Cuiaba - Day 67-69
Trip Start
Jan 31, 2008
1
229
251
Trip End
Ongoing
Cuiaba,
State of Mato Grosso,
Brazil
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Arrived in Cuiaba just after midday after another restless night on a bus. Caught a local bus to the city centre and tried to find the only hostel in the city which proved to be rather difficult.
A local guy saw me sweaty profusely with my heavy backpack and holding a useless map, he offered to help me find the hostel. The lonely planet map i was using was completely wrong he said. He rung the hostel from his shop to find out it's whereabouts and then he took me in his car to the impossible to find mythical hostel, what a top bloke. I would have really struggled without his help. He even gave me his phone number and said If needed anything I could call him.
I've treated myself to an air conditioned room at the hostel, I have a hammock, ensuite bathroom and even a TV, which doesn't work, wouldn't have watched it anyway. Very luxurious for my usual standard of digs. I thought I'd treat myself, I'll be seriously roughing it soon when I head into the Amazon so I'm going to enjoy this little bit of luxury for a few days.
It's so hot in Cuiaba, the heat and humidity is relentless, really glad I have air conditioning. The mosquito's appear to be a problem too, been bitten numerous times already in the hostel.
The primary reason why I've come to Cuiaba is to visit the Pantanal and Chapada national parks. Will organise some trips over the coming days after I've had a well deserved rest.
Day 68 - 15/03/09
I had a rest day, did officially nothing for the entire day, went for brief walk in the morning to buy some food and lay in the hammock in my room for most of the day. The air conditioner was set to extra cold, nice!
Went out in the evening to an expensive pizza joint down the road like I did the previous night. The only place I could find open on a Sunday in the city. I've been warned by the hostel owner not to venture to far, he said the city is dangerous by night. Was so nice to nothing today, I really enjoyed the inactivity, just me my laptop and an air conditioner, glorious!
Day 69 - 16/03/09
Got caught in a massive storm this afternoon while making a visit to the ATM. Thunder and lighting with torrential rain turned the roads in to raging torrents. I was marooned under the veranda of shop for half an hour waiting for the rain to subside, which it didn't. So I made a run for to a the bus stop across the road and got completely drenched. Caught the bus a couple of hundred metres down the road to the hostel but by the time I arrived I was drenched, might as well of walked.
Went for expensive Pizza once again, (third night in a row) no other food options in the area at night. Enough of this chilling lark, tomorrow I go to the Pantanal for a day trip to see the exotic wildlife and the abundance of bird life and of course the Caiman alligator's. I heard the mosquito's are relentless, I'm preparing myself for a massacre!
