Amazon Part 5 - THE ATLANTIC !

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We boarded our boat for Macapa around 1pm leaving ourselves a 5 hour wait before our scheduled departure at 6pm. The boat, Anna Karoline, was the smallest to date except for the fast boat on the 2^nd leg. We passed the time watching cargo being loaded, including another car, drinking Agua de Coco and eating lil tiny bananas. After much tooing and frowing, we ended up on the starboard side with fresh air to our heads but squished feet!! Still, much better than our last boat. Only 30 mins later than scheduled we set off, with q quick stop off at the side of a fishing boat to take on supplies of Catfish, we were on our way saying goodbye to Santarem.



The night was quite windy and we swayed all over the place in our hammocks, the river gets more like the sea, the further on we go. Woke up to calmer waters but it didn’t last long as we had our first storm out on the boat, thunder thunder lightening, very very frightening, (not really…it was ace!!) Mrs P made running repairs to the boat’s tarpaulin sides with my boot laces!! Unfortunately, the end of our amazing Amazon trip came at an ungodly hour so we didn’t really get chance to enjoy it. Just a late night arrival at a dirty looking port followed by an expensive ride into the centre of Macapa with Eduardo our French hammock neighbour. On his recommendation, we stayed at the Amazonas, a shit hole, and that was that, our Amazon trip completed!! We got to spend the next day in Macapa, exploring and visiting the Fortaleza and going down to the sea. We did see some dude on a motorbike being chased by an angry mob with broom handles and metal bars. We were watching the news later and it turns out that he was part of an armed gang that had taken a hostage but they were eventually arrested and saved from the mob!! All good fun!!



Mrs P would like to say “I really feel like I know the Amazon, the mighty Amazon that I had only ever seen on films or telly. It’s bigger amd more beautiful than I ever imagined. We travelled it in style and made nice friends along the way. I am sad, chuffed, proud, tired and relieved that it’s over!! Like the simple life but I like my bed more. Bye bye Dolphins, jumping feesh, sunsets, swingy hammocks, breezy decks and starry nights, I feel lucky and privileged to have shared and made amazing memories with the love of my life”

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