Thursday To Paraty

Leaving Iihabela at 9 we rode to the ferry and back onto the main land,and followed the coast road then head for the mountains it is a fantastic ride with many twist, and snake bends, we were suppose to see some amazing views but had cloud cover, so we zipped back down the mountain and back onto the coastal road.We stop for lunch at a little cafe,and make our destination about 3pm it is stinking hot and the humility is 100% so Vic and jump into the pool and have a couple of cool ales, before we head out to have dinner.

This place is amazing it is an old colonial town founded in 1531 we walk a couple of blocks and cross the river and hobbled over the cobble stones to dinner.

Back to the hotel we are stuffed and went to bed about 9pm but we could not sleep due to the invasion of mozzies,they were dive bombing us all night, no insect repellent in the room.Not happy Jan

I am suffering from bites from the sand flies or "can't seem ums "my legs are just full of bites

Friday is our rest day so after breakfast we head back to the old town, it is early as the tourist busses have not arrived, so all of us pile into a horse drawn carriage and do the town in style.

We have tasted a lot of the local wine and even bought corn licor, so we will be having that tonight.

This town looks the same as it did in the 1600&1700,it has cobble stone street and no motorized vehicles are aloud ,only horse and cart,when they have a king tide all the streets are flooded there are lots of little cafes and souvenir shops it is really a great town.

We bought some fly spray today so we may have a better sleep.

Wednesday 11th April rest day

Rest day Wednesday no 5

Had a great sleep after the beer and no hangover, poor Erica must have got lime poisoning as she was poorly at breakfast. I learnt to say omelet Portuguese style so we had a beaut breakfast.

We decided to go on a 4x4 road trip which was only 11 klms across the island. We were picked up in a clapped out jeep at 10-30am and started our journey, we stopped at many waterfalls then climbed 600mts and the fog came in making the jungle around very eerie, just waiting for Tarzan to swing from the trees. The road was dreadful Vic was in the front with the crazy driver I think he must have smoked to much, as he was hanging out the door, then sliding his bum on the road hanging onto the steering wheel with one hand, no O H and S here. the jeep would toss about as we hit big boulders and deep holes.

Itwas just an a adventure getting to the other side it was only 22klms but took us1 1/2hours.

Reaching the beach and tourist spot on the other side it was beautiful, Nina and Bruno took the option to see a Hugh waterfall which was a 40minute walk each way climbing over rocks and roots etc. Vic and I stayed behind as it sounded to strenuous for us due to all our age and health problems. (it was the right decision )Nina got heat exhaustion and her heart was working overtime, Bruno made her sit in a pool of cool water until she could continue. They said there was not enough air around them

Vic and I sat and watched all the beautiful people frolic in the water, we had fish and chips and of course a couple of beers and waited until the rest come back.

They arrived at 3pm so our journey back was the same with a stupid driver, we crossed a small river and he revved the guts out of this ageing jeep as he tried to spray us all with water.

Getting back into town after being battered around we head for the swimming pool as the temp now is 29deg at 5/30, then a couple of beers before we head for dinner, we meet up with Erica again she stilled worse for wear, she did not have any alcohol at dinner, Bruno ordered a lovely argentine wine .Another great day was had by all (except for Erica.)she blamed her dilemma on the insect repellent

Today's ride is to Paraty only a short ride about 300klms, we are going to ride along the Emerald coast

Leaving Tuesday 10th

Tuesday Leaving Sao Paulo

Leaving for our destination at 7130am we learnt that Erica had left her camera and hat in the gangster van , then she found out that she had left her medicines back with Rodregis so she had to pay a courier to pick up all her belongings cost over 100reals (nota good start),

We are on the road weaving in and out the traffic as leave the big city of Sao Paulo .we make our way down the Atlantic coast.the ride is stop start up hill down until we get to the out skirts of town.

We pass many little towns with faveles (slums) then we go through tunnels some are 3klms long 3lanes wide just brilliant.

We stop in Santos Pele soccer fame and have a coconut drink and a stretch.then it is back on the bike again.Nina is having trouble mounting as the panniers are just near the foot peg so she is doing the push back system.

The panniers make the bikes real wide so we have to stay in the centre of the lane.

We stop for lunch after we ride a twisty road up the mountain side  where we see a fantastic water fall.

The main road to our destination has speed bumps through little villages to slow the traffic down major intersection they are about 1metre apart some we hit pretty fast and I was nearly airborne,so the rider got a thump.

We get on the first ferry and Burnos panniers hit  witches hat,  this ferry went to Guaruja  and Vic an I get put behind a truck, so the others had to wait until we disembarked the next ferry is to Bertioga,half way to our destination ,this is three ferry ride.

We stop for Petrol and Renato finds his credit card does not work so we filled the bikes up and Vic paid as it is now late in the afternoon and bloody hot 26deg with all our clobber on it is getting uncomfortable.

We get the last ferry to Iihabela the then we ride 11klms on cobblestones to our Pausada.

It is  a very nice little place with a swimming pool and beautiful out look to the Atlantic ocean but the only draw back is there some "can't seem  ems" which are like little miggies that bit and suck and make you itchy.

We had a beaut dinner in the resident restaurant and cracked 6 bottles of beer which did not hit the sides as we were so dehydrated.Erica got stuck into some alcohol lime drink that packed a punch and was quite pickled.

Brazil Monday 9th April No3

BrazilMonday 9th April 2012 no3

Another fantastic day in Sao Paulo really stuffed tonight.

After breakfast we went walking to the BMW shop downtown,stopping only once to change money to Reals ,the day was warming up quickly .Once we arrived at the shop the "gangster van"picked us up and took us to the heliport there was two helicopters so three in each.it was 1/2trip over the vast area of Sao Paulo. We were told that Sao Paulo is the third biggest city in the world it has over 22million people ,after seeing it from the air we could quite believe it.It was an eye opener and well worth it.

Returning to the city we walked and walked through the old part seeing shoe shine men, buskers,bubble blowing clowns,all very fascinating.

At3/30the guide asked us if we would like some lunch, well you can guess the response ,so we walked and walked to the markets, had lunch at4pm and even I had 3 beers.we were so dehydrated (so we said) after a Hugh sandwich ans again something we did not know what it wad we caught the gangster van back to the ice cream parlour for well deserved ice cream.

Vic has changed his mind about what bike he is now going to ride the  Honda transalp

Repacked our bags for the panniers and now off to sleep

Tomorrow we head for an island called Iihabela

Easter Sunday no2 2012

Easter Sunday 8 th April 2012 no 2

We find that our electric adaptors do not work in this Hotel the Heritage, just hope that will be ok when we get on tour.

Also Vic has found that his lock has been broken on his suitcase.

Brazillians are a happy race of people they are all dancing and singing at all hours of the night ,it is is now only 5-30am and they are still doing it.

Wow what great day we had,had breakfast at 7am then walked the busy streets of Sao Paulo, it was a public holiday Easter Sunday, we walked through the park then through the markets that was selling any thing then over the busy street we crossed and saw the antique markets it was so interesting and safe.

We met up with Renato and checked the bikes,Vic has decided to have the Yamaha tenere,a750we think,Bruno has the BMW f650gs, Erica has the Kawasaki verses 650, all are in good condition and only a few klms on all of them.

Next we walked to the Sao Paulo football stadium and to the football museum, that was just so interesting had great images of all the great soccer players from around the worlds t and historic photos there was going to be a game played at 5pm so it was busy.

Then it was 2pm and we had the welcome Dinner (but it was lunch?.)

BBQ ribs and empanadas and stuffed balls and wine and something else which I  don't know what it was.one cafe had a band and was playing the Samba.

After lunch we got a cab back to our hotel and had a very long Nanna nap till 7-30 then back to the eating and drinking but only a salad this time and half a bottle of red wine that Erica had brought.

We had a big thunder storm tonight so we ate in the hotel (not good)

Tomorrow we are hoping all the rain goes as we are having a helicopter ride over Sao Paulo (included in the price of the tour)

Brazil getting there 7th April 2012

Brazil No1 getting there

Leaving on the 7th April on LAN airlines 10-45am

We were wrong/ the times were changed to 9-45 am on the Thursday we only found it by accident as we tried to book in on line

We notified the shuttle but he could not find it on the airline scheduled so our times for pick up was the same then we found out we are not flying LAN but Qantas .

Booking in at 7-30am we find that Vic and I are not even seated together he is in seat53 G and I was in row 70B at the back of the plane.It is a 747/400and the plane is full to capacity no seats to swap so we are separated for the 14hour flight to Santiago.

Bruno and Nina are seated together .

We are sitting in our allocated seats waiting to take off,the Captain states that we are to heavy to take off, as he has got the weights from Hong Kong ?.

Qantas then off loads some cargo and we take off about 10-45am.

It is a non stop flight to Santiago,I found that Qantas is old and tired the hosties and Stewart's are beyond their prime.Must have been over 400 people and of course the toilets were chock a block, I never took my shoes off ;-)

The plane makes up time and we arrive in Santiago on time, after a 3hour wait for our next connection, we board a TAM airlines to Sao Paulo which is another 4hour flight.we are seated together and fed an watered and drop of to a light sleep.This plane is also chockablock

Arriving at Sao Paulo we get to the customs hall and shuttled around like cattle

Very nicely though it takes about 1 hour to clear customs and immigration,and we are greeted on the outside by Renato and his brother Renaldo.

Renato is the owner and guide for Brazil on Bikes, he tells us that he has a full compliment and the tour is full to overflowing, so he has made two private tours us Australians on one and the Asians on the other so there will not be a back up truck, and we can carry all our gear in the new panniers that he as just purchased.

The drive took about 1/2hour to get to the hotel but we are driven in a "gangsters  " type van  with black tinted windows with a hired driver .

We arrive at the Heritage hotel in down town Sao Paulo,we are so jet lagged that we don't even make ourselves known to Erica who is also on this tour, we have a shower and collapse into bed at 8-30pm.

This is still April 7

Our trip up to Nimbin March 2012

We had a very eventful trip.
First I lost my Internet connection with dodo ,(I was just so frustrated)
We had a party here for Rozle on the Monday night, 18 people attended it was a very happy night,Rozles boots were very wet as he had. Ridden from Melbourne in the pouring rain , so dad in his wisdom tried to dry out his boots with the hot air gun,yes you quest it he set them on fire and they melted so dad had to give him his Aldi boots as we are going to ride up with him to the gold coast.
Leaving early on Tuesday morning we road to Bendemeer and met up with Frank who was on a tour with Rozle in Europe also our trip in New Zealand
Had a great night but into bed about 8-30
Next we again leave about 8-30 am as we are riding to Nimbin, as Rozle wants to meet up with friends, so he books us into the YHA about 3klms from town and up a mountain, he was going to stay in a tepee ,We arrive about 4pm Dad and I had a sleep out Pauline and Neil had the garden room(they reckon it was the stables) the bed was jammed up against the wall and very lumpy, no where to hang our coats and no overhead light or power points and a curtain over the glass door.
We put our clothes on the floor as there was. NO where else,had a lift into town and we were picked up at 8pm to go back that is when the fun started.Dad was trying to find a place for accommodation on the iPad then lifted it up by the cover and it fell down, he has broken the screen but it still is working ok, I was not impressed
Dad has a bad cough from a cold he picked up in NZ we get into bed and dad coughs and coughs, then I am bitten on the head through my hair then my legs scratch scratch cough cough.
The bed rolled into the centre hanging onto the sides so we don't fall together more bites ,I am now distressed no where to run or sit.Dad is cough cough, waking the young ones .can hardly wait for morning it is a very long night ,turn on the bed lamp, cockroaches running over the ceiling then seeing all the bite marks on my legs my head is so itchy
Morning arrives to a great relief Pauline and I compare bite marks, Neil is hairy dad just coughs.
Rozle did not stay in his Tepee he spent the night with friends in Nimbin on the beer.
We have a quick shower we shook all our clothes as we did not want any more bed bugs or cockroaches ,Went to Nimbin town for breakfast ,we said good bye to Rozle as he was heading further up the coast on his own.
We head off to Dorrigo at a lovely pace had lunch at Jose place a little cafe and headed off to Bellingen we are riding down the big mountain and the back wheel goes all wobbly, we stop and find a horse nail in the brand new tyre, so on the side of the road dad tries to fix it, first time the plug would not fit so Neil gave him another to try, of course the glue had gone hard .Lucky dad had a small compressor which he pumped the tyre up.We went slowly down the mountain until we reached Bellengin where he put more air in the tyre, stayed at the imperial hotel which was luxury after Nimbin and had dinner at the hotel it was a relaxing night,
Leaving again at 8-30we head for Kaurah as we have stayed there before, we are going about 120klm and the back tyre blows the plug so again we are on the side of the road, but now we know how to fix it,.The last attempt Vic remembers he used and old plug that is why it did not fit, so he uses a new plug with a mushroom head and it fixes the tyre
We arrive at Kaurah have a shower and head for the RSL for dinner
Neil and Pauline left there truck here and were going to pick it up on the way home. Neil forgot about the truck and rode on by.
He came back about 20 minutes after her remembered.
It was a fun filled few days lots of laughts and lots of bites it did not rain at all on our little trip