Brazil in Brief

My holiday s coming to an end so I am going to quickly describe my time in Brazil.

We enter from Bolivia after a horrible overnight train trip.

The Pantanal

In Brazil we head straight for our lodge in the Pantanal - a forest area similar to the Amazon but without the thick jungles. A lot more open space.

A dozen capivaras graze by the path as we carry our luggage to our rooms.

After we check in we head to the pier to fish for piranha. I have a vegetarian conscience crisis about the fishing but I decide that since I do eat fish I should be prepared to catch the fish as well. These are fish that really bite. I catch two. Most of the others caught more and everyone caught at least one. They all end up in the evening soup.

There are plenty of caymans on the banks of the river. Caymans are like small crocodiles. They are the size of freshies but have the shape of salties but with shorter thicker tails.

We walk along a raised wooden path over the wetlands. The sun sets and fireflies flicker by.

The next day we go for a horse ride. Well, we sit on horses that calmly plod along a familiar path. Not, really very adventurous. Still, I end up saddle-sore. In the afternoon we go for a walk. Our guide catches piranha and feeds them to the caymans. We see some raccoons, rheas (flightless birds like small emus) and an armadillo.

The next day we have a boat ride and go swimming in the river with the piranhas and caymans. Even though we couldn't see them while we were swimming we knew they were there.

The Prata River.

We float downstream in the Prata river with mask and snorkel. I was a bit concerned about snorkeling without flippers but my wet suit is extra buoyant so I don´t have to expend any energy floating.

The water is crystal clear. We have been warned not to stir the sand and silt on the river bed.

Two metres below, an underwater spring turns sand like an underwater bubbling volcano.

I drift down stream with my face down. I have a fish eye view of the river. There are fallen tree branches in the water covered with flowing moss and leaves. It is like an underwater forest. Dappled sunlight shines brightly through the trees above and plays on the river floor. Fish the size of my arm swim upstream or downstream. Alone or in schools. They are not concerned by my presence.

Large marble rocks, irregular shapes are covered in a grey-green slime, except where they have been chipped or broken and the white quartz-like stone is exposed.

When the current directs me to a rock or a branch it can be difficult to avoid it. Instead I learn to twist my body around obstacles.

I start to feel that I am in my element. The water temperature is cool and refreshing. The water is fresh and sweet. I feel like a fish. I move with the water.

Further downstream the large fish become larger still. The river joins a larger river. The water is deeper. Now the sunlight streams down through the water. I watch as my arm casts a deep shadow. Spears of light slip between my fingers down to the river bottom.

Iguazu Falls

We get up at five AM to ride in a bus most of the day. In the afternoon we go to the Brazilian side of Iguazu falls. The falls are 3km wide (If you stretched them out into a straight line). They just go on and on.

The next day we cross into Argentina for a day trip to see the other side of the falls.

The Argentinian side of Iguassu is fantastic.

I go for a boat ride and get thoroughly drenched from the spray as we get close to the falls. One of the men working the boat tells me the falls have twice as much water as the day before due to recent rains. A week ago there was a lot less water in the falls so we are very lucky.

We walk over the river on a long metal path to stare down the throat of the main waterfall. It is phenomenal - awe inspiring.

It is one of the great wonders of my trip. Up there along with;

• The final approach to Everest base camp.
• The migration of wildebeast and zebra in the serengetti.
• The top of Kilimanjaro.
• The Galapagos islands.
• Machu Picchu.

The Atlantic

We walk 8KM through the Atlantic rainforest. A thick mist spoils much of the view.

A hummingbird flitters by the path. When I see it, it takes my breath away. I try to take a photo of it fluttering suspended over a flower. Whenever I focus on it, it has already moved away. Hummingbirds are unattainable. You know from the beginning that they will soon be gone.

On Honey Island I swim in the Atlantic Ocean. Sometimes I dive into the waves. Sometimes I stand my ground and challenge them to knock me over. For all my travelling this is the first time I have swam in the Atlantic.

Rio

An overnight bus to Rio. It doesn't suit my stomach. I am sick. It's not pretty.

In Rio, we check into our hotel in Copacabana. We visit the Statue of Christ the Redeemer high on Corcovada. We also catch the cable car up Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Some of us go on a tour of one of the favelas. You can only visit these slums on organised tours that have the permission of the local drug lords.

My tour group disbands and I find my own accomodation. I find an appartment which is cheaper that most hotels.

It has a lounge, a bedroom, a small kichen amd a bathroom. It has been a long time since I have had so much space and all to myself. Now I have things in "the other room". It is strange to have multiple rooms.

I visit the botanical gardens. This is a huge park and includes a lovely walk through a section of rainforest.

I visit a large shopping centre. (What many international travelers call a "mall" - but not us Australians.) It is much like any other shopping centre.

Conclusion

And that's it for Rio.

And that's it for Brazil.

And that's it for South America.

And that's it for my Grand Adventure and what a grand adventure it has been.

Tomorrow I fly home to Melbourne.

There are still a lot of gaps in my blog and maybe I'll fill them in some day.

And I haven't given up travelling altogether so stay tuned.