Camper Travel 1974-1975

On a 13-month journey from North America through Central & South America, back to our starting point in NYC. Our means of transportation was a model 1972 VW Westfalia camper with a 1700cc engine and pop-up top. Total miles 37,492. Leggi altro

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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 164 - A long Stretch
12 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) Peter & Ute started at 6 AM this morning at a slow pace. We left about an hour later and caught up with them after two hours.

Today's journey will be pretty long, and we are getting closer to Brasilia's capital. We bought (cold) bottled water and coffee at a gas station to keep our tired eyes open.

We are passing areas where the rainforest is deliberately burned and cleared for agriculture. We also see occasional cattle farms (fazendas) alongside the road. Some are clustered together to form small settlements.

Today, I was allowed to drive for 40 miles. Most of it was on a newly paved road surface, and I could stay in 4th gear. That felt very nice for a change!

Büsi had extra energy and acted cocky. He chased his tail, bit our toes, made rollovers, and tugged on our sleeping bags. His belly doesn't look so skinny anymore.

We camped by a river with nice cool water. Gorgeous!

Stats: Miles 352, Expenses $14.35Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 164 - Arriving in Brasília
13 ottobre 1974, Brasile
Today, we accomplished another long stretch of road.

After 8 hours of driving, the road was suddenly paved, and we found ourselves on a slightly elevated plateau with cultivated fields on either side.

The map showed we were only 7 miles from Brasilia, yet we saw no signs or indication that we were so close. Then the first slums appeared, and shortly after that, we saw many modern-looking 6-story apartment buildings.

Brasilia was officially opened in 1960 as the new capital of Brazil (formerly Rio de Janeiro). It was purposely built in the middle of nowhere to attract more people and businesses to Brazils' interior. It was specifically designed and is surrounded by a large water reservoir. The layout of the city resembles the body of an airplane.

We easily navigated to the city center, where all the Ministries are, and parked in front of the impressive Congress building. We will stay here for a few days to explore everything.

We hooked up with Ute & Peter and went together to a supermarket for food shopping. For tonight, we are camping by the gas station at the airport.

Miles 341, Expenses $19.45Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 165 - Exploring Brasilia
14 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) We were all tired and slept well. The night was pleasantly cool. We splurged on a good breakfast this morning at the airport restaurant, where we obtained a city map.

Due to the current epidemic, the Ministry of Health offered us free Meningitis & Cholera vaccinations.

We took a tour of the Congress building. Then we went to see the futuristic-looking Cinema 360. In this theatre, the seats were in the center, with three wide screens spread around the outside walls. It was indeed a genius idea, but I wasn’t impressed. Besides, the movie was ridiculous.

We will spend another night at the airport gas station.

Stats: Miles 27, Expenses $21.10Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 167 - Official Campground
15 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) Today was good photo weather.

We visited the Palácio da Alvorada, the official residence of the Brazilian President. It was an interesting building and architecture, but no visitors were allowed inside.

The hair on the back of my neck stuck out when I saw the Teatro National (National Theatre). The inside, lobby, and restrooms were cold and tasteless. It reminded me of a New York subway station.

A local who spoke some English told us about the city campground on the other side of the lake. We will check it out tonight.

Next, we visited the Itamarati Palace, home of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It looked great from the outside, with many arches and a pond surrounding the entire structure. The inside was again tasteless, but I loved how they built the terrace. At the end of the tour, we received a Persian carpet as a gift which we passed on to a local as it was too large to keep (we would need to build a house first).

Finally, we stopped at the TV Tower and visited the observation deck for an excellent overview of the city.

We are camped at the official city campground writing letters and postcards to our family and friends. The people in the caravan beside us invited us for an after-dinner drink.

Stats: Miles 37, Expenses $3.85Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 168 - Refreshing my French
16 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) It was fairly cool and rainy this morning. We took this opportunity to write a few more letters and postcards.

In the afternoon, an architect we met the day before drove us to the Novocap urban housing development site, located a few miles outside the city. It was interesting to see, and I was able to ask him lots of questions about construction in Brazil and architecture. I liked the housing project in itself, but the execution of the concrete work was not up to my standards.

Stats: Expenses $4.90

October 17th
(Ursula) I'm not feeling so great this morning. We could continue the journey but still have things to prepare.

Wally and Heinz went into town searching for a place to exchange Dollars at a reasonable rate. It took them a long time and returned late. Meanwhile, I was busy doing household chores and refreshing my French with our campground neighbor Gina.

Ute & Peter went to purchase glass beads & material to craft necklaces. They are running out of money and have to get creative if they want to make it to São Paulo. They plan to set up a little stand by the entrance to the TV tower and sell necklaces.

I would also like to craft something like that, but just for fun, not to depend on making money for travel.

Stats: Miles 23, Expenses $8.10Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 170 - Goodbye Brasilia
18 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) Peter & Ute already crafted three nice-looking necklaces. They have been our friends and travel companions since Manaus, and today we are moving on and have to say our goodbyes. I hope they will be successful and eventually make it to Sao Paulo.

Brasilia was nice to see, and we look forward to visiting many more exciting places in this vast country. After a stop at the church, we left on Route 040 South toward Belo Horizonte.

On the way, we stopped in Cristalina, known for grinding and polishing precious and semi-precious gemstones.

Stats: Miles 281, Expenses $22.35Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 171 - Belo Horizonte
19 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) On our way south, we made a little detour and visited Gruta de Maquiné. A cave that was worthwhile seeing.

The cave was huge, with several tall chambers filled with Stalagmites growing from the bottom and ceiling. One section had unique hollows in the ground all over. It was hot and humid inside, with a well-lit walkway and handrails. Although it was Saturday, there were not too many people besides us.

By late afternoon, we reached the city of Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais. Since the idea wasn't his, Heinz was reluctant to drive to Pampulha, a suburb only a short distance away. But he did change his mind after all.

I wanted to see the unique church designed by Oscar Niemeyer. I liked the design and the outside appearance of it, but I wasn't much impressed by the finished concrete (also observed in Brasilia) and the tasteless interior - it was horrible. But maybe this detour would become a game-changer for Wally.

Across the lake from the church, we could see a large soccer stadium. On the other side of the church was a hillside with beautiful estates; maybe that's where the rich people of Belo Horizonte lived.

We pretended to be one of them tonight and set up the camper on the lake shore with a beautiful view!

Stats: Miles 240, Expenses $2.70Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 172 - Pampulha
20 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) We didn't cover much distance today.

Heinz and I paid a visit to a museum in Pampulha showcasing the works of the artist Maria Helena Andreas. Wally, on the other hand, wasn't particularly interested and kept watch over the camper.

Upon our return, we found Wally engaged in conversation with two friendly young ladies. They graciously extended an impromptu invitation to join them for coffee at their parents' residence up on the hill (where the affluent residents lived). Our visit with them was delightful, even though their English outshone our Portuguese. The two young ladies, Linda and Ritoca, were captivated by our journey and posed numerous questions. Unfortunately, time was limited. Before parting ways, they shared their aunt's address in Rio de Janeiro, expressing their desire to meet us the following week.

As we continued exploring Pampulha a bit longer, a woman noticed the "Suiça" name on our camper and kindly invited us to her home for lunch. We were welcomed by a Swiss family residing on a spacious property, all of them being wonderfully pleasant. The husband, a geologist, also served as the Swiss Honorary Consul.

Following this, we drove an hour south and discovered a suitable spot on a hill where we set up camp for the night. It featured a fountain with refreshing drinking water and a fire pit.

Stats: 46 miles, Expenses $13.50.Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 173 - Ouro Preto
21 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) This morning we reached the picturesque town of Ouro Preto.

It is situated on a hillside with cobble-stone streets and Portuguese-style buildings. The old town was particularly nice. We took our time to explore various soapstone shops. They had an array of items for sale, from little statues to ashtrays, plates, cups, you name it. Luckily they were not as expensive as the ones we saw in Canada. I purchased only four small bowls, although I would have liked to buy several other things.

A little bit later, we stopped in Congonhas and visited the Basílica Bom Jesus de Matosinhos and admired the famous 12 prophets of Aleijadinho. The sculptures were crafted in soapstone. The style and artistry of the sculptures were tasteful, but I thought the execution was horrible.

A few miles passed the town of Barbacena; we found a gas station where we stayed overnight. It was beginning to rain.

Stats: Miles 190, Expenses $3.65Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 174 - Nova Friburgo
22 ottobre 1974, Brasile
Next, we stopped in Petrópolis, an absolute goldmine if you were into hand-painted ceramic tiles. Tiles were sold individually or already fitted into serving plates and furniture. It was fabulous - not something I wanted to miss. Our camper didn't have much room, but I couldn't resist buying five small treasures as a souvenir.

Once we got to Nova Friburgo, we were amazed by its location and the proximity to the mountains. Some of the homes resembled indeed those in the Swiss town of Fribourg. We shopped in a supermarket and didn't expect to meet Swiss people.

Then a boy heard us talk Swiss and said his parents were from Switzerland. We asked him if there was a campground in the area. He said there was one and showed us the way, racing ahead on his kid's bicycle.

The campground was very upscale, with showers and everything, with a fee of $11 per person - a little too steep for our budget!

We decided not to stay. The boy insisted we follow him to his parent's home. The Kern family allowed us to camp in their front yard. Mr. Kern was the managing director of a cotton spinning/weaving factory. His wife was Austrian-super nice people. They invited us into their home, and in the evening, Mr. Kern put on a slideshow of places they had visited in Brazil. Oh my god ... there is so much to see in this country!

Stats: Miles 204, Expenses $24.01Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 175 - A local Artist Painter
23 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) I felt reborn after a wonderful morning shower and a leisurely coffee with Mrs. Kern.

After her husband arrived home for lunch, we said our goodbyes and searched for a Swiss painter and artist Mr. Kern told us about.

His house wasn't hard to miss with its prominent orange-colored entrance gate! Mr. Kern had apparently telephoned ahead to say that we might be interested in his artwork.

Mr. and Mrs. Koenig were a lovely Swiss couple in their 80's. He proudly showed us his collection, and I liked his oil paintings from the Bahia and Recife area. The larger ones were priced at $125, which wasn't expensive for an original, but we couldn't afford it. He sensed that our budget was limited and offered me a smaller one at a "good Swiss friend" price. We purchased it without the frame so it could easily be rolled up in a tube. Mrs. Koenig was sweet and gave us a jar of her homemade orange marmalade on our way.

A few miles further down the road, we stopped at the pastry shop of Augusto Hirschi, another Swiss. He was overly pleased to converse with us in Swiss German. He immediately offered us a Schnapps, of which he had a whole collection. He was talking like a book, trailing off into different subjects. Heinz had to steer the conversation back on track several times until he realized (in his eagerness to speak Swiss) that we might have stopped by to try some pastries. He was particularly proud of his baked goods and made the point ( several times) that he only uses the best quality butter. The samples tasted indeed delicious.

We bought a selection of pastries to take with us on the road. Then drove on for a few hours and stayed overnight at a truck stop. After all the sweets we ate that day, sharing a fresh salad and good sausage for dinner was good.

While we were eating, we heard Büsi meow from far away. We thought he was lost somewhere in the tall grass and went searching with our flashlights. But we couldn't find him. Then we heard the meowing again. As it turned out, he was close by, locked inside the fridge by accident. What a day!

Stats: Miles 56, Expenses $29.75Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 176 - Praia Ferredura
24 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) Today we are headed for the coast 102 miles east of Rio de Janeiro.

The closer we came to the Atlantic, the hotter it got. The humidity was increasing as well as we descended to sea level. On our way through the coastal mountains, we purchased a 5-Kilo bag of delicious oranges from a plantation.

We made good progress and arrived relatively early in the coastal town of Cabo Frio. But until we found our beach, Praia Ferredura was another story.

We saw no signs, and people either didn’t know about it or those who did, gave us the wrong directions. Finally, after many trials and errors, we arrived at this little secluded beach gem!

We stationed the camper in the shade of some trees. We had practically the whole bay to ourselves. The turquoise-colored, crystal-clear water was so amazing.

Toward the evening, we briefly met a crew from a TV Network in Rio (mostly French-speaking) filming the bay area. The leader wrote down a phone number and said we should have a lobster dinner together next week in Rio.

Stats: Miles 92, Expenses $5.00Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 177 - A dozen Oystyers
25 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) I start the day with a refreshing swim. The beach was so calm and inviting this morning.

Then I prepared a late breakfast with omelets and honey because we had run out of bread. We should have planned while at the Swiss pastry shop two days ago!

The day passed leisurely with reading, writing, and swimming.

Wally seems deeply saddened, as if it would be torture to camp in such a beautiful spot. Heinz attempted to catch a fish for dinner but had no luck. Instead, he returned with a dozen rock oysters.

October 28th
(Heinz) We drove over the newly constructed 8-mile Niterói bridge into Rio de Janeiro. Unfortunately, it was foggy, and the visibility was nil, but we realized that we were approaching a large city based on the heavy traffic and multi-line roadway.

Our first stop was at Exprinter, where we exchanged US$ at an excellent rate.

(Ursula) Toward the evening, we called Valerie and Philipe, the French couple whom we met at Praia Ferredura.

They promptly invited us to their beautiful apartment directly overlooking Copacabana Beach. It couldn’t have been in a better location. The interior was very nicely decorated. We just had a welcome drink with them and promised to return at a later date.

Then we set up for the night at Copacabana Beach next to five other VW campers already parked there-it was such a sight! Travelers from England, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, and France.

And so began a lengthy introduction and all-night discussion about our travels. We slipped into bed very late.

Stats: Miles 133, Expenses $13.35Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 181 - Copacabana Beach
29 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) Heinz and Wally went into the city to withdraw enough money until Buenos Aires. We usually exchange Dollars on the "black" market for a much better rate than the banks can offer.

Meanwhile, I brought the laundry to Valerie's apartment but couldn't use the machine because of a power outage. I left it there and returned to our camper, where I had an interesting, long conversation with Bruno from Switzerland. He is from Dotzigen and travels with a German friend in a 1966 Camper. They started their trip six months ago and have been to Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina.

By 5:00 PM, Heinz & Wally were not back yet. I returned to Valerie's apartment to do the laundry. While the machine did its job, Philipe demonstrated the fascinating process of developing black-and-white photos.

My two men must have read the note I left at the camper and joined us for dinner a little later. The food was, of course, delicious - what else would you expect from a French chef? Philipe talked about his exciting job as a TV reporter. He practically works worldwide, including in Vietnam and remote places such as the North Pole. He had so many exciting stories to tell.

It was such a lovely evening, and it also felt good to use and practice my French.

Stats: Expenses $19.00Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 182 - Ritoca and Linda
30 ottobre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) Today we decided to go to the address in Grajaú that Ritoca and Linda, whom we met last week in Pampulha, gave us. Wow, the two young ladies were indeed there and overjoyed to see us again.

Ritoca immediately insisted on writing a note in our diary: “Ursi, Heinz, and Wally. Three people. Three beautiful and friendly people. I have only known them for a week, but I love them as if they were old friends. They stay here with my family in Rio de Janeiro for a week and will continue their journey. But I will always think of them as if they were my family. That seems impossible, but it is the truth. They are not just with my family - they are my family”.

(Ursula) Only a Brazilian could be so spontaneous! We are not used to that. I feel it came straight from the heart. Ritoca was wonderful, and so was her family.

We conversed with them in whatever communication worked best, Portuguese, French, or English. No one seemed stressed or in a hurry. Everyone was relaxed and always had time for everything. I had to ask myself, does anybody work around here?

Stats: Miles 3, Expenses $11.40Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 183 - Barra da Tijuca & Canasta
31 ottobre 1974, Brasile
It's wonderful to be so welcomed with open arms and open hearts by Ritoca's family in Rio de Janeiro - no reservations needed.

After breakfast, Ritoca, Linda, and her brother Enrique guided us to a wild beach south of Rio named Barra da Tijuca. It was 9 km long and one of the most dangerous in the area because of the powerful waves and undertow.

For some reason, Wally felt he had to show off his swimming skills and physical fitness in challenging those monster waves. The sea engulfed him in no time, and he entirely disappeared from our view for a long time - to me, it seemed forever. I was so afraid he had drowned, but then he reappeared and came on shore. He is such a strong swimmer.

After lunch, Wally, Ursula, and the girls played cards while I napped. When my little siesta was over, I fetched us some coffee and Hazelnut puff pastry from the beach shop.

Back home, the family members complained that the food was very salty. Rumors had it that the cook was enraged with Ritoca's aunt and purposely added extra to all the dishes. So much for revenge. Chuckle, chuckle!

We intended to go to a Samba place that night but decided to postpone it until the next day. Instead, Ritoca & Linda taught us the game of Canasta and Tapão. We played cards all night long with them and had so much fun.

Stats: Miles 68, Expenses $9.15Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 184 - Samba Night
1 novembre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) Today we are exactly seven months into our journey.

Ritoca and I went shopping at the nearby Centro Comercial de Copacabana. There was a wide choice of thongs, bikinis, and other things but nothing that I really liked or needed. I tried on nice-looking pants, but they were not my size.

Then we had lunch together and waited for Wally, Heinz, and Enrique to join us. Funny, nobody works around here. The young folks claim to be students, but I don't see anyone studying or attending school. It must be a different system - something just doesn't add up.

Around midnight we went to a Samba dance place. What excitement!

The dance scene was a lot different from what we were used to. The hall was overcrowded with young people. The whole place started to rock and jump at the first sounds of music. There was no designated dance area, really. People just danced anywhere there was little room, even on tables and between tables and chairs. The rhythm and ambiance were incredible. It was a bit too wild for Heinz.
Alcohol was flowing freely.

It was all fascinating until a violent brawl broke out. Suddenly there was fist-fighting going on. Empty beer bottles and glasses started flying through the air. The noise of broken glass was scary. Great panic ensued. Everyone pushed and rushed towards the exits. Some fell and were trampled.

We all made it outside to safety and were glad that none of us got hurt. Our friends didn't seem upset - I guess they are used to such things.

Stats: Expenses $11.70Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 185 - Corcovado
2 novembre 1974, Brasile ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F
We all went to Copacabana and had fun together on the beach. On the way home, we took a detour up to Corcovado Mountain, with its massive statue of Christ on top, overlooking the whole city. It was a fantastic view, although a little cold and windy.

While there, we met a Swiss chemist traveling with a German now living in Canada, who are also visiting the continent in a VW camper.

In the evening, we had tickets to a soccer game in the Maracanã Stadium - the largest in the world with 100,000 seats.

We watched a match between the two arch-rivals of Rio de Janeiro, Flamengo and Fluminense. The game ended with a disappointing 0-0. None of the teams played their best. Most of the shots on goal went by the side or over. I had expected something more exciting.

But the commotion and people in the stands were the excitement. The spectators were very vocal and shouted obscene things at each other throughout the match. And all this while Samba music and loud drums were playing. Team flags were being waved back and forth.

The spectacle around us in the stands was more entertaining than the game on the field. The fans were constantly in each other's faces. Empty beer bottles flew through the air from above. It was quite a unique experience and a flashback of the night before at the Samba place.

Stats: Miles 10, Expenses $10.80Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 186 - Emotional Farewell
3 novembre 1974, Brasile
Today was a regular day - nothing special to write about.

Marcia Regina, Ritoca's mother, handed us this note: "It is good to know that there are three persons in a place in this world whom I can regard as friends, although they are complete strangers to me. I hug them and wish them good health and a good continuation of their journey".

November 4th
Marcia Regina traveled back to Belo Horizonte yesterday together with Ritoca and Enrique. It was an emotional farewell and certainly not an easy one for Wally, but something he knew he eventually would have to face.

We decided to move on and prepared the camper for the road. Then I took a last walk through Grajaú and stopped at the post office to send letters and postcards to our friends and family back home.

Finally, we said our goodbyes to our host family and drove back to Copacabana Beach, where we rejoined the other VW campers. Everyone, except the Germans, was still there.

Stats: Miles 31, Expenses $24.05Leggi altro
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Day 187 - Meeting Hans Buchser
5 novembre 1974, Brasile ⋅ 🌧 70 °F
Ursula went shopping today, and with so many beautiful girls at Copacabana, Wally spent most of the day on the beach with Martin.

I stayed in the camper with Bruno and listened to his travel stories from Argentina and Chile, taking notes. It was valuable information about places to visit, where to stay, and the hospitality of Swiss and German Clubs in larger cities.

The north of Argentina also offers exciting things to see, from tea plantations to citrus fruit processing plants and paper factories. I also learned that visiting Patagonia would require quite a bit of time. The more I learned about it, the more it became clear that we probably have to skip it and head straight over the Andes to Santiago.

A gentleman knocked on our window in the evening. He introduced himself as Hans Buchser. He said he was Swiss and lived next door in one of the skyscrapers. He works as a chief steward for VARIG Airlines. Ursula asked him to stay for dinner in our camper. She served us roast pork, bread, tomatoes, and tea.

The conversations with Hans were fascinating. He invited us to his condo for a drink and shared photographs from a recent sailing trip to Africa’s Gold Coast with four friends. Spectacular!

Stats: Expenses $3.80Leggi altro
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Day 188 - Churrasco Dinner
6 novembre 1974, Brasile
Wally went to visit the city with Bruno after breakfast. Soon after, we were forced to evacuate this beautiful place on Copacabana Beach because a brawl occurred between a local and an Englishman from our group. We were afraid of possible gang retaliation.

Hans Buchser came to our rescue. He invited us to stay at his condo and arranged a parking spot for the camper.

In the evening, he played the Brazilian record Ursula had purchased and gave us one from his collection as a souvenir.

His next flight was to New York on the coming Saturday. He graciously offered to take our slides and movies with him and deliver them to our friends in Queens. What a lovely gesture - one thing less we have to worry about!

Wally figured we were at Hans's condo and joined us later in the afternoon. Hans accompanied Wally to a pharmacy where he could purchase better fungus medication.

Later Hans invited us to a Churrasco restaurant for dinner. Wow, what a special treat! We had not eaten such excellent meat in the last seven months. After that, we all watched a movie at the Copacabana theatre.

A day that started on a low ended on a high!

Stats: Miles 1, Expenses $6.30Leggi altro
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Day 189 - São Paulo
7 novembre 1974, Brasile
Around mid-day, we said goodbye to Hans and Rio de Janeiro. This city and our experiences there are unforgettable.

We drove south on Highway #116 for five hours straight and spent the night at a rest area just before São Paulo.

Stats: Miles 350, Expenses 16.10

November 8th
Everyone advised us not to drive into São Paulo because of the enormous traffic and smog.

Therefore, we parked in a suburb and took a taxi to the Swiss Consulate, where a bunch of mail was waiting to be picked up. Among them was a bundle forwarded from Guatemala City that we apparently missed. What great service! Many thanks to our good friend Elisabeth at the Consulate in New York, who managed the deliveries according to our travel schedule!

We went to a nearby restaurant, sipped on a Coca Cola and "savored" our mail. What a surprise, Robert & Annelise, whom we met at the Grand Canyons, married and live in Wettingen, Switzerland. Ursula's friend, Arianne, wrote us a letter from Australia with an attached picture of their new LandRover. Our friend Bernhard sent us a replacement American Express card. There was also a birthday card from my sister Hedi and my Mom. My dad wrote a letter updating us on the construction of his Chalet in the Simmental, and my sister Elisabeth sent us pictures of her holidays in the Engadin Mountains.

By mid-afternoon, we were back at the camper and easily navigated our way to the Swiss Sports Club. The manager welcomed us and permitted us to park inside the gates. We used all the facilities (including a nice swimming pool). We began to write and answer the mail that same evening. It was a bit cooler in São Paulo and felt more comfortable than in Rio.

Stats: Miles 9, Expenses $21.50Leggi altro
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Day 191 - Wally’s Decision
9 novembre 1974, Brasile
November 9th
(Ursula) After breakfast, we continued writing to our friends and relatives. We had no desire to visit the city and preferred to move on as soon as possible.

We could tell that something didn't seem right with Wally this morning. When we asked him about it, he confessed that he and Ritoca had fallen in love and decided to stay in Brazil.

The situation tortured him because he felt he was letting us down. But Heinz and I understood his feelings and encouraged him to follow his intuition and not worry about us. That made him feel a little better, but he was struggling.

Many open questions came with Wally's sudden decision. We sat down and helped him plan and make a list of priorities. He needed a place to live and a job. Heinz and I spent the rest of the day discussing ideas and exploring leads we received from the manager at the Swiss Sports Club.

We checked out several apartments, but nothing positive transpired. By 10 PM, we were tired and returned to the Swiss Club for the night. It was obvious that finding a place to live and getting a job wouldn't be a piece of cake for a foreigner.

Stats: Expenses $3.70Leggi altro
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Day 193 - Wally - Preparations
10 novembre 1974, Brasile
(Ursula) We discussed Wally’s plans this morning and continued writing to our friends and relatives.

Luckily, we met a Swiss gentleman at the Club working for Nestlé. He graciously offered Wally a place to stay at his home until he could find a permanent situation. We appreciated his generosity and followed him to the house to meet his family.

Later, we checked out an apartment for rent, which would have required a large downpayment. We were wondering how this was all going to work out for him. Stats: Miles driven 10, Expenses $1.60

November 11th
Wally took a bus to the Fiat dealership, where he filled out an application for a mechanic’s position.

Then he started gathering his belongings and packed his suitcase. It was pretty sad for us to watch him do this. In between, he made several attempts to call Ritoca from a payphone. He finally got through to her. She seemed happy and excited to see him soon.

Meanwhile, Ursula and I reorganized our things inside the camper and finished writing the letters and postcards for our family and friends.

Then we left and brought Wally to his host family, where we were all invited to watch a color slide presentation of Argentina, where they lived before.

That night, Ursula and I slept in the camper alone for the first time in seven months. It felt good and a bit strange at the same time.

Stats: Miles 4, Expenses $1.90Leggi altro
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Camper Travel 1974-1975 Viaggiatore
Day 195 - Farewell to Wally
12 novembre 1974, Brasile
The number one concern for me going forward was car maintenance. Wally always did that for us, and I would be lost.

So, we got up early in the morning, making a list and drawings on what to check and keep an eye on. Wally also taught me how to do an oil & filter change, adjust the gap between the ignition points, and adjust the valve clearance. It didn’t look too tricky. Would I be able to manage this on my own?

Wally had also given me a list of parts that needed to be changed after the next 5,000 miles. I mailed this list to our friend Bernhard in New York and asked him to send the parts to Santiago de Chile, where we should be around Christmas.

We went with Wally to the Swiss Bank to withdraw money. Then we stopped by the Bus Terminal to purchase his ticket to Belo Horizonte - the last favor we could do for him.

Then we said goodbye to him with heavy hearts. We wished him good luck and hoped everything would work fine in his “pursuit of love and happiness.”

Then Ursula and I continued the journey. We drove to CEAGESP, a giant marketplace outside of São Paulo, where we stocked up on fruits and vegetables. The scale of goods traded in that market was astronomical. I counted 32 delivery trucks loaded with bananas.

Then we continued to the airport, where we parked for the night.

Stats: Miles 26, Expenses $20.65Leggi altro
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