by bicycle

Day 18: Mazuco to Alto Libertad (06.04, 74 km)

I was talking to Jair in the morning before starting. He was saying: “so strange you did not have rain until now. It always rains in the jungle…”. He would prove to be right during the same day. In the morning the sky was heavy with clouds, but I thought I would be lucky as I was until now. I was wrong – at ten in the morning the first drops started falling.

Day 18_1.Storm comes

It started raining, and within half an hour it started pouring. As I am in the jungle for two days only, my gear is not tropicalized. What does this mean – as rains here are so heavy, you basically have two choices: either cover yourself in plastic and sweat or do not wear anything and get wet. You can forget about your triple-insulated, waterproof, super technical materials. It does not work. Period. As I thought it would be very hot, I chose not to wear plastic, so I put on my mountain jacket and take cover under the bush on the side of the road. The wind gets stronger and stronger, and the rain turns into a storm. I try to stay as sheltered as possible, and all of a sudden I hear a rumbling noise behind me, as if the earth is coming down. I jump to the middle of the street and ten meters to my right I see a tree falling down. I thank God it was on the side and not above me, so I am careful further on up the road. It will not be the only fallen tree I see…

Day 18_3.Fallen tree

But the rain keeps falling and I am stuck in the middle of nowhere. I decide to go to the next town, so I reach Santa Rosa and I wait there for the rain to finish. I have a snack and get a drink, and talk to the people there about my journey. They are very interested and friendly, and Señor Francisco, the owner of the shop, tells me about Brasil and then gives me as a gift a rain coat! This is the third gift I get here in a couple of days.

Day 18_2.Con señor Francisco

Fully geared now, I continue. But my knee hurts again, more and more. I already lost important hours, so I just make it to Alto Libertad before evening comes.

Day 18_4.Bird

6 Comments

  1. Ina

    Ma intreb cum se va descurca spaniola ta cu portugheza in Brazilia? Dar la cat de asemanatoare sunt cred ca nu va fi o problema! Si mai ai si 2 maini care sa te ajute, nu?

    • Cosmin

      Da, o sa vorbesc de o sa ma doara mainile!

  2. FAB-DAB

    Welcome to the tropics! I am not sure what is worse: the thin, cold air up in the mountains or the humidity and heat of the jungle…you decide.

    • Cosmin

      At least here you can bathe in the rivers, rain or waterfalls…

  3. Anibal

    cuida esa rodilla,

    • Cosmin

      Las ultimas dias he usado la benda que me ha prescrito la doctora y no me molesta mas.

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