I reached the Amazon

Tiffany

Active member
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
Dec 14, 2002
Messages
386
Reaction score
0
Location
Lands End
Whoops a bit delayed with my monthly report as I seemed to have sent it out to everyone.... errr, except you lot - sorry

I ended last month at Salvador and headed up the coast to Recife where I was 'kidnapped' by the Recife moto club and taken to a Bike Show - they lent me a bike to ride as Thelma was having a rest in the workshop - my trusty steed for the weekend turned out to be a Yamaha Virago - well, I have never ridden a cruiser-style bike before and what a baptism of fire it was - there had been torrential rain and the streets of Recife had been transformed - the others assured me that yes, there was a solid road of sorts under the brown rivers of dirty water covering every surface - I just had to hope for the best and edged forward on this unfamiliar bike, feeling as if my backside was just six inches from the ground and my arms were up in the air.
Having managed not to fall off in the water I later provided more entertainment for the delighted Recife group when I had a bad puncture and we had to change my rear tyre for... a car tyre - something I had never realised was possible, the tyre looked a bit strange and caused the handling to differ dramatically, to make matters worse it was oval-shaped (don't ask me how) and I had to ride this monstrosity for 500 kms! It was the most uncomfortable ride of my life - the others were chuckling at the bump bump as my wheel went round - added to this was the fact that I had Giardia and the stomach cramps were horrendous - yet another glamorous episode in the life of an overland biker.

Things were somewhat improved by my stay at Pipa Beach where dolphins were playing every day in the bay - a perfect place to relax.
In the north of Brazil the road deteriorates as rivers become more important as the method of transport - this means huge craters of potholes and mud masquerading as roads. At times, Thelma and I were doing our tightrope act - balancing on six inches of crumbling tarmac with the ground dropping away on either side to a two-foot drop. At the same time trying to avoid the huge lorries that are lumbering cumbersomely through the craters.

I eventually reached Belem - for me this was a highlight of the journey as it was the first tiime I had seen the Amazon, I stayed with Emma ( of the Curries fame - as mentioned in other threads), enjoyed the nightlife and then got on a boat heading up the Amazon to Manaus - five days by slow boat.
The boat was much better than I expected - thank God I didn´t go for hammock class - similar to 3rd class trains in India, with ten hammocks in the space I would think only two should go. My cabin was small but clean and also cool as it had a fan - I shared it with a french backpacker, - they had assured me that they don´t allow mixed cabins so at least I didn´t have to worry about sharing with some amorous Brazillian bloke.
With Matilde ( the frenchwoman) I was speaking a mixture of English, French, Spanish and Portuguese- I don´t know what the people around us thought but we understood each other.

There were almost no mosquitoes due to the constant movement of the boat and even the food was OK - rice, beans, pasta and potatoes for lunch and dinner every day- it was actually served with beef and chicken for the carnivores. So, a monotonous diet but at least it was filling - I got on the boat armed with bags of bananas, peanuts and pot noodles - as I was expecting fish stew all the time.

Loading Thelma onto boats is always an experience, generally a tense one, and this one was no different- I was screeching at the deckhands like a fishwife as they almost let Thelma fall into the hold with me on her!
I had ridden up the gangplank (nerve-wracking in itself) and at the top, they were all so busy watching someone else´s bike they didn´t catch me as I was heading towards the black hole of the hold whilst braking as hard as I could - I´d had to do a bit of an Evel Knivel-style rev up the narrow gangplank ramp as it was quite steep, so there was no room for error at the top.
They then tied a rope around Thelma and sweating profusely, they creakily lowered her into the hold - I could hardly bear to look.
There was another biker on the boat as well - the first overlander I have met in ages, he is a Mexican riding a Harley-Davidson and also heading to Venezuela.

The views from the boat were superb - lush jungle, children in dug-out canoes trying to "surf" the boat´s wake, villages on stillts, Amazonian River dolphins swimming alongside the boat and even a sighting of the rare pink dolphin.
Parrots, storks, eagles, parrakeets - hundreds of birds and some of the most stunning sunrises and sunsets I have ever seen.


I am now in Manaus and will shortly be heading north through the jungle to Venezuela, I am having several dizzy spells each day as my body adjusts to life back on solid ground, hopefully that will not affect my riding - but then who is going to notice?


This has felt like another eventful month though it has been tinged with great sadness as I found out a few days ago that a friend of mine has suddenly died (she was only 35). It´s at times like this that I feel a million miles away rather than a few thousand.
 
Such a great read Tiffany that I want to reply but cannot find the right words. You are the GS folk hero.
Tim
 
Hola Tiffany,
Just like to 2nd what Tim said, if this does not inspire someone to get off thier arse and travel nothing will, I hope theres a book coming out, if so I'll be one of the first in line. Its not long now till I head off im flying the bike over now after talking to "Baldgit" aka Fred not sure if you have met him on the road. I've sent you a pm with a few questions that I hope you can answer.
Gracias
jose
 
Tiffany,
I have only one problem with reading your posts: they make me feel unworthy to even own a motorbike let alone a GS.

I'm sure everyone in the club joins with me in wishing you a safe onward journey.
 
Whoops..

Celt and the rest of you

a bit of a problem with my private messages as I cannot access them anymore. I have to confess that I am not a donating member (not sure if I have one to donate anyway) - and until I am back in the UK and in control of my finances once more and able to throw money at the deserving Mr G I can't be a donating member.
so no PMs

send me emails instead
 


Back
Top Bottom