Belem Soft Hotel

... as the boats run fairly infrequently. One of the Swiss guys I had met (Marcel) also wanted to go the Belém so we went together to bargain for our tickets as promised. Although we still paid more than the locals, I think we got a fairly good deal… fortunately Marcel speaks Portuguese so that probably helped!

Within a hour of getting on the boat we had set off, so pretty good timing. This did however mean that our hammocks had to go up ...

... s insistance on blaring forro music the entire effing time. We reached port yesterday at sunrise, which is low tide on the river. We waited until high tide (yep, you guessed it, sunset) to be able to unload the car. Tomorrow we hit the road again and head down the coast. Enjoy the pics. Just kidding. After uploading them to the computer, sorting them, and writing this entry, I-ve notcied that I-ll be unable to upload them to the site. Maybe next time...

... hamocks, and basically take up any free space you were hoping to have had. If you happen to be situated in one of these middle rows(yes, of course we were), then getting in and out of the hamock arena is a huge pain in the ass, since you're always pushing aside sleepiing people(everyone sleeps on the boat, at all times. Some seem to do nothing else). Any circumfrence area on these levels that isn't railing, is taken up the bathrooms. Oh, god, the bathrooms. 6 per floor(3m/3f), with 4 ...

... hours to explore the Transamazonic Hwy - which is in fact a muddy pot-hole ridden dirt track. The little taxi we hired was put to the test as I drove my first left-hand-wheel vehicle attempting to keep on the road, let alone on the right side of the road. Passed a classic sign telling us that the bridge ahead was CONDEMNED, but there was no alternative route. We survived it twice. Found ourselves a bar next to the church so we could meet the women as they came in after ...