Rolls Alaska to Argentina & back: 29 Manaus Brazil to Santa Elaina Venezuela

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

*Miles for the day: 203 (327 km) Miles to date: 15,695 (25,259 km)*

Marilynn was not feeling well, and I wanted to participate in the morning staff meeting in Costa Rica on Skype, so we got off to a late start. I also got the name and email of the manager of Taj Mahal and sent him an email with a copy of my comments about his hotel. A look at trip advisor on the internet shows my opinions are shared by others.

We hired a taxi to lead us out of this city of two million people. It is just as well we did, as it was a very long way before we came to clearly defined highway. It cost us half the Brazilian cash we had left, so will have to be very conservative in spending.

The drive was pure pleasure in spite of occasional rain showers. The road was in perfect condition and traffic light, so we made great time getting to the Town of Presidente Figueiredo. We topped up with gas for the unknown long stretch tomorrow, then looked at some of the hotels. None had internet, so we settled on the Hotel Galo da Serra in a guarded area that borders a raging river. One man rafts are for rent to ride the rapids in the river, and there must be 20 restaurants, almost none with clients. It is off season, but the place must be roaring during high season. There is parking for at least 100 cars.

When we were unpacking the car I noticed white mushrooms growing - the type that can be found on the sides of dead trees in damp areas. The ones on the carpets were small, but the ones on the side of the leather seat were quite large. I guess the heat and dampness in the enclosed car on the river barge provided the perfect growing climate.

We had lunch across the street from the hotel, and although the fellow in the restaurant said he would take MasterCard, when it came time to pay he said his connection was down. He suggested a trip to the supermarket where he would buy the equivalent amount of the meal and we would pay with our credit card.

He was quite excited to ride in the car - it is causing a major stir in town where nothing like it has been seen before. After paying for his supplies at the market he then gave us a tour of the scattered town, which has commercial areas on both sides of a wide highway. He also pickup up some brochures for us on things to see along the route we will drive tomorrow.

I got a bit more done on the computer when we returned to the hotel, and Marilynn laid down to rest. Once finished the last update I drove to the internet cafe in town to send it off and check my emails. While there I was presented a decal commemorating driving this highway by a fellow who admired the car, and when I returned to the car all the kids from the internet place had it surrounded. Before leaving I opened doors and let them photograph inside and out.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

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*Miles for the day: 324 (521 km) Miles to date: 16,019 (25,780 km)*

We left the hotel at 6 AM, not waiting for breakfast. The road started with avoidable pothole, and then turned into new pavement for about 100 miles (160 km). We passed through the Indian reserve, where no stopping is allow for 74 km (46 mi), still maintaining a good speed. Everyone we had asked about the road in Presidente Figueiredo had said it was great, the same as the road from Manaus. This was obviousy not true, but we were feeling optomistic. At the end of the Indian reserve the road turned to red dirt in front of a gas station, so we pulled in to fill up. Once the gas was in the car they stated they don't accept credit cards - the first time in Brazil, and we had insufficient local currency to pay. A truck driver who was admiring the car sold us $US 200 of Brazilian currency at an unfavourable rate, but it got the gas paid for and left us with some funds.

>From this point the road disintegrated into the worst I have travelled anywhere in the world. It was broken pavement, with huge potholes that were impossile to avoid as they were continual, one beside the other all the way across the road. It would have been better if it was dirt road, as it wouldn't have the sharp edged pavement surrounding every pot hole. Speed was reduced to an average of about 10 mph (16 kph) as I swerved from one side of the road to the other trying to avoid the deepest holes. Where possibe we drove on the dirt shoulder or even in the ditch when it looked solid enough to support the car.

On a few occasions the road improved slightly, and I'd increase the speed to about 30 mph (50 kph), but inevitably would hit an unseen pothole. It rained on an off all day, and often what looked like a wet spot on the road hid a huge hole filled with water. The poor car took a terrible pounding - we are both amazed that a tire didn't blow out. It took us a less than 2 hours to cover the first 100 miles (160 km). The next 224 mi (361 km) took 10 gruelling, steering wheel wrenching hours. Trucks going the other way threw mud and rocks over the car. One caught Marilynn unawares, as she had her window down about half way, and the mud flew into the car coating the back seats, inside of the back window and roof lining. It was unbelievable!

At 6 PM we were passing through the village of Irocema, still 90 km (56 mi) from Boa Vista, when Marilynn spotted the Hotel Marinete. I was more than ready to call it a day, as my back, shoulders and neck were killing me from fighting the wheel all day. Marilynn looked at the one story hotel and said it was great, so we moved in. The $35 cost was a great bargain. If anyone is going to drive this road from north to south this would be the place to stay the night before.

I promptly hit the bar and downed two Scotch Whiskey and some beer. We talked to the guys I'd met by the car. They were government inspectors for a highway project to redo the whole horrible nightmare we drove over, staying in the hotel, and invited us to come with them to a local restaurant for dinner. One spoke fluent Spanish and the other enough so we could communicate well. We happily accepted and piled into their vehicle for the short trip to the restaurant where the food was great. We were the only customers, but it was a fun evening topped off with more beer. Just the thing after a truly awful day!

Friday, May 6, 2011

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*Miles for the day: 223 (359 km) Miles to date: 16,242 (26,139 km)*

Breakfast was not part of the deal at the hotel, so Marilynn & I walked across the highway to a small open air restaurant where cakes where laid out for breakfast. We asked if they would do scrambled eggs on bread and they agreed, but had to send someone out to buy fresh baked bread, so breakfast wasn't bad.

The road into the City of Boa Vista was great - we covered the distance in just over an hour. We got lost once trying to cross the city, but eventually found out way out the other side and once again made good time until we were within 60 miles of the border. When crossing an Indian reserve the road deteriorated into pot holes and patched patches - however it was nothing like yesterday. It did slow us down to about 30 mph (50 kph)

We arrived at the Venezuelan border at 12.30 PM, but found the Brazilian side closed for lunch until 2 PM. While waiting we got some good information from an American who knew the area well. An employee came back from lunch early and stamped us out.

On the Venezuelan side we ran into the same problem - closed for lunch until 2 PM. At 2 we were waiting for the office to open, and at 2:10 Marilynn asked an employee passing by why they weren't open. It turned out there is a half hour time change so Venezuelan 2 PM wouldn't be for another 20 minutes.

Immigration was quick and efficient - not even a form to fill in. Then we needed to go to customs for the car. They didn't even look at the vehicle, and quickly processed all documents; however we needed to buy Venezuelan car insurance, and to do this I would have to drive 20 minutes into the town of Santa Elena. I was given the name of the two insurance agencies that sold it.

On the way into town we saw the hotel the American recommended, so stopped and checked in for two nights. The Gran Sabana Hotel was the best since Macaeo - a superb place. We asked about changing money at banks or a change office and were told neither existed. It appears there is no legal way to change US dollars for Venezuelan Bolivars. This surprised me, as I thought they would be anxious for hard currencies. The hotel manager knew a black market money changer, though, and he arrived in only a few minutes to give us 7 bolivars to the US dollar, instead of the 4.5 official rate. We were delighted, but sorry we had used our credit card for the hotel as this would be at the official rate.

We then went in search of the insurance people, stopping at an automotive electric place on the way to make a 9 AM appointment to have the headlights looked at - after the battering on the road they were working on and off. The first insurance agency we stopped at said the insurance program was not working on their computer and we should go to the other agency where they had a different program.

We found it after some difficulty, but they couldn't enter the model of the car as the insurance program didn't have Silver Cloud. There were two young girls there, and my distinct impression was that neither knew what they were doing. After an hour I was getting pretty frustrated - it was after 4 PM and I had to be back at the border by 5. I pointed to the car and said, "There it is. It exists. Are you telling me that because the person who designed the program neglected to put in my model of car it cannot be brought into the country?" The Indian girl stared at the floor and the other one shrugged. I stormed out of the office, but at the car Marilynn suggested that I get a note to take to customs saying they couldn't sell me insurance and why.

I went back and told the girl I would need a note on their letterhead explaining to customs why I didn't have the insurance. This caused the girl to go into the back office where someone senior had been hiding throughout the process. The note was obviously above anyone's authority, and the owner had to be summoned by telephone. He finally arrived after another ten minutes, and said the only immediate solution would be to buy a one year full coverage policy for $225. It was a robbery, but I was out of time and the agency was about to close for the weekend.

It was 4:40 when I got out of there, so I dropped Marilynn at the hotel on the way to the border and drove the Rolls hard to get there by 5, hoping I'd not run out of gas - the fuel warning light had been on for some time. One of the customs guys met me at the door and I waved the policy, so in we went and got the paperwork done. All that was needed was to show him my original passport. I went to the pocket I keep it in, it wasn't there. It wasn't in any pocket. The only thing I could think of was the insurance agency where they had taken it to photocopy. I asked the customs guy to phone to see if they had it, but all phone lines were down, however they agreed to wait for me until 6

I roared back into town again, stopping at the hotel to have them call the agency to find out if the passport was there and to wait for me. Reception said calls couldn't be made from the desk; they had to be made from the room. One of the receptionists came to the room but couldn't make the phone work. I asked her to keep trying, ran to the car, and headed to the agency where one of the girls had my passport - it had been left in the photocopier.

I got lost once finding my way out of town, but finally hit the highway. At the hotel Marilynn was standing in the road - I'd left the original insurance document in the room. It was 5:40 and I covered the 20 minute drive to the border in 10 minutes flat. At last all was in order, but now their computer system wouldn't work. I must give them full credit - instead of just closing and going home they got in touch with computer people and eventually got my car document done.

It was then almost 7 PM and pitch dark outside. I flicked on the headlights, and nothing. They had quit totally, however the fog lights and tail lights worked. When I started off I couldn't see the road at all - it had no painted lines, so I pulled over and waited for a car to come through customs. The first one whipped by but I couldn't catch up to him, so I pulled over once again. A while later a slow moving pickup truck went by, and I managed to get close behind. I lost sight of him on a tight curve, a frightening experience as I couldn't see the road at all, but caught up on the next straight stretch.

Between the frontier and Santa Elaina is a military check point where everyone must stop. They looked in the trunk the first time, but from then on just waved me through. The pickup truck stopped, so I pulled in behind him, explaining to the troops that I was following him because I had no lights. They were commandeering him to take two soldiers into town, so when he got going again I was on his tail. He kept signally me pass - he really must have wondered what was going on. We finally reached the hotel, but I must have sweated a gallon through my hands in the process.

The hotel has a great bar and dining area on the edge of the pool where I downed two very stiff Scotches followed by a lot of beer before we had a good dinner!