| start date | activity | country | place | from - to | days | km | km/ day | comment |
02.09.2013 |
preparations |
Bolivia |
Riberalta |
1 |
10 |
10 |
||
03.09.2013 |
skateboard, walking |
Bolivia |
Riberalta - Guayanmirim |
2 |
95 |
47 |
skateboard's wheels broke after less then 30km | |
05.09.2013 |
preparations |
Bolivia |
Guayanmirim |
1 |
19 |
19 |
buying bicycle, organising transport through border river |
|
06.09.2013 |
rowing boat, cycling |
Bolivia, Brazil |
Guayanmirim - Porto Velho |
3 |
356 |
119 |
||
09.09.2013 |
resting |
Brazil |
Porto Velho |
1 |
0 |
0 |
couchsurfing |
|
10.09.2013 |
rowing boat, cycling, canoe |
road BR 319 |
Porto Velho - Manaus |
8 |
921 |
115 |
crossing rivers Madeira and Amazonca |
|
18.09.2013 |
resting |
Manaus |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|||
Total
| 17 |
1401 |
82 |
|||||
"Let rush to love others, they leave so quickly" - priest Jan Twardowski.
I am fully aware of the risks involved while preparing for the expedition. It has to be consider. However, we throw black scenarios away from the consciousness. Although we know that death will come one day - that subconsciously we believe that this is not now, not today, not on this trip. After all, how else would our life looks, if we knew that in a few days, weeks or months, it's all over. Therefore, better let know your family and friends to understand how much they mean to you. Until it is not too late.
Before the trip I heard about the murder of two kayakers on the Ucayali River in Peru, in Bolivia about killing the Pole by stones, and his companion almost burned alive. Also known is the story of Austrians who were locked while criminals were withdrawing daily limit cash from their credit card and when funds ran out, they killed them. Another Pole was bitten in a taxi, but he didn't provide his PIN. Those all were rare accidents in perspective of thousands of travellers in South America. They were not provoked, they simply were in the wrong place at wrong time.
Before parting with my wife Ewelina, we had a conversation sort of "just in case if something happened". All logical, but the words barely passed through the throat.
Mountains or rivers didn't kill me, either jaguars or caymans, I weren't robbed by people. Bad quality Brazilian road, cars are slaloming, only drunk driver in someone else's car could go straight. I'm passing by bicycle another holes in the asphalt, red mud is slapping from the tires.
Suddenly I hear a horn, pretty close, so I automatically bounce to the right to give him more space. And then I see that I'm driving straight into a truck which is overtaking me from the right side! There was an instinctive reaction, the maximum turn left of heavy loaded bike and desperate attempt to maintain the course. Yellow truck passes me by a few centimeters, we're going in parallel. I'm thinking to try push me away by arm and leg not to fall under the trailer's wheels. But the whole strength of hands and body were focused on the fight against the centrifugal force, gravel and holes.
I survived.
The truck driver has pulled out his hand through the window in a gesture of apology. He did not stop. Motorcyclists riding behind were yelling and showing something to me - no idea what, for me there was silence. I went down of the bike and I looked around. Empty road with wheel prints of the truck who decided to overtake me on the right side using the shoulder - no comment. The shock was passing, then the consciousness understood how much luck I had. God saved me. September 7, 2013 I got my second chance.
More than a month earlier in the Bolivian Copacabana I met two Polish students on their motorcycle trip around the world. We went for a beer and spent an evening on the interesting conversation. The next day we had lunch together. When Krzysztof Wroblewski and Maximilian Starościnski drove away, we planned another meeting in Wroclaw.
Unfortunately, the boys were less fortunate. In Ecuador they crushed with a truck which cut the curve. Max died.
Chris wrote on their website www.xpresstour.pl:
"Maks was happy and he died doing what he loved".
Of course this does not mean that if they sat at home, then nothing would have happened. The accident could happen on the own street, as saying goes:
"If someone has a bad luck, than in a wooden church the brick might falls on his head."
And life goes on ...
Coming back to my trip. In Riberalta I had to take care of many things, and among them sell the canoe. Time was running out, I did not want to walk so many times to the harbour, so it sold cheap. And what to do with so many things that left after the river trip. In addition to the excess of food, I also had special things (mostly bullets and coca leaves) for swapping trade in the villages - for fish, fruit, eggs, hospitality, etc.
So I was walking around the town and was up to:
- "Thank you for watching out of my canoe for a few days. Oh, you do not chew coca ... yes, I have cigarettes too."
45 minutes of trying together with carpenter to pull off my rowing pallets from moisture wooden pole.
- "I do not have too much cash, but maybe three pieces of dried meat?" He was pleased. I added one more pasta package.
Even a visit to the laundry, the tailor etc. It didn't work always, the post office officer didn't accept food as payment option. However, they were super helpful and received a bag of rice as a gift. It was fun. Then I started handing out things for free:
- "For you a machete, and umbrella for you, two onions and three potatoes, half a liter of cane's honey, and you'll get soybean oil."
I needed a horse. Forget it. In this case could I ask for a bike. Who would have thought that in this part of Bolivia all people ride motorcycles, you won't find a bicycle. On the market, however, was a sellman with unusual equipment - I bought it straight.
I went to the bus station and sent excess baggage, and with light backpack I started the new stage. The problem was that I had never before ridden a skateboard. It was embarrassing, it didn't listen to me - running away under my feet or turnning without permission. When finally I barely started making some progress, the first wheel fell out from the bearings - just on the third kilometer. However I could go on. The heat was impossible and I drank 7 liters of water. When the second wheel broke, I was riding downhill only. After the failure of the third wheel I saw a man coming out of the forest:
- "Do you have children? Good, they may be pleased with skateboard, just small repair is required." It was only 29 km.
I had no choice, must walk the remaining distance. Well, I gave my boots to the fisherman, I thought that I will not need them anymore. My sandals are well padded, but with a flexible sole. The border was about 100 km apart. At the end of the distance I screamed from the pain of burning feet with every step. I could not walk 20 minutes without a break.
The border town. With experience of bikes, skateboards, or anything that has wheels and is made in China, won't serve me for long on this trip. I finally found a bike, not a good sport mountain one with derailleur, but urban, lady, eaten by corrosion, fixie, with a broken saddle and pedal, but with a basket in front.
But it had a big advantage - it was green. And the fact that was made of steel, was strong, heavy, seemed like a tank compared to its Asian brothers.
How to cross a powerful border river by paddles? I managed to get an appointment with the main commander of the local navy. He listened to me, and then he made action among sailors, who were running, carried my bike, organized a boat, paddles, life-jackets. Commander was jumping on a muddy waterfront in his white uniform, requiring volunteers fishermen, he took my farewell autograph and took some photos. He sent with us a motorboat for an escort, where they filmed me all the time.
Bolivia sensationally said goodbye to me in a high level - amazing commitment from hotel Litoral owners, help from the immigration office (at first nothing could be done, and later signing autographs), and now the commander.
Other side, Brazil.
They do not want to send my excess baggage, invoice required - it confirms the opinion of the bureaucracy country.
Camera apparently can not be repaired.
I do not understand Portuguese language, it isn't as close to the Spanish as I thought. That is completely my fault.
The first three days on the bike, and three times the flat tire. Also, three times pedals broke.
My buttocks hurts from sitting, I can not stand it.
Four rivers to be crossed, four times I will have to bother and organized paddle boat.
The way I planned runs 900 km through the jungle, crossing about 200 makeshift bridges, with a small number of cars and villages - people threaten me with stories of jaguars, snakes, difficult road, powerful heat.
The dry season, and three nights in a row raining. Mud, I'm slipping like on the ice and fell down hard. Clothing, luggage, bicycle and I were covered by sticky clay.
And the worst news - north from Manaus the route runs through the Indian Reserve and cyclists are not allowed to cross. There is no other road around it. Brain storm in my head, trying to figure out about circumnavigation the rivers, but it would be hundreds of kilometers against the current.
Truck story, not too far from the tragedy.
Accumulation of negatives. I felt badly, sadly. Suddenly I stopped enjoying the journey. I was hoping that I go all the way without complaint, with high morale and a smile on my face. But the crisis caught me up. It last for a while. The first time I took a day off in the middle of the stage, when I had no many things to do.
But there is one thing that I like in crises - they pass. It requires only a little time, patience and work. Because people are not judged by the manner in which way and how many times they fell, but how many times and how they stand up.
I was riding and thinking. But you can not live in the past, and there is no reason to waste too much time on planning the future - present is important.
I looked around - beautiful dirt path and the dense jungle around. I am in the heart of the Amazon, alone among the wildlife. How lovely.
And even though physically nothing has changed, suddenly leaves become greener, red soil more reddish and sky with more intensive blue. The sun heat without mercy, but I like it. Jumping monkeys and snake running away caused a smile on my face.
And the locals? Not many of them, but those who were there are the legends - Brazilians love to share. What's mine is yours. Overnight hospitality, water, help with bike - I have never been denied. Twice during a resting break locals came to me with cold water and the lunch! I had to enjoy the moment, as long it last. Life has become better again.
I decided - I go alone. I got a canoe, paddle and life-jacket.
- "When do you reach the other side, call me where did you leave the boat" - the fisherman from whom I rented the equipment told me. No one wanted to go with me.
In the middle of Amazon River anxiety overwhelmed me, I didn't feel comfortable in a tiny dugout on the river which is more like the sea. Beautiful aspect is a combination of two river colors, call Meets the Water - coffee Rio Solimoes and black Rio Negro. For a long time these two rivers flow side by side while maintaining a distinct speed, color and temperature. And I'm on the confluence.
Suddenly I saw the coming large cargo ship and just in case I had to flee out of its way, far away from it. At that time the current was pushing me away and when I finally could safely cross the river without ships, it turned out that I had missed a city centre of 6 km. I sailed back one kilometer against the current, but it was a very hard work. Finally, after 12 km I went on shore and continued by cycling. I arrived to Manaus.
Many people live their dreams - those below are two more cases, I'm full of respect to them and thank for all the advice and sharing experiences.
David and Katharine are running with a bamboo cart the length of South America, almost at the finish line after 14 months journey. Congrats! Details on the
www.5000mileproject.org
Gareth and Aaron are crossing Brazil only by human powered forces - paddle, foot and pedal. Follow them on www.brazil9000.com
| Country | Days | Food | (how many) paid accom. | Permits Entry fees |
Guide hire | Equipment purchase, hire |
Equipment or other freight fees | *Transport | Other | Total |
| Bolivia, Brazil | 17 | $265 | (6) $52 | $0 | $16 | $221 | $1 | $0 | $21 | $576 |
bicycle, spare parts and repairs $104
rowing man and boat for crossing Rio Madeira $26
hiring canoe for crossing Rio Amazonca $65