Ouro Preto, Porto Seguro and Ilheus, Brazil

We leave Rio heading north, inland, towards Ouro Preto our next destination. It is hot and humid as we drive the twisting roads through endless plantations and jungle. The rain starts and does not stop for the next three or four days. Ouro Preto, Brazils finest baroque architectural gem with a labyrinth of cobbled streets climbing precipitous hillsides is magical, but unfortunately the weather beats us. Geoff and I make a bold attempt to explore this wonderful village but we are totally drenched to the skin and hike the couple of km back to the campsite. Indeed there are many of these colonial villages hidden amongst the hills but over the next few days its a wash out. Our main concern is trying to dry out our tents, clothes and ourselves. Driving north we camp just south of Porto Seguro, a beautiful place right on the beach. It's red hot so the first couple of hours is spent washing our clothes, drying out and airing the tents, sleeping bags and liners, showering, shaving and all the little luxuries you take for granted. Cook group provided a superb meal after which Geoff, Vanessa, Lesley, Mikail and I headed off into the local town, a four km walk, which was heaving with locals selling their wares on small stalls. Street performers, body artists, cocktail stalls, which you try at your peril, you name it, it was here. An enjoyable meander before heading the 4 km back to camp arriving at midnight. The following day the news filtered through that England had beaten Scotland in the six nations and we managed to see bits of Italy beating France, superb. Francois our own little Frenchman was not happy especially as I hammered him at ping pong.
Two nights of chilling out we head on up the coast to another small town south of Ilheus. A even more beautiful location right on the beach, this is gorgeous. The constant sound of the waves crashing up the white sandy beach, swaying coconut palms, clear blue skys, red hot sun with a cooling breeze, it doesn't get much better than this. This is chill out time before the hustle and bustle of carnival time in Salvador. Up at 5 am Geoff and I catch the sunrise and head off along the endless beach for a walk. Back intime for breakfast at 7.30 am we have the rest of the day to please ourselves.
Camp life is pretty well sorted out now. Our mosquito proof expedition tents are erected within 5 mins on a collapsable metal pole system, with tropical fly sheet on top. Self inflating mattress with sleeping bag, cushioning and silk liner as top sheet now we're in warmer climes. Plenty of room for your rucksacks down the centre and its forms your own little space.
As previously mentioned everyone has their allotted tasks re camp security, cleanliness, tent locker, bag locker, bar, wood collection etc plus you're on a rota for cook group. Cook group consists of cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner for one day and you move on, four to a group. Hygiene is paramount, everyone washing their hands in a weak solution of dettol before touching any food or cooking utensils. It has worked very well so far. The food continues to be superb. Breakfast consists of cereals, bread, toast, fresh fruit, jams, tea and coffee and every so often fried eggs, bacon, eggy bread. Lunch we're normally on the road but set up in some of the most unlikely places, but consists of salads, fresh rolls, ham, cheese, spreads and fresh fruits. Evening meals are excellent with Thai curries, stir frys, chilli con carne, pasta, joints of pork loin, beef fillet, chicken, whole lamb plus all accompanying vegetables, it has been fantastic. Supplementing this Brazil has fantastic pastries at many of its shops, service stations. Most are savoury and consist of meats, chicken, vegetables etc and are delicious normally accompanied by a free coffee.
The truck is a 12 litre Volvo rear steer and difflock. In its former life it used to deliver beer in Sweden hence the rear steer was invaluable around the small streets. It now has a new rear cabin, purpose built, containing internally twenty four coach seats, storage, a large fridge, a library, IT recharging stations, radio and music points and other security measures. Outside the many lockers contain everything we need to be self sufficient, a pull out two burner gas stove, food lockers also containing all cooking utensils & cutlery, 250 ltr water tank treated with potassium for safe drinking, tents, rucksacks and bags, wood store, spare tyres, tables, chairs, sand mats, and much more.
It's been two and a half months without any serious illnesses but this last couple of weeks there's been a couple of upset stomachs so at the first opportunity we intend to have a truck party which entails stripping the truck down, cleaning and disinfecting everything from top to bottom ready for the next stage which is heading towards the Amazon.
Well hopefully I'll have a bit more to talk about than the truck on the next blog.....just heard England beat Ireland in the six nations, what joy :))


Truck
1. Coming out of the clouds
2. Me on cook group
3. Wash day
4. Palm lined beaches
5. Sunset
6. Geoff and I larking about in the waves
7. Ditto
8. Sunrise 0520
9. Ditto
10. The professional and the amateur, Steve and Tony
11. Geoff, Steve and Tony catching the sunrise
12. Palms
13. Sea mist
14. Geoff a kip after constructing his umbrella chair
15. After a hard day you've just got to sample a cocktail.

Chau

Tony x