The flight to Paramaribo from Belem was late by 15 minutes, and I noticed I was the sole backpacker, most were Brazilians and of course Surinamese. Weird when we got in the plane all the stewardesses were wearing masks, I felt like entering a hospital. later on they sprayed some perfume disinfectant stuff. While on flight they distributed forms to fill up for customs and immigrations, suddenly there were commotions, people getting up and huddling, I got curious, then I realized they were Brazilian laborers and like in school, they are copying each other's information, granted the forms were in [View Full Entry]

---

---

First thing I did when I arrived at the bus station in Belem is to look for internet cafe to figure out how to get to my hostel, i called them on skype then tried to get a bus, according to instructions it's just outside the station so took one from the list i wrote down, I got on and showed the driver a piece of paper where I need to go. He looked at it and pointed me to the street perpendicular to the one I was on, so i walked across the intersection, only the bus stop was far [View Full Entry]

---

---

Jean Marc and I got picked up by the taxi at the hostel and 4 hours later we arrived in Sao Luis, we got dropped off at a nice Hostel called Pousada Lagoon in the new part of town, recommended by Jean Marc's friend, a little misunderstanding there, JM thought he will stay with him in his house but he booked us a hostel instead, nevertheless quite good for the 30 reais per person price, and has wifi and en suite toilet. We freshened up then walked the town, the new part that is, quite busy as we walked down the [View Full Entry]

---

---

Arriving in Barrerinhas around just past 2pm, right away I was not impressed with the town, lots of people out on the street and it is very hot here, not so clean either. We asked the truck driver to drop us off at the Pousada Porto near the water's edge but it was full and all of the hostels and Pousadas around it, we were told Brazilians were on vacation and came here in droves especially weekends, we found a hotel but super expensive, 150 reais for a double, we asked the truck driver to look for some more, we saw [View Full Entry]

---

---

The truck ride out of Jeri was rough but very scenic we had to cross 2 rivers, go up some dunes and mangroves until we finally arrive in Camocim. We were dropped off after the last ferry crossing and the driver tried to charge me again, some people did not book with a travel agency like i did so they pay after we get off, i told the driver I already paid but i could not show a receipt as I was not given one. Luckily he did not persist and I was allowed to get on board the next shuttle [View Full Entry]

---

---

The bus for Jeri was late arriving at the Praiana Palace Hotel at Ave. Beira Mar, once we got moving we stopped some more at the airport and bus station to pick up more passengers, it took a good 6 to 7 hours of travel stopping once for lunch, someone stink up the toliet,doing a number 2 why cant they understand that only number one is allowed in bus toilets? We have to change into a 4 wheel drive truck similar to the overland truck we had in Africa, and for another hour or so we went through dunes and sands [View Full Entry]

---

---

Got up very early to catch the 5:30am shuttle leaving in front of the Estaccion Mall for the airport. Took only half an hour and by the looks of it the flights were leaving on time, fog is forecasted today and the travel agent told me at this time of the year it delays flights in the morning regularly, cause for alarm for me as I need to get to Brasilia before 11am to leave my passport at the Suriname embassy to be picked up before 2pm. Anyway I breathe a sigh of relief when we took off on time and [View Full Entry]

---

---

That is how LP describes this cool city, capital of Parana state. Heard so much about the transport system here being a sucess story and model to other cities, my first impression of the city was not good as I arrived on a rainy night. Arriving in Porto Alegre I only have 30 minutes to meet up with by good friend Pedro from my travels in Central America, my socialist friend looks so different, so clean and relaxed, that's not the Pedro I know! Of that little time we had we catch up on things his studies and my travels, we [View Full Entry]

---

---

So after 12 hours we finally arrived in Montevideo and I got my passport back from the bus attendant, it was collected in Porto Alegre with all the customs forms filled up beforehand, I wasnt comfortable giving it to them but I guess that is how they always done it, we arrived past midnight at the border and am releived to see I have an exit(Brazil) and entry(Uruguay)stamps. Took the bus 300 and asked the lady bus attendant to drop me off at so and so street and she said por supuesto(of course) with a smile. 15 minutes later I was [View Full Entry]

---

---

Arriving on a cloudy day in Floripa I decided to just chill in the hostel Tucano as this is my first day, the owner Caio a young dude is super cool as is the staff, all very friendly, it is the quiet season so not so much going on in the hostel, 6 people staying 5 of us guys all from the US and one Aussie girl. We decided to watch a movie to beat boredom so the texan dude pop the Last King of Scotland dvd and it was only me and him who finished the whole movie, the other [View Full Entry]

---

---