My plans have changed a lot over the last week, which means that I now find myself in Foz do Iguacu. It is next to the Iguacu waterfalls, where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet. I'll spend a couple of days here and then head to Buenos Aires.
I recently realised that I want to get into nature and do some exploring. Patagonia…here we come!
You could say that this is the start of my travels, as I will no longer have the luxury of a good friend who’s house is available as a base. Once I left Adriana’s place there was no looking back. For a first destination, Ilha Grande is a convenient destination as it is close. So no long bus ride. Score! (click for map)
Up till now I haven’t been able to get going early in the morning, so caught a fairly late bus (yes, you can remind me of Rule #3 later) to Angra do Reis. Since the peak season was over, I wasn’t too concerned about getting a bed for the night. And Angra is quite small, no problem to walk around a bit. After settling into a small posada for the night, I quickly got to grips with the town.
Day 1:
Early boat to ilha Grande (motorised catamaran) got the day started with a bang. It departed at 8am! I forget the distance a boat can cover (compared to a car/bus) and you can see the island from Angra. The scenery is great, except for the oil rig in the north side of ilha Grande. But we were heading to Abraao on the east side, so the view would not be cluttered by the machines of man.
There is a ban on vehicles on the island, so only the police have vehicles (quad bikes & 4x4’s). So the island has no proper roads. Cobble streets are the best you are going to get. This gives the place the feeling of a tropical island village…which it is. At the beach its quite commercial, catering for rich tourists, while the “hippy” places are in the back streets (not that its big. You can walk through town from the dock in 10min). Camping is very popular on the island, with hostels, hotels, posada's and camping sites next to each other. I haven't gotten rid of my tent yet, but rather re-packed it making it much less bulky. I can’t take it along and not use it, so I camped.
Tent pitched, I headed for Lopos Mendes, the beach that everyone goes to. Well, this island is basically beaches, boat trips and parties. The way to the beach is a 2-3 hour hike along jungle paths. All the paths on the island are like this as most people rely on boats for transportation. I can understand why, as hiking to get to the next town takes long. On the way to Lopos Mendes you get to Palmas, which is like something out of a story book. Almost no waves, palm trees 3 meters from the water, one low-key restaurant and a bar. Wish I had spent more time here, but of course I had a goal. I arrived there with a German couple (Felix & Coca). We met along the way and joined forces for the hike. Coca had fallen at a waterfall and her eye was bandaged up, making her look a bit like a pirate. Arrrrgghhhh! We had a laugh at her expense, but she’s a good sport. LM was like a beach in Plett, but with a vicious undercurrent. Quite a magnet for people, but not really what I was expecting.
There are water taxi’s all over the island. To avoid walking back, possibly in the dark, I took one that is an old schooner that has been converted to be a people carrier. It was packed with people from LM. I was quite tired as I fell asleep on the beach, partly in the sun and I think the flu was not quite out of my system yet. Talking to people in my broken Portuguese is very tiring, but Instead of just keeping to myself I ended up talking to an Argentinean girl sitting next to me, Claudia. That made the time pass a bit faster (the trip back to Abraao took approx 30min).
By the time we landed I was knackered, with a pounding headache the main culprit. I noticed that I had burnt a bit, probably while asleep on the beach. Quick supper, then to bed. I was wanting to climb the “Parrot’s Peak” the next morning.
Views of Angra
Abraao on Ilha Grande: Arriving – close to the dock – on the beach
The “path” to Lopos Mendes out of Abraao – on the way to Lopos Mendes (this is why most people use boats to get around – Looking back at Abraao
Me, on the way – Palmas
Day 2:
It started to rain during the night and was still pouring down. At this time I was happy to report my tent was still dry inside. A good sign. The sun burn to my face was a mild case of sunstroke. I was feeling weak. So a day in bed it would be, after breakfast. The peak would have to wait until the next day. Listening to the rain on the tent was very relaxing.
By nightfall I was feeling better, but not strong enough to join a island party yet. So I sat down to some planning for my trip. This continent is HUGE! How was I going to see it all? Some advice from the Footprint’s guide said that you should not try to see it all in one trip. Now I know why. The distances are just so big and there is so much to see. Since I didn’t get a motorbike, my whole approach to my trip had to change. Instead of following my nose down many “un-touristy” roads, I would have to stick to more conventional destinations.
I made a list of the places I want to see. Here it is:
This list meant that I was on the wrong side of the continent! I had the sudden urgency to move. “Slow down Ruan.” I was in a beautiful place and have to make the best of it. No rash decisions will be made. Back to bed to mull over all the information I had collected.
Day 3: I felt back to my usual chirpy self and to make it even better, it had stopped raining. I have been eyeing the parts north of Abraao. Today was the day to explore. Didn’t really feel up to walking up a mountain. I had an early start I got supplies for the day (there are very few, if not none, shops along the way I was going) then headed off…north.
A mountain pool and a small waterfall later (I swam at both), I came across a family heading in the same direction. I find that many times I end up being caught up in my own thoughts and don’t really notice what is around me. A big spider, the size of a small saucer, had spun a web in the middle of the path…my head height! I saw it but then realised I’m in the jungle & have to stay focused. I reached a secluded beach. It looked even better than Palmas. I arrived with a family of three and after a swim and a chat with the water taxi skipper I closed my eyes for a short while. When in such a place you expect to be woken by nature, but a island tour (transporting people to the island’s beaches via schooner) broke the silence and started to play their music quite loud. This is not what I wanted today, so off I went.
My aim was to get to the north shore. There is another small town there. However I wasn’t going to rush. After all, I am on holiday. So stopping on a couple more beaches on the way to enjoy nature and take it all in, a couple of people caught up with me. By the time I reached the last mountain to cross before the north shore, all of use were within earshot. It was already 3pm and the taxi boats have a way of stopping at 5pm. We weren’t even sure if there would be a taxi where we were going. To plat it safe (I was thinking of heading to Paraty that night) we bargained with a fisherman to take us to Abraao and off we went. What a great ride! 6 of us (excl. skipper) slowly making our way as the scenery passed slowly, with the low tuck-tuck of the engine playing the tune for the road.
When we arrived in Abraao, I figured that I had enough time to pack up my tent (hopefully dry by now) and make the last boat to Angra. In fact, I packed so quickly that I was able to catch up with Claudia and her cousin before getting the boat. Unfortunately the ride back took longer as this boat was a schooner. There is a bus running to Paraty every 40min, but the ride is about 2hours. Its also not a luxury bus. Looking at this, tired from walking the whole day, not wanting to break rule #3…again. I went to the same posada as before and settled for the night.
This was a great day for me! My spirits were high after exploring and reaching Angra as planned, I was ready to take on my trip with renewed vigour.
I have this nasty habit of not eating at regular times. This might be due to my time as a Master’s student when losing yourself in your work is par for the course. So at about 11pm you realise that you haven’t had anything to eat since lunch. In Stellenbosch this wasn’t a problem as McDonald’s is open 24-7 and I had a car to get there quickly (hunger pains set in very quickly).
While travelling alone, this can be disastrous. When I get hungry, one of the first organs my body starts shutting down is my brain. I lose the ability to think rationally as survival mode kicks in. If I am in a strange place and don’t know where to get food, I end up walking for 30min before I find food. By this time I’ve gotten tired and walking is the last thing I want to do.
So Rule #4 is: Always keep your tank full. I’ve heard people mention this about vehicles travelling through places where fuel is scares. Even more true for the human body. If you’re hungry, you can’t enjoy anything. Eat regularly and keep some form of a snack handy!
I know I have mentioned many places that you have NO idea where it is. And from personal experience, it is a schlep to go Google the place & hope you’ve got the right one. Fortunately the people at Google have made it easy for us mere mortals, trying to follow a friend’s path through the world.
So to put the past couple of weeks into perspective…..here are some links.
From now on it will be easier for you to follow my trip (and I’ll have to do less explaining :) )
To keep you all up to date, these are my plans:
This give you a rough idea. Basically I’ll be travelling down the East coast of South America. I’ll probably make some other unshedule’d stops as I go along, but at least you get the general idea.
Carnival is a big deal in Rio…if not all across the world. I was hoping to go south earlier to miss the cold weather of Patagonia, but I’ve been convinced by friends to stay. However, I’m not able to sit around and wait for Carnival. So I planned a couple of trips to places fairly close to Rio to overlap the weeks in between the Carnival weekends.
Tickets to the actual Carnival “show” (held in the Sambadromo, or Samba stadium) are hard to come by this close to the event. The affordable ones at least. There are many rehearsals for the actual event this close to Carnival. These rehearsals are held in the Sambadromo, but no costumes are worn. This is as close as I would be able to get to the actual “show” (its more of a competition. Google it).
So to incorporate Carnival into my trip without sitting around for a long time, the plan is as follows: Go to the mountain region of Petropolis the week before rehearsals (post to follow), back to Rio for rehearsals, the week in between go to Ouro Preto & the historic cities close by, then finally back to Rio for Carnival (Saturday & Sunday). The last two days of Carnival (Monday & Tuesday) I’ll go with Adriana to Correas (just outside Petropolis) where a friend of her has a house. ACTION PACKED STUFF!!!
So today was a lesson in how not to travel. I’m quite pissed at myself as I write this. So I’m creating these rules for travelling (these should’ve been apart of PPPPPP, but hindsight is 20/20).
Rule #1 (Chris’ rule): Pack light! I knew this before leaving SA as this is the one thing that my dad preaches about travelling, but today was the “re-awakening”! Lets call it “Chris’ rule”. I’m typing in the bus on my back to Petropolis where I spent last night (I’ll get to that). What am I doing carrying a netbook with me while travelling???!!!! There were three reasons: Keep you informed (via this blog) of my adventure, use it as a backup of & potentially edit photos on my trip and music (MP3 player). Today I’m not convinced this was a good decision. I’ll re-evaluate at the end.
I currently have 4 books with me (2x Travel guides, a novel and a Bible). What are books made of? Wood = heavy! The tow travel guides compliment each other well. The first is one I purchased in the beginning of 2010 (Footprint’s South American Handbook 2010). I find it has fairly good maps of the major places, great maps of the countries and the continent. The detail provided is also great, but I don’t find it inspiring to read. The second was given to me as a birthday present by Deon & Sonja (The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget), thanks guys! I have motivation to travel after reading this one. Its maps are sadly lacking (shows major cities, but no overall map of the continent. Make broad planning difficult), but it does point out the cheapest places (which I guess is the idea). I feel it gives enough detail without spoiling the adventure of exploring. The way I am feeling now, I’m thinking of cutting the maps out of Footprint and donating the rest to a backpackers. Not that it is a bad guide, just choosing the one I prefer. The weight is just too much, which is really my fault.
I’m sure I have too many clothes. I’ll be sorting through them tomorrow morning when I’m not tired from carrying a big bag around. I’ll re-evaluate my clothes tonight, but I’m sure I have too much. My bag is pretty full.
I’ve got a tent with me, which I was planning to use when I travelled by motorbike through South America. Since this isn’t happening anymore, should I still keep it? And what about my camping mattress? Its not heavy, just bulky & usually used with the tent.
I’m REALLY glad I got a small & light sleeping bag. Works well.
I have a light hammock & mosquito net. Will see how handy these are later.
Medical supplies are a must, so even going to question them.
Bottom line: If one object weighs around 1kg, think whether you REALLY need it. At the moment I’m not even carrying food should I want to hike for 3 days.
Rule #2: Learn the local language! Not being able to ask for directions is disastrous! Fortunately I can make myself understood in this respect. Not being able to chat about what you’re doing in the country, what you do back home, whether you are married (jip a girl asked me :) ) or that it is your round, is problematic. As I am a nice guy & very friendly, I have a way of charming people to get my way (some local advice, a bed to crash on, quickly slip into an exhibit without paying, etc.). Impossible at the moment!
Rule #3: When going to a new town/city, make sure you get there early! If possible, just after lunch. I could get away with this in Germany for two reasons: I could communicate & there were many affordable hostels that were well advertised. Not the case where I am now. I am on my way back to Petropolis for this precise reason! I was planning to go to Teresopolis tonight, but got going SO late from Pertopolas (left @15:00) that I arrived there in the dark (I stopped in Itaipava as well, but due to lack of info & bad planning I couldn’t find a bed there). Now I had to make a desision: Stay & hope to find a bed (I passed 1 or 2 on the way in, but not sure where they are located) in the dark…with a backpack & daypack…looking like a tourist…I’d be looking for shit! So in the last bus was leaving in 10min, which I got on. The only plus side is that I got to take a scenic ride to Teresopolis. The way was dark, hence why I’m typing this.
Don’t be a victim! You have been warned.
That concludes my rant for now. Hopefully my misjudgement today doesn’t bite me later.
Some of you might know this story, others I’ve told its coming to the blog. I haven’t had the energy to explain this to everyone individually. Sorry. So from the beginning, here it is:
Before I left SA I had the desire to travel South America by motorbike (no the "motorcycle diaries” was not my inspiration, rather Top Gear’s Vietnam special). So I did some research which was sadly lacking, as Brazil was not part of my plan. I was originally going to land in Argentina. What I DO know about Argentina. You can’t buy a motorcycle in Argentina, as a non-permanent resident, and take it out of the country. So I was looking at buying in Chile.
The plan was then to travel by following my nose around the southern half of South America. I like to follow my nose while travelling, which is not really possible when travelling my bus. I would then focus on sleeping at campsites as I figured I would be able to save money & thus stretch my travelling time.
On arrival I started making inquiries about how to purchase a bike & take it across borders. Shortly after arriving in Brazil, Nick introduced me to Adriana (she’s a Carioca). She has a friend, Rodrigo, who has done such a trip. Unfortunately she couldn’t get hold of him at the time. I had the idea of going to the South African consulate as I’m sure they would be able to help me. I walked there and by the time I arrived, they were officially closed. Fortunately the lady working there, Anne, was VERY helpful. I explained what I was planning to do. She didn’t have the right information, but told me that the tourist police could help me. She translated a couple of key sentences for me (English & Portuguese) and even phoned the Uruguayan consulate to hear what I need to cross the border. I need a Carte Verde (Green card :) but like travel insurance) She couldn’t give me more info that that. So, with directions, translations and some info I was off.
At the tourist police I was helped by Bruno. Once again very helpful. I got told that the organisation that I needed to contact was Detran (their equivalent or our traffic department). He also told me where I could have a look at 2nd hand bikes (in an area in the north of Rio, called Vila Vaqueire. The street is Intendente Magalhaes). Apparently it is one long street with 2nd hand car & bike dealers all along it. Ok, so now I knew where to get a bike. Oh yes, I forgot to mention. I had a look at a new Suzuki & Honda 125cc delivery bike. Even though these bikes are manufactured in Brazil, taxes are so high that the Suzuki was R$ 5000 and the Honda R$ 6000. At the current exchange rate, that puts them at between R 25 000 and R 30 000! Hence why I was looking at the second hand option.
Next day I went to the Detran offices close to Leblon. No English speaking people there, but the lady pointed me in the direction of another branch. I assumed that someone there would be able to speak English. It turned out the new place was the place where vehicle registration is done. There was one guy that spoke English and he was the first person in this quest of mine that didn’t seem very helpful. Got some info though.
To register a vehicle on my name I need the following: RG (Identification), CPF (social security number, eish), a residential address (apparently I don’t need proof of this, but I would get a letter from Adriana just in case) and CRV (the vehicle’s papers). RG & residence = not a problem. CRV = when I get the bike. Ok, but what is this CPF? The guys sent me to Detran Sede (headquarter) in Av. President Vargas for this info.
Detran Sede has a special unit just to help foreigners on the 2nd floor. Only 2 of the 5 people speak English there. The boss and a new girl. You can think that the boss doesn’t want to deal with everyone so I got the new girl (only found that out later). She explained things well (asking the boss quite often). Getting the CPF is a little more involved. Go to the federal police and apply for a SINCRE (all my info: Where I’m from, where I live, what I do, who my parents are, the whole shebang). At the same time I apply for a RNE (permanent version of the SINCRE). SINCRE = a couple of days. RNE = 2- 6 months. The SINCRE allows me to apply for the CPF at a bank, which shouldn’t take long (maybe while you wait, but no longer than 2 days). On top of all that I have to have my license professionally translated as police are very strict in Brazil. Any problem with my paperwork & they would confiscate my bike. I also got given a list of my rights (in Portuguese) should I be pulled over. The brutality of the police is well know in Brazil and they walk around with assault rifles! This is not what you want to hear if you are a tourist wanting to possibly mingle with the cops by buying a bike.
Great now I know how to register a vehicle on my name, but how do I take it across borders? Apparently I need a DRV. The same as Carte Verde? To find out, I needed to go to the 6th floor.Things were tricky up to this point. Getting info & communicating, but now it became practically impossible & the first mountainous hurdle I encountered as no-one on this floor spoke English. After trying to explain what info I was after, in broken Portuguese & hand signals to the only person who literally understood 10 words of English, the boss from the 2nd floor was called. Now she was helpful. I couldn’t get any more info on the DRV. She said that it wouldn’t be a problem as long as I brought a translator along.
By this time I was close to depressed. Asking for a coffee in a street side bar is ok, but speaking to officials about vehicle registration was impossible. FUCK! So my options were as follows: Got though with a purchase (Adriana was willing to help to translate) and hope I get nice cops (not likely). And what about at border crossings? When I get back, selling the bike? This felt like a huge gamble! In a country where I could communicate, I would definitely give it a shot!
The other option is to drop the bike idea and bus it. This looks like the sane option at the moment. Needles to say that this is not really what I had in mind. So I need to re-evaluate my plans…again.
Some other options have been suggested or come to the fore. Try to do this in Uruguay. Do a trip from the USA. Whatever I do, I NEED to learn the local language before I try this again. So much time dreaming before the trip, but no enough time preparing. I’m used to be able to travel “by the seat of my pants”, but only possible if you can communicate.
This is the last week before we depart for Rio. I have been frantically getting myself ready for departure, but it hasn’t been easy. I have had to buy lots of gear, mostly aimed at the Atlantic crossing. Fortunately this gear will also be handy when travelling.
Thanks to some generous Christmas gifts (in the form of gift vouchers or cash) I have been able to buy all the gear I have been piecing together in my mind for the last month or two. This has meant that I have crammed what I can only assume usually takes approximately a month’s worth of part time shopping into three days. I am not one that usually enjoys shopping, but this was fun. Partly because it am excited about all the cool stuff I have been buying :) These include: Backpack, tent, sleeping bag, hammock, warm jacket, wick-dry shirts, wick-dry shorts, medical supplies, chargers, camera and a book.
Here is a layout of all the stuff that I am taking along. I have not separated the sailing & touring gear.
Until recently, my life has been consumed by tying up work work stuff and preparation for the Cape to Rio race. In the process I have realised that I still need to get my Yellow fever inoculation, which is a legal requirement to enter Brazil. So I went to get my Yellow fever inoculation today.
While at the Travel Clinic, I asked about the recommended inoculations as my adventure will most likely be taking me into some dodgy places. The inoculations that were recommended include: Hepatitis A & B, Cholera, Typhoid and Adesol Quadra (a combination of Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria and Petasis vaccines). Usually these inoculations are administered over a period of time and I have left it a bit late. I seem to be following a pattern with my planning :) I asked a lot of questions while at the travel clinic, so I’ll put down the information about each inoculation:
I asked about anti-malaria medication. Apparently there are three variations (including cost).
Since the strain of Malaria might be different from South Africa, I have to do some more research before I commit to one. I was actually thinking of getting the medication in South America.
For more reading, go to the Centre of Disease Control’s website.
Hi all. I have to apologise for not writing anything in a while. My life has been a bit crazy lately. Lots has happened since I wrote last. For starters, I’ve sold my car. It the old story, you don’t know what you had until it is gone. My little Daihatsu has given my GREAT service over the last 4 years and I am missing it. Interesting what a comfort it is to go outside and to walk up to a car without wondering if it is stolen, broken into, will it start today and will it get me where I’m going. I’ve had to revert to driving my 1st car, “Tikkie” (named after the smallest coin in the currency my father grew up with). 
I have been going through to Royal Cape Yacht Club for the past couple of Wednesday evenings after work. This to get some time on yachts and hopefully secure a crewing position on a boat taking part in the Cape to Rio Yacht Race. I’m not sure if this is going to fly, since I’ve left it a bit late. I’ve sent my sailing CV out, I can only hope. The other option that I’m exploring is doing a yacht delivery. Sarel, a friend from Vogelvlei YC, works for a yacht building company and most of the yachts they build get delivered to the Caribbean (I think). So I spoken to him about doing a delivery and it sounds like it could pan out.
In the mean time I’ve been offered a position on a private yacht (sorry, but I’m not divulging details yet), which sounds MOERSE LEKKER! I will get to see places I probably won’t be able to see normally, spend some time exploring new cultures (even if only for a short while) and I will get paid! This will allow me to do my tour properly…Oh yes, I’ll have to work quite hard too since these boats typically get washed once week. A small draw back I recon. But before I can commit, I have to sort out my sailing plans (Rio or Delivery) and I need to get hold of Amy Smith. I can’t remember if I mentioned this, but I emailed her a while back to offer my services and got a quick (and positive) reply. Unfortunately she was in the field so couldn’t give me particulars on when or where they would be going in 2011. So, with all the options unfolding I need to get hold of her to arrange my plans. I’m REALLY keen to go help her with field trials so I’m hoping it won’t clash with the private yacht offer.
In between all of this, I still need to organise inoculations, travel insurance, sort out my medical aid and other insurance at home. I’m thinking of sorting it all out once I finish work (beginning of January). On top of all that, I need to be out of my flat at the end of this month :( So this week I’m packing every day after work. Fortunately I’m loaning most of my furniture to family so I don’t need to sell it all. I’ve got to have most of my stuff packed by Saturday, since Saturday is moving day.
I realised a while ago that I’ve only really posted blog entries relating to motorcycle riding. Since it was my goal to familiarise myself with the art of motorcycle riding before going overseas, this was probably par for the course. But…if I don’t have a plan of where/when to go overseas, I might find myself stuck in South Africa in January without a ticket, a plan or a clue :)
Fortunately I have given my America plans much thought, but I’ve never written about them. The main reason was that I wanted to be able to convey my plan (to you) and then be able to stick to it. However, the more I think about my plans, the less I can decide on a (fairly) set itinerary. So much so that I feel like a women that has been given the task to buy a single pair of shoes in a large shopping mall (yes ladies, I know this is difficult :) ). Needless to say that my plans have changed a lot over the last couple of weeks.
The original plan: Fly to Buenos Aires in late December. New Year in B.A. Travel south to Patagonia (tip of South Am). Up though Chile to the lake district (Chile & Argentina). Via Chile to Peru. Cusco, Machupicchu, ancient ruins, etc. Bolivia. Back to Buenos Aires. Fly to the east coast of the USA. Make my way to San Francisco, California hopefully via parts of Route 66. Visit Conrad & Eugene. Vancouver. Visit April. See some much anticipated sites spread out over the USA. Fly back to Buenos Aires. If finances allow, travel some more.
There are some problems with this original plan. Since finances are the main limiting factor during my travels, lets start there. In order for me to buy both tickets (to South Am & North Am) I had to have an idea how long I would be staying in South Am and how much it would cost me (since I need cash for North Am). I was able to find rough estimates of how much it would cost me per day in each country. But…are these estimates correct? (they seem a bit off) What if I were to volunteer somewhere and want to stay for an extra month? If I did not like it, would I be able to change my flights?
The other problem was the way I want to travel. Yes I want to go see the touristy stuff, but this is not my main goal. I want to get to know the locals and do stuff with them. They are, after all, the core of a country and I have heard that people in South Am are a particular treat. As I have mentioned before, while I’m there I would like to help people in what ever way. Since I have a variety of experiences and a degree, I’m sure I would be able to help somewhere. I would not know way in advance where I would be helping out. This makes fixing the time frame VERY difficult.
The “current” plan: In light of all of the above, I decided not to pin myself down. This unfortunately means that I am not able to give my friends accurate dates, or any for that matter, of when I would be arriving (sorry Conrad, Eugene & April). This does take a lot of pressure off about finances and planning. Ok, so fly to Buenos Aires in the last half of January. Start by doing some volunteering, which I would probably organise before I go. Try to do a similar route as previously mentioned and see the sites. So when will I fly to North Am? Well, I will have to set a specific amount aside for North Am. When I have only these funds left, I would go to Buenos Aires and book a flight to the USA :) I might be lucky and strike a deal…I can only hope. Travel in North Am. until those funds run out. Then come home.
I know the current plan is very unstructured, but that is what I’ve got in mind at the moment…Live from day to day.
