Day 142 - Arrival in Manaus

We woke up bright and early in the morning from rattling noises and saw the crew removing the safety chains. We were indeed already docked at the port in Manaus. After breakfast, we said our goodbyes to the crew and paid the captain.

Then Wally started the engine and drove the camper over wooden planks off the barge and up a steep embankment. From there, we followed signs to the airport, where we obtained a map to orient ourselves and know where we were going.

Manaus was home to about 90,000 people and looked relatively poor to us. It was located in the heart of the Amazon jungle and was initially developed during the rubber boom. A few years ago, Manaus was designated a Free Trade Zone to attract more commerce and development.

The climate was hot and highly humid.

We hung out the whole afternoon with the local crowd at Punta Negra, a river beach where we also camped for the night. Stats: Miles 38, Expenses $97.90

September 22nd
The night wasn’t tranquil at Punta Negra. It was the weekend, and the locals partied all night.

We spent the day swimming and relaxing. Brazilians were a lively bunch of people. Music, dance, and fun seem to run in their blood. They were easy to talk to. A group of locals were grilling a large fish over an open fire pit and invited us to try some. We eagerly accepted because we had no food besides bananas and were quite hungry.

That same evening our Büsi passed away. It was heartbreaking! I dug a grave high on the Amazon River bank and marked the spot with a makeshift cross. She is in Büsi heaven now. It hurts me that he had to suffer so much. Maybe his life would have been better in Guatemala?

Stats: Miles 0, Expenses $0.30Read more