Day 140 - Caracarai

(Ursula) We spent the whole day waiting for "Rudolfo" from Boa Vista.

The constant heat and humidity made us thirsty. So, while Heinz stayed at the port on the lookout for the boat, Wally and I found a bar that served cold drinks. The hostess was originally from British Guiana and spoke English. We had a nice chat with her and got introduced to Cachaça, the Brazilian national drink. It’s sugar cane brandy mixed with lime juice, sugar, and mint. A little buzz was just what we needed after the stress and worries from the last few days. Wally thought it tasted great and purchased a bottle for the road.

The day passed, and “Rudolfo" never showed up. However, shortly before dark, a tugboat with an attached barge docked and agreed to take us along. We negotiated a reasonable price of $83 with the captain.

At dusk, Wally navigated the camper over two narrow wood planks onto the barge. It was very highly risky and could have ended in tragedy. Heinz guided him with hand signals, and I was holding my breath!!!

The boat took off shortly after midnight gliding downriver toward Manaus.

Stats: Miles 3, Expenses $66.20Read more