Guarapari, August 21

And so after 2 weeks of overindulgence in TV Olympics we are back on the road, heading toward Bahia

It was a trade off. Missing staying in Rio for the games vs renting an apartment with a huge TV and cable to watch it. Not the same but comforting enough. We stayed at Guarapari. Small town, looking at the beach. Oh how easy we get comfy on the "luxuries"! An oven, gas that comes straight from the kitchen, a sink for washing our clothes and beautiful and pleasant showers! This town was not particularly great. It was quiet and easy but not exciting. It made me miss Fortaleza with all the night buzz. Back to our "normal life" we talked about getting in and out of this situations. The beauty of stopping for just a while to rest but the disruption it makes to our so called routine. We believe it is much easier to continue the journey than to stop and start. We are aware of what this means to our future; for me this knowledge brings more anxiety...

Chasing/hunting propane gas. That is our monthly task. Infuriating, frustrating, disheartening. How on earth can we achieve global peace if every single country has its own type of gas bottle valve connector!

On a Saturday morning, driving and looking... in the middle of a suburb only 30 km of Rio, madness, small streets, plenty of people and cars... chaos. He appeared as an angel! A quick chat, asking for directions. It finished with him driving around in his van, looking and asking for 1 hour, asking 10 different shops. He was so committed to help! At one point, I stopped and he took Hecti in his car to continue driving as SalSolcito was having difficulties fitting on some narrow places. At the end, he had no choice by letting us go, but not before driving another 15 km in his car in front of us to take us to the highway and pointed us to the right direction to the gas plant. We are getting so impressed by Brazilians!!!!

17 to 29 of July

I can't describe how it feels to be back on the beach, alive? My body aching after 15 days of just driving. It took us 3,200 km and 4 countries to go from the pacific Ocean to the Atlantic and now it feels like it was all worthy! We are thinking of staying in Brazil for 3 months... let's see how we go!

The coastal road, from Pruibe to Rio

As always we stay on the beach. This time Peruibe. A very quiet small town with a long and flat promenade, perfect for bicycle!

We took a small ferry to get to Guaruja, I can't really say that I love this place. All I can see is buildings in the very nice promenade. But apart from the "morros" that framed the landscape, you could think you are anywhere in the world. I know it used to be a nice and quiet beach-holidays place but it has now being transformed in a big city... shame. The thing we really liked around all this area is the fresh fish! Lots and lots of market stalls with the freshest of all prawns!

All along the road, on the coast, we see plenty of "condominios". Some of them exquisite, so rich...but most of them just nice houses enclosed in a big compound. We did a detour and entered a huge one. Well, the houses on the beach to die for... but we were on a walk across the stones in the shore and after the tide... well, we just couldn't find our way back.!

What really separates this coastal road in this country from all others in the greenery. The bushes are so lush. There are these exotic fruit plants everywhere and tall beautiful palms.  

We stayed 3 days in Paraty. A very different place. So cute! With the white old buildings, the colourful house doors and the big cobblestone. It was a Portuguese colony that has only been "open" to general people about 60 years ago when they built the road from Rio

We took the heavy hearten decision to skip Rio during the Olympics to continue north. Such a pity! We had plan and dream about participating for such a long time! But the increase instability in the world, the recommendations of not being around huge crowds can't be ignored. Security has always being a priority and we don't want to be in difficult or ugly situations. So, Rio...will see you in a few months!

8 July

We drove through Formosa, from one side to the other. As the landscape changed- from a very dry land to "esteros" -water everywhere with lots of vegetation; so did the social landscape. We saw small towns with very basic houses, no pavement, and a general sense of abandonment. As always the most interesting thing is to be with locals and we spent a magnificent BBQ day in a national park chatting away with 2 families






11 July

Going through Paraguay was real madness. We reached Asuncion via a "ferry" and we were hit by a huge and busy city. Still going from mechanic to mechanic; we got almost lost in traffic and after days of just travelling and sleeping on petrol stations, we got to our destiny: Brazil

1 July, Mamiña      

Hidden away in the cordillera and totally away from the freeway we went to Mamiña. Two very lazy days (just what we needed!) with very basic hot springs and even more basic mud baths... our bodies and spirits clean :)


4 July

At San Pedro de Atacama, for my birthday we so indulged in pleasure! A night in a hotel- hot and beautiful shower, nice and warm bed, all day coffee, pizza in bed, all you can use internet, watching Wimbledon and finishing the beautiful day with champagne and tiramisu cake!!!

We will be coming back here as the cold was so intense we couldn't visit much. In October will be different...

6 July

We spent the whole day in silence, only doing ahhhh!!! and ohhhhh! such was the incredible spectacle of crossing los Andes from San Pedro de Atacama en Chile to Purmamarca in Jujuy-Argentina. A serpent road, with salty lakes, volcanos and beautiful mountains! Arriving to Purmamarca was very emotional as we remember a similar trip 30 years ago. I swear I could see more than 7 colours on our trek to the "mountain with 7 colours"! A very small and cute town, finished the day eating empanadas and locro in a "peña" with a great folklore band!

Chile -Santiago

18 June

Well, the excitement only last a few meters and then back to Ford! SalSolcito is not well and we are getting worried. Something to do with the gases and the bad quality of the diesel but... as advised by the mechanics we keep driving. Today, at 400 km north of Santiago, on Las Serena, a holiday town on the coast, we took the time to put the "house" in order and wait for Monday to go back to a new mechanic :(




6 days in La Serena, sleeping outside the mechanics gate and still no resolution for SalSolcito. We are so cold here, my bones are aching and I am seriously considering that someone did a "number" on us. Such is the trend of bad luck that we are having.

A "job" to trick the motorhome sensors will help us to travel far north were the duty free area can deliver some hope; imported cars and parts could be just what we need.



25 June

Even in this circumstances we are able to appreciate beauty. And a true beauty is the road from Antofagasta to Iquique. An absolute ocean road, carved in the middle of the rocks, the mountains and the desert. A mystic and surprising road. The clouds above the mountains. Rocks of all shapes and colours descend unevenly and loosely on the sand. Today finally we see the sun and it is a bit warm just enough to lift our spirits.

It is such a pity that people's ignorance so quickly becomes fear. At every step there are someone who says "don't go there" and star telling war stories. It was funny because we picked up 2 young men on the road who were coming from working in a desolated seaweed beach. They took us to their village, a "caleta", a fisherman village best described as a slum. A place where I have to admit we would have never gone inside. As we were talking to the locals and enjoying the festivities (it was San Pedro day...the fisherman's saint) a few people were saying "if you go to Iquique, just go to the "high suburban" area, don't go where the poor people are"!

So, even as we tried to dismiss all calls, we still were a bit hesitant when approached Iquique; so much so that the first night we drove all the way back to the highway so we could sleep in the service area! Second night, much better, we bike ride the promenade (very nice!) and ended up sleeping on the promenade at the main beach.

Still couldn't find the part for SalSolcito, even after spending the whole day in the duty free market. But we did buy for her new tyres! And after another "cheating job" in another mechanic place we decided to continue our way to Brazil

The night caught us by surprise. It was after a long day of electricians and batteries repairs. Once again, looking for a place to sleep. In a town, just stopped our car and ask around. We were almost settle when he drove in his bicycle. Knock our door, introduced himself and invited us to sleep outside his home, where he had a small terrace where we can park. Such a kind and beautiful family! Tasty coffee, sharing the passion for sea and surf. In the morning, a "private tour" to the nearby waterfalls. This is exactly our trip purpose. Finding people, little gems that surprise us with generosity and kindness.

2 brothers, an old bus, a homemade artisan beer and to explore the world! Such a great idea...and a bloody good business!