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Cabin Fever, Drama Queen, Angel Falls and Arepas
Okay so since Sao Luis quite a lot has happened...
On the 4th April we had another night out in Sao Luis - which was good but it was the same club as the tour leader liked the talent in there!
The next day was just waiting for the night bus.. nothing was open and myself and Holly just walked around looking at falling to ruin houses and of course taking piccys of them - "Oh, ahh!" LOL
Night bus time was same old apart from a film with Mark Wahlberg in it wearing a tight blue shirt which Holly and I both thought was a very good move on the Director´s part! Can`t really tell you much about the film mind!
So after the night bus we get to Belem, basically a stop over town before the boat ride. I spend the day walking around town with Holly, painting up a t-shirt saying ´Gringa and Proud´ (constantly being called Gringa is fast becoming annoying!) and eating! The next day we visit a jungle zoo, and yes I ended up seeing more wildlife there than I did in the Ecuadorian jungle stay! In the afternoon we get a taxi to the boat and much to my dismay it is a cargo ship, awful is the first word to describe this 6 day trip and oh yes, BORING! Imagine no TV, music finishing at 11pm, a rude tour leader that seems to think spreading rumours about she said this and she is that is appropriate - ignoring members of the group for not wanting follow him around like a lap dog and blowing air in people´s faces, rice and beans (and spaghetti) for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a cabin where the loo bin of toilet paper isn´t emptied after 6 days of use - causing so much overflow that a quarter of the bathroom had strewn paper everywhere! Oh yes and no water (if you call yellow s***e) during the day!
Of course seeing the amazon as we float by was interesting for the first day as was the kiddies who raced to row to our boat for gifts or to sell us stuff and of course the guy who got pissed and fell in the river only to nearly drown in his attempt to swim to the boat! Also the Aussie bloke we met who asked "is there malaria in the amazon?"
Anyway after 6 days of boredom and frosty receptions from our tour leader to myself and two others we finally finished the boat trip... much jumping in air and piccys between myself and Holly (my fellow cabin buddy who has the patience of a saint after the amount of times I said to her "I am bored"!).
On the 13th April we finished the tour, in hindsight I wouldn´t have booked this tour as the stops we`re very samey and there was hardly anything to do at the places either. However, I would recommend Rio and Salvador as places to visit as solo trips.
Okay so our new and last tour of South America began!
Stayed in Manaus for two days, which I really liked - visited this famous opera house which was beautiful and watched ballet dancers practising in the grounds. Of course I attempted to try it out but it didn´t really work out! On the 15th April we crossed the border to Venezuela and arrived at Santa Elena which is based in Canaima National Park, absoultely beautiful place where we did a Gran Sabana tour, visiting the table top mountains by jeep, some local people`s homes and some chill out time at several waterfalls. Arriving in Venezuela meant two things for me Polar Ice beer and Arepas = as the group will tell you I`m addicted to these two things! That and Fanta!
After a few days in Santa Elena we drove to Ciudad Bolivar, our tour leader lives there so he gave us a city tour and a booze cruise day out! POLAR ICE! Only downside is exceptionally rude McDonalds staff´- "It aint funny when you drop coffee down yourself!"
Monday arrived and myself and another member of the tour set off for Angel Falls. Talk about an adventure in itself! It took a lightplane an hour to get to the park (flying over jungle territory and table top mountains), and then a boat ride for 4 hours over rapids(with a half hour walk in between a sectio nof the river that was dangerous)) before we got to camp! I loved it though (of course after 4 hours my bum and legs were ready to get off "I´m over this now!). Our camp site was cited right opposite the Falls... we stayed in hammocks watching the sunset after having a BBQ.. bliss. The next day we hiked to the mirage point and took a swim under the Falls, I loved the fact there was no cable car or man made construction anyway near it. We then sailed for 4 hours to a village that would be close to the light airplane take off point. In the morning we did another excursion to some other waterfalls ... with one we walked (well crawling on my hands and knees would be a better description "Don´t rush me I could slip!") behind.
Thant afterrnoon we flew back to Ciudad Bolivar where myself and the three girls left on the tour (there were two others but they left on the 17th April due to the boat trip tension!) went for a much sought after Mexican meal.
The next day we travelled to Santa Fe, a small beach village that was absolutely beautiful, and for me a non beach person to say that is defintely something! We spent two days there with one day on a boat trip stopping at small cove like beaches, dolphin spotting and listening to loads of compliments about my tan being like a local, of course all of these events I loved particularly the tan compliment!
Now in Caracas the capital of Venezuela for all those not in the know where the plan for our last tour night is Cinema and ice cream! Can´t believe the tour is over after 145 days! There have been ups and downs with beautiful scenery, illnesses, malaria reactions, friend making, arguments, make-ups, haircuts, drunkenness, clubbing, sheer exhaustion, loads of walking, too much handicraft purchases and of course humbling sights that I think, I know, will stay with me forever.
Questions that I have wondered about around my travels...
- Why would I want trainers shoe shined?
- Why would you weigh yourself on the street?
- What is with these countries not having any change?
- Why do Northern Brazilians hate gringos but wear english phrased t-shirts?
- Why is sun cream so bloody expensive?
- How do these street stalls make money when there are so many selling the same stuff?
- Why do the simplest of food dishes take the longest to be prepared?
- What is with charging for laundry per item?
- How are there delapadated homes but such expensive cars on the roads?
- Why do men throughout South America roll up their t-shirts when they could just go shirtless?
- How can GAP think one day is sufficient for seeing Rio?
- How come I get a tan just when I am leaving South America?
- How is my bag getting heavier when I have sent stuff home?
- Where are the soddin post offices when you need them?
- How come I´m not fluent in spanish yet?! (Answer: my ddictionary is too far down my bag to pick up and read!).
- How come I eat from a restaurant and get food poisoning but eat from some dirty street stall and feel fine?
- What is with the Grande coffees - (this one is for you Holly!) Grande is Grande not a spit cup!
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