The one where Lynne finds a street party

I had a big day in Salvador. After rising early, I hit the cobbled streets of the Pelourhino. Its the old town where artists are on every corner, its filled with music and tourists and annoying men who give you unwanted attention. That tout who took me to the pousada seemed to be everywhere .. you want a beer? you want to go to the church?...
Salvador is a great place to shop. I suddenly found myself buying lovely earrings, paintings... money I dont really have, but 7 will hopefully have freelance shifts for me when I get back to pay for all of it!
I took a taxi to a suburb called Barra, its the beach part of town. Was bloody hot, and not quite what the Lonely Planet had talked up, but still a nice place to have an empanada and walk around.
Salvador reminded me of Havana. The skin is darkest there, music is everywhere, men are a bit annoying, you need to hold on tight to your belongings. Im glad I only had 2 nights there.
That evening I was having a drink at a basic bar, where the plastic chairs spill onto the cobbled street. I got talking to two local women, who I ended up realising were hairdressers and more interested in getting me to get hair extensions than talking about anything else.
I went to the theatre that night to see an hour long show of traditional Brazilian dance. My god it was unreal. So mesmerising, and the men ... wow .. think Olympic gymnasts, athletes all rolled into one. They were incredible to watch (and not just cause of their amazing bodies). The capoeira was awesome to see.
Id bought a plane ticket to Porto Seguro the next day. Enough with the 20 hour bus travel. It was expensive for an hour flight, but so worth it. Instead of arriving tired I arrived raring to go. I got a short ferry ride to Arraial DAdjuda. Its a small beach village with a 15 minute walk down to the beach, which is lined with restaurants. You could walk the entire north east coast of Brazil and just see nothing but beautiful palm tree lined beaches.
Im staying in a youth hostel. I usually avoid them, but this one is gorgeous. The double room is one of the best Ive had. And I met my first Australian in nearly 3 weeks!!!!
Can you believe I havent found any other Aussies in this part of the world??? It must be a record for travelling I reckon. Tim is from Melbourne. I was so excited to talk to another Australian, and so was he, thatwetalkedreallyfast because finally we could speak quickly and have someone understand our accent.
I had lunch at the beach and met a smooth talking Brazilian waiter called Fabio. Ah Brazilian men, theyre so forward its ridiculous. Poor Tim complains he has no chance with the Brazilian girls cause he isnt anywhere near as brazen (so I helped by playing wingman for him later that night).
Tim, a New Yorker called Dan, and I headed into Porto Seguro for a street party. Wow. These people know how to party. A huge free open air event. The main singer didnt come on till 4am! It was such a fun night. We were allowed into a VIP area above the thousands of people dancing in the street. When we got there they had a big band playing...um not really what we were expecting, but from then on it was a bit of everything South American.
We met a few local girls, and thats where I came in to help Tim. We all danced and watched the sun come up. God getting home was long and tortuous. Waiting for the ferry, getting a mini van back.
I slept in, then went for a long walk along the beaches.
I love Arraial DAdjuda. Its been one of those oh my god how good is travelling moments for me.

The one where Lynne returns to reality

So my two weeks in Brazilian beach paradise has ended. I ended up staying in Praia Da Pipa for 6 nights. I met some local guys and hung out with them for a couple of days.
On my final day at the beach I felt like a local .. saying hi to various people Id met over the past week. It was nice to just chill out this past fortnight in Jeri and Pipa. Go to the same places for lunch, get to see how the locals live their lives.
I met a surf instructor, Rodrigo, last Saturday in a bar. He spoke good English and we ended up hanging out with his mates. These guys live the most simple life.
They seriously live day by day. No bank accounts, no tv, no ipods, no email, phones with no credit.
I shouted them food and drinks. Yes, I know, I was sucked in by their stories of poverty. But it was also fun hanging out with them, learning a bit more Portuguese, seeing how locals live as opposed to just seeing the tourists side of Pipa.
Rodrigo took me to a lovely village to watch the sun set, and he gave me a surf lesson. I caught one wave! Just quietly he was a terrible instructor. I spent about 5 minutes on the beach learning how to surf, then he just pushed my board onto waves until I managed to stand, and eventually sort of catch a very very small wave, all the while giving me very little feedback! No wonder he isnt making any money from his job.
One night we had a pool party, sponsored of course by the Bank Of Lynne. They were nice guys, although by the end of it I was sick of reaching into my wallet.
So I decided I really needed to hit the road again. And hit it I did. 20 hours on a bus from Pipa to Salvador.....aghhhhh.
The bus was fine, and I got a lot of sleep, but after arriving in Salvador this afternoon, Im still tired.
And its weird being back in a big city. Noise, people staring at you, the need to hold onto your belongings tightly again...
Ive already got cranky with one tout who took me to a pousada, then followed me around the streets telling me his sob story about being homeless and can I buy him food and a drink. A week ago I wouldve helped him, but Ive done enough of that the past week.
Salvador seems nice enough. But a little seedy. Still its only been a couple of hours so early days.

The one where Lynne swam with dolphins

Its only been 24 hours, but I feel it necessary to update the blog after the last depressing entry!
I was quite sick yesterday, and shouldnt have been writing in that state. I slept through lunch, then slept through dinner, and through the night.
It still felt like I was swallowing razor blades this morning, but my body didnt ache as much as yesterday.
The other health problem I had yesterday was a sore on my foot, id hurt it walking in bare feet a few days ago and was worried something was in it, so used my tweezers and nail clippers to poke around. Remember the last time I poked around at a sore I ended up in a London hospital for 5 days while doctors operated twice to remove the absyss it had turned into ... you can understand my fears!
So this morning I dragged my sorry arse down to the beach, hoping salt water would lift my spirits and help my health.
I walked to the Bay Of Dolphins, because yes, dolphins like to hang out there, just like people.
I went for a swim and just as I was marvelling at the wonders of the ocean to make you feel better, a couple of dolphins popped their heads up a few metres from me. I smiled for what seemed the first time in 48 hours. Finally I was cheering up!
So I had a lovely day, washed away my sore throat and sore foot (it seems to be healing ok) while relaxing on a banana bed I rented, and going for swims with dolphins.

The one where Lynne hits the halfway point

Can you believe Im half way through the 3 month trip? 6 1/2 weeks down. In some ways I feel like `god its only been 6 weeks, but Ive done so much!`and other ways I feel `oh my god there are only 6 weeks to go before I go home!`
I left Jeri reluctantly... but was running out of cash so the time had come to end my total-relaxation-and-splurge week. Jeri is so remote it doesnt have any ATMS, so you have to take whatever cash you need with you. Id already spent 3 days longer there than planned. After meeting a cute Brazilian guy on my second last night I considered extending it further, but thought Id better hit the road again. And I have a feeling he stood me up on the last night of my stay there anyway (no one makes definite plans in Jeri. So when you say Ill see you tonight .. that could be anytime between 9pm and 2am. Needless to say there was only so much time I could spend on my own waiting at a bar).
So I left Jeri yesterday, and it took 12 hours of a 4WD, bus, plane, taxi to get to my next destination of Praia Da Pipa, further down Brazils north east coast. It cost a lot to do it that way, but otherwise I would have risked arriving in a big city not far from here late at night on a bus, with no accommodation booked. As a solo female traveller there are some things its better to spend money on, and getting somewhere safely is one of them.
It was a crappy day. I was feeling down, and getting sick.
So now Im in Pipa with a sore throat. Have stocked up on lozenges after using mime to show the pharmacist what was hurting. I would be getting a lot more out of Brazil if I could speak Portugese. English isnt widely spoken at all, and sometimes its frustrating .. but completely my fault. Im already dreaming up ways to learn the language, and be back here for the Football World Cup and Olympics .. either working or as a tourist. Because regardless of how down this blog entry seems, I still do really love Brazil! The people are really friendly. Like the woman in Rio who said to me ´welcome to rio´as I walked along a footpath. They are very passionate people who love their country. Its a lot like Australia, in terms of scenery, food, costs, lifestyle.
Pipa is another nice beach town, not as chilled as Jeri though. Its set on a cliff, and you walk down steps to the beaches. I took a long walk on the beaches today, saw dolphins in one of the bays, and had ice cream for lunch and afternoon tea. Sore throat is my excuse....
I also had a 3 hour nap, so I guess Im not feeling well!
Ive downgraded my accommodation after a week of staying in a gorgeous pousada in Jeri. Now im paying a third of the price, but the room is still ok.

The one where Im so relaxed I cant think of a title

So Ive been in Jeri a week now. A week doing nothing. What does nothing involve? Well a normal day would be to get up at 9am, put on my Jeri uniform of swimmers and denim cut offs, then have breakfast in the hotel. Thats fresh squeezed juice, a white bread roll, ham and cheese, coffee and cake. Brazilians love cake for breakfast.
Then Ill go for a couple of hours walk on the beach, then go back to the hotel to laze by the pool reading my book.
At about 2 Ill go to Casa Das Trufas, a nice place for lunch. That might be a hamburger, or chicken salad, or tuna sandwiche. After that its either another walk on the beach, or back to the hotel for a swim in the pool.
Then its nap time at about 4 or 5pm.
I struggle to occupy my time between about 6 and 9. No one has dinner before 9. Sometimes I use the internet, like now, other times Ill walk around the shops, or have a drink.
Steve has been kite surfing with a Kiwi guy called Vince. The other day Christina (Steves girlfriend) and I hopped on their buggy and went with them for the afternoon. The girls staying in the buggy watching the guys make their way downwind along the beach for a couple of hours.
We met up for dinner that night at a restaurant run by a South African, who wanted to stay in Jeri with his pregnant girlfriend for a few months. They found an empty shop front, and within a week had turned it into a restaurant! Imagine the bureaucracy if that happened anywhere else. They serve cheap food like chicken and potatoes and coleslaw.
Vince, his Canadian friend Mark and I then went to a bar that was having an open air party with a live band. So I stayed up past midnight for once! And I learned the wind dies down completely at night.
Sorry if this is a little less than interesting blog, but this week has been all about doing nothing! Is so good to not have to pack up that bloody backpack every couple of days, but at the same time Im also looking forward to hitting the road again and seeing what else Brazil has to offer.

The one where paradise is extended

The Lonely Planet says most tourists who come to Jeri stay longer than planned. Ive extended my stay to 8 nights. Its so remote I may never come back, so whats the point in rushing away?
The lovely pousada I was staying in the first 3 nights was booked out over the weekend. I think its a long weekend in Brazil. I spent a good hour wandering into every pousada asking in bad Portugese if they had a room for the weekend. I found another not-as-nice-but-still-ok place for 2 nights, then Im back to my favourite pousada on Monday.
Just to keep my dream like life in perspective, its not alllllll perfection here in Jeri.
For instance, switching hotels yesterday was a nightmare! There are no taxis in Jeri, its all soft sand. I thought I knew where my new pousada was, but got totally disoriented. In 36 degree heat, in soft sand, carrying 20kgs of luggage around, for half an hour. God I sweated up a storm...
And Jeri is so special, you want to share it with your friends, or a boyfriend. There arent many solo travellers here. Lots of couples, lots of groups of friends. I was getting a bit lonely. I wanted to go on a dune buggy or quad bike to see the surrounding dunes and lagoons, but it was going to cost heaps to hire a driver on my own. But I woke up this morning and thought, bugger it, just go do it, even though it would be quite boring on my own with a driver who cant speak English.
But just as I started walking through the village, I bumped into Christina and Steve, who id met on the first day here. They asked me to join them tomorrow on a buggy excursion, and we are meeting up for dinner tonight. Yay!!!! I have friends again. I couldnt find them last night when I went out for dinner (no they werent hiding from me....)
Speaking of nightlife, Im yet to really embrace the late nights here. No one goes out for dinner till after 9, and the nightlife doesnt kick in till after midnight. So far Ive been in bed by midnight every night! There are no real bars. Jeri is sooo chilled, the party place is a series of stalls on the beach, selling drinks. So everyone just stands around them. No toilets or seats. Am I sounding really old now???????
Oh, and I finally joined the Skype revolution. Everyone travelling here is on it, and I realise why now. Its amazing. So cheap. Spoke to mum and dad for the first time in 6 weeks, for half an hour for less than a dollar! Then called Jane, but naturally she doesnt answer calls from unknown numbers, so i had to email her blackberry, tell her it was me trying to call, then called her back. The wonders of technology. To think my first trip overseas in 1991 had no email, and the phone calls involved a horrible 5 sec delay!

The one where Lynne found paradise

Yes I am in paradise, but had a travel low point to get here.
I was staying in Rio for an extra night, after the tour finished, before flying here to Jericoacoara on Brazils far north east coast.
A girl on the tour, had already booked her extra night through Intrepid at home. Once at the hotel, she realised she had paid an extortionate amount of money for the room, almost double what the rate was.
So she suggested I sneakily stay in her room the extra night, and go halves with her. I didnt want to, it was of no financial benefit to me, but I agreed because Im a believer in travel karma, and wanted to be nice.
So there I was, a 35 year old who earned good money, sneaking around the hotel pretending I had checked out. I even carried a girls backpack out to look like I had left.
And I had a barely single bed to sleep in, while she had the double....
At 3.30am the next morning I was due to get a transfer to the airport.
The night manager made me check my name off the list, and our game was up. So I had to pay an extra 40 reais (about $30).
Then I waited for my taxi ... and waited and waited. The hotel manager offered to call a cab, but then seemed unable to get through. So with time ticking away, at 4am I was stressed and angry, and grabbed my backpack and started walking to the end of the street to find my own cab. At 4am ... in dodgy Rio De Janeiro.... after hearing loud sounds and whistles not far away (it turned out to be boys playing soccer).
Luckily a nicer hotel was up the street, with a cab waiting and a lovely concierge who organised the cost of the fare. Still, I wasnt happy Jan at suddenly forking out all this extra cash before the sun had come up.
Ahhhh but now Im in Jeri and all that is a distant memory. It took a 5 hour flight and a 5 hour 4WD trip to get here. But soooo worth it.
The Lonely Planet calls Jeri a truly special place, and the LP got it right. Its paradise.
Its so remote I feel like im on the corner of the earth.
The sand street village is surrounded by sand dunes, so only 4WDS can access it. Its small but has heaps of great restaurants and shops. The only real problem is the wind. Its a kite surfing capital of the world, so there is lots of wind all the time!
When I arrived I had no accommodation booked. The driver took me to this great pousada, overlooking the dunes. So Im splurging. Its about $80 a night (a lot for an unemployed backpacker). But I have a roof top balcony all to myself. And theres a pool. I had planned on staying 5 nights, but ive booked 8.
After all that overland travel its so good to get settled in one place, and just chill.
I met an Irish guy called Steve, who lives in Spain with his Spanish girlfriend Christina, in the 4WD on the way here. Lovely people. Last night we went to an amazing restaurant. It had plastic chairs and tables outside, and a man cooking fish on a bbq. It was packed, so we knew it was going to be good.
I know I rave on and on about the Brazilian food, but the fish was unbelievable. You pick your own from eskies, and he cooks it on the bbq. Melt in your mouth fish, washed down with a capirinha and rice and salad. Awesome.
Steve, Christina and I speak Spanglish. Its great to practice my Spanish with them, and learn the finer points of the language. Although they speak Spain Spanish, which is a little different to Latin America Spanish (like they pronounce gracias GRATH-E-ASS, while in South America its GRASSY-ASS). And Brazilians only speak Portugese, so its getting complicated!
Sunset involves a walk up the highest dune to watch the sun go down. There are stalls set up at night selling alcohol on the street. As I wondered around, capirinha in hand, I thought ... this is it. This is what life is all about. Although it would be nicer if someone was here to share this with!