She seems to have stood our absence well with no horrible surprises for us!!
Although we are back and our trip finished, I still thought it best to continue to post in sections so that things don’t get too lost!! I’m afraid that the photos just don’t do it justice and I kept trying to get “the perfect shot” so I’ve got so many it’s difficult to choose the ones to put up here! (I almost wish we were back to the old Box Brownie!! Would make life so much simpler!) I got it down to 100 for the Gallery but for the few I put on the blog itself it is SO difficult - I hope I've made the right decisions and that they give you a glimpse - there will be more and I think I will actually start a new gallery for this trip - but that may not be today!!
I'm sorry it's taken so long to post the next episode - I really can't believe that we have now been back on Moontide for about 10 days!!Although we are back and our trip finished, I still thought it best to continue to post in sections so that things don’t get too lost!! I’m afraid that the photos just don’t do it justice and I kept trying to get “the perfect shot” so I’ve got so many it’s difficult to choose the ones to put up here! (I almost wish we were back to the old Box Brownie!! Would make life so much simpler!) I got it down to 100 for the Gallery but for the few I put on the blog itself it is SO difficult - I hope I've made the right decisions and that they give you a glimpse - there will be more and I think I will actually start a new gallery for this trip - but that may not be today!!
What can we say about this part of our trip? It was incredible – but for in parts there is not a huge amount to say as we were just travelling along the river. But what a river!! By the end we were 1000 miles (yes MILES!), 1600 km inland but the river was still so wide it felt as if we were at sea!!!
The boats are not cruise ships simply a means of transport for both cargo and people. On the middle deck there was space for people to hang hammocks and I have never seen anything like it!! There must have been about 300 hundred hammocks strung up! And there were more below! It was really very colourful but a little noisy with the chatter and children running around so we were very pleased to have arranged a cabin!
The people along the bank obviously knew the times of the boats and many would come out, it seemed, just to have a look – usually Mum with a couple of young children. Sometimes Dad and perhaps 2 kids would come along in a motorised canoe, match the speed of our boat, one child would grab hold of the tyres that are used as fenders, tie the canoe on and then proceed to climb up the tyre onto a ledge around the boat and then on board (just as well those H & S “elves” aren’t about). |
Our boat would not slow down and it looked incredibly dangerous and I did actually see one lad fall in – the driver didn’t get up to speed soon enough and the other guy made a desperate attempt to grab the last tyre and missed! He was fine and in fact a really fast motorboat (old & new again!) immediately powered its way across the river to him so obviously someone, probably Mum (we saw more women paddling the boats), had been keeping an eye out!! Leaving was no better but sometimes the kids seemed to be sent off on their own – in fact in one canoe I saw just 2 girls probably as young as 9 & 7 who set off on their own! Of course, as our guide in Manaus said - the children here learn to swim before they can walk. Once on board they would go round selling their wares – tapioca, acai and sometimes fruit. Often the young ones would also hang around in the hope that the passengers would give them something – a roll, banana etc. The first boats we saw were with us quite a long time and I think that they could take a shortcut home through the different creaks as we almost did 3 sides of a square round (!) the island.
During this part of the journey we were always close to one side or the other which gave a good chance to look at the rainforest. We saw loads of different birds but any wild life was well hidden further away from the banks.
During this part of the journey we were always close to one side or the other which gave a good chance to look at the rainforest. We saw loads of different birds but any wild life was well hidden further away from the banks.
We got off the boat at Santarem which was about half way and were met (eventually – apparently a time difference problem but maybe it was just too early!!)) by our guide for the days we were there.
Ohad and driver took us about 30km to our hotel in the smaller, tourist town of Alter do Chao on Largo Verde. This is a wonderful resort with a sandbar with bars, restaurants and shops hiring wet bikes etc that reaches half way across the lake – in the dry season! We were there after the rainy season and the waters were receding and some of the bar and the bars and restaurants were out of the water but many others were not!! Our hotel was set in lovely grounds with its own little beach and a swimming pool!
Following that we stopped for lunch in the town and traveled round the lake and found our own little beach. Along the way we saw man y parties picnicking near the waters edge - the only way of getting there by boat!
Again, no wildlife other than a sad dead sloth just hanging from his branch. The driver said he had not been there two days earlier.
Again, no wildlife other than a sad dead sloth just hanging from his branch. The driver said he had not been there two days earlier.
Alter do Chao is actually on Rio Tapajos and it was amazing where the two rivers met – the difference in colour was incredible and a straight line along going on as far as we could see. It was spectacular. Near Manaus we were to see the same thing where Rio Negro meets Rio Solimoes and they actually become the Amazon; this "Meeting of the Waters " is quite well known (and goes on for miles!) but on the days we were there the meeting near Santarem was far better!! Apparently it's due the differences in the waters of the rivers - speed, temperature and acidity etc!
Back to the hotel for dinner (we were the only people we saw eating in the evening – perhaps an indication that it was a little expensive and not that brilliant) and the next day we were off back to the boat!
Back to the hotel for dinner (we were the only people we saw eating in the evening – perhaps an indication that it was a little expensive and not that brilliant) and the next day we were off back to the boat!
Ohad (with the driver) came round at 7.30 am to take us to the port and it was lucky for us that he did!! We were meant to be boarding the Liberty Star at around 9.00am for a 12.00 departure but when we arrived at the port Liberty Star was no-where to be seen even though she had been due in at about 4.00am!! No-one really knew what had happened and one of the port guys was all for us going on the boat that was there – Ana Beatrice IV. After numerous phones calls and an hours wait we decided to take his advice and bought another ticket for AB IV. We were told that the Liberty Star would be in about 5.00 and there would be a quick turn round but I’m afraid we did not have a lot of faith in that!! When the tour company were told we were taking the other ship they did say they would “look into getting us a refund” but I’ve not heard anything yet!
The room on the Liberty Star was in fact a little bigger with a small double bed with a bunk bed above but no fridge! The boat overall was a little bigger and an extra deck for hammocks – there were hooks placed for the ropes and these were so close together that I do not see how anyone could have managed to sleep. All the hooks were numbered and on the top deck (with the bar) the numbers went up to 1327!!!! Luckily there was no-where near that number on board!!!!
Finally we arrived in Manaus – a huge bustling city and found our way to the hotel – with a proper bathroom one this time!!
To be continued…………………..
To be continued…………………..