heat had intensified as the day got on and we were not sure what to do with ourselves. We booked into a hostel and decided to deal with the weather that Brazil was throwing our way and explore the sights that Paraty had to offer. After 2 minutes of exploring the old town I was in love! Paraty is one of Brazil’s most appealing and exquisitely preserved historical gems. The cobblestone roads lined with whitewashed walled houses adorned with pastel coloured doors was right up my alley! My dreams of opening my cupcake shop or B&B could have become a reality in this little town but when we investigated the price of property we realised that we would have to win the lottery to be able to even dream about such ventures! We put our dreams behind us and enjoyed the serenity of this car free zone and snapped merrily away with the camera. Our 2nd day in Paraty saw us visiting the Cachoeira Toboga, a natural water slide situated 10km inland from the quaint town. It was a scorcher once again and the waterslide provided us with a tropical retreat with refreshing water and loads of recreational fun. The locals were real showmen as they mastered the technique of surfing down this waterslide on their bare feet after taking an enormous run up to gain speed. It was terrifying to watch but exhilarating to see them get to the bottom unscathed and playing up to the applause.
Hostel life is definitely wreaking havoc with our sleeping patterns. Noise travels far and sleeping in dorms means that there are numerous interruptions throughout the night as various people come to bed at different times…definitely one of the cons about backpacking! We decided to leave early the following morning to make our way to Foz de Iguazu, a journey that would take us 22 hours! The bus from Paraty to Sao Paulo was an easy 6 hours which actually arrived 20 minutes before schedule and allowed us to get the 14h30 bus to Foz, arriving at 6h30 the following morning. We arrived feeling worse for wear but the people at hostel Natura were welcoming, offering us an awesome breakfast and allowing us to check into our room way before check in time to catch up on some much needed sleep so that we could appreciate the grandeur of the falls. I spent the day sleeping whilst Kirk surfed the net for cars…it seemed the long bus trips were not agreeing with him and he was becoming more and more grumpy the more bus trips we took. Hostel Natura was in the middle of nowhere so we decided to settle for the Brazilian buffet for dinner which was well worth the money. We gorged ourselves on the freshly cooked vegetables and minute steaks that were braised in onion gravy. We were also treated to fresh mango, a mango and lemon mousse and ice-cream for dinner. It was an indulgent treat!
The falls were the main itinerary for the day and even though it was grey and overcast they were quite spectacular. The amount of water plummeting over the cliffs on the Rio Iguacu Superior into the Rio Iguacu Inferior below was staggering and deafening. The falls were set amongst some green subtropical forests of the Parque Nacional do Iguacu and allowed us to see some fauna that resided in the vegetation. We spent a good 3 hours walking along the wooden boardwalks observing the falls from different angles and getting a good panoramic view of the falls. A close encounter with the falls left us both soaking wet from the spray that hits you like a bucket of after being thrust over your head. One tourist had the right idea and arrived at the National Park wearing nothing but a Speedo! We took the bus back to the intersection of the main road and the dirt road that led us to our hostel. It was 2½ km walk back to Hostel Natura so Kirk and I decided to take a stroll, stopping off at the local supermarket to get some ingredients for dinner which was chorizo sausage, tomatoes, onions, garlic and spaghetti. It was the 1st time in a while that we had cooked for ourselves and I cannot even begin to tell you how delicious it tasted to eat a simple home cooked meal.
The following morning was an early start as we were headed to Argentina to view the falls from that side and continue our travels south. We ordered a taxi to take us, along with 5 other backpackers, across the border which was effortless. We didn’t even get out of the car on the Argentinean side but had our passports stamped and we were whisked into Argentina and dropped right outside the bus station.
Brazil on the whole was a magical country, full of beauty and a wonderful culture. The only drawbacks were the cost of the accommodation and the food. It has prepared us for what we are in for in other South American countries but we have been told that things get cheaper from now on. The Brazilian sun is hot and the beaches are spectacular. If we had to return we would certainly splash out and spend some money staying in a flashy posada in Paraty eating Brazilian cuisine soaking up the culture.
Well, after a load of ‘ums and aahs’ Dale and I have decided to backpack South America for the next 5 months before heading back to South Africa to get married.
HolaSAmerica.com is our new blog for us to keep in touch with friends and families while we are abroad. We will try keep the blog as up to date as possible and hope you enjoy the ride with us.