October 23, 2010
Adonde long-jay, or something.
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The steaming humidity of yesterday afternoon had developed into a thunder storm by evening and finding a place to camp was difficult as the area between the road and the fence was either boggy or overgrown. I did however find a dry place which wasn't great and although amongst thorns wasn't completely shielded from the road. I got the tent up and gear inside just as it began to rain.
I had camped ten kilometres before the large town of Alegrete where I made a stop this morning to buy food. Sofar I've found Brazileans extremely friendly and inquisitive, wanting to know all about my travels. It's frustrating that I don't know what they're saying most of the time but I seem to get by with my knowledge of Spanish and guesswork. The conversation typically opens with 'adonde lance'. 'Adonde' of coarse is 'where' like in Spanish, 'lance' finetically long-jay, I don no! Perhaps travel.
On the way out of town I stopped at a roundabout to check my map which at this point is beginning to tear at the folds and will perhaps only last a week more in which time I will have cycled far enough to need a new map anyway. I had only unfolded it when a motorbike pulled up along side me, both rider and pillion passenger with wide grins on what was visible of their faces through the visor slot. 'Adonde long-jay' the guy on front asks. I say 'Iguazu'. I had to say it a few times before just saying 'cataratas' which is waterfalls in Spanish, before Is understood. So the conversation continued with them trying to direct me the best way which was clearly not as they were sending me on a long detour East and I wanted to go North.
So I followed my own planned route turning onto a secondary road, BS377, ten kilometres from the roundabout towards the town of Manodel Vianna. The countryside was now pleasant rolling hills, a nice change from flat boggy pampa that preceded Alegrete. The road descended down and across a long bridge over a river into town where I stopped for lunch at a service station cafeteria. The people here looked at my bike. The cook and the girl at the cash-desk looked at my bike too saying 'adonde long-jay'. Even the dog gave my bike a good inspection paying particular attention to the trailer wheel for some reason.
The afternoon continued with the road passing by low tabular hills with rocky out-crop slopes. There were also lots of plantations which would make good places to camp later if it remained the same. It was extremely humid this afternoon too and I found it better to keep on the move to gain the air-cooling effect. If I stopped I very soon became saturated in sweat. I had no problem drinking two 2litre bottles of coke which has the combined effect of satisfying my thirst, while the sugar and caffeine gives an energy boost.
Approaching six I past the second town on this route, Sao Fransico de Assis, 5km away via an access road. I didn't have to go near it as I'd everything I needed and cycled 10km more finding a place to camp behind bushes at a gateway into a plantation.
Today's ride: 113 km (70 miles)
Total: 4,300 km (2,670 miles)
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