Part 13: Brazil - Treasured Moments, Piranha Fishing.

Sunday, 6 October 2013 3:48 am

Friday 2nd October:

As they say “It’s not the destination - It’s the journey”.

Travelling as we do we come across some great moments. You cannot look for them, you cannot find them, they must find you.

Such was the occasion as we were using some free WiFi in the town of Ji-parana and a guy comes up to us and offers us a campsite near a lake. We followed him to his family retreat on a beautiful lake.

Assis Neto is a successful local businessman who owns the Eucatur Bus Company, Granazon ( a Granite Company) media and other interests.

This introduction lead to an evening of great company, many drinks, and some of the most beautiful Brazilian BBQ’ed beef.

Camp 344: Private Lake Camp.

Cost: Nil.

S10* 50.905 W061* 58.645

Today: 327 Kms

Trip Total: 107,243Km

Saturday 3rd October:

Apart form Assis’s cattle interest on the property he has diversified into fish culture.

The area that it takes to grow 4 Zebu bulls he can raise over 700 Pirarucu fish.

The Pirarucu sell by the meter !

These fish are around 10kg each but will grow upwards to 200kg within 2-5 years and are then sold by the Kg.

This morning’s task is to move about 50 fish from the 10kg pond into the large lake so they can grow more.

Well the Pirarucu had other ideas and did not want to co-operate.

Slowly with John’s and my help we managed to transfer the 50 across

We are then interviewed by the local TV station on our travels.

A look around Assis’s Granite operations and bus workshops. The Eucatur bus company serves all of Brazil.

Following discussions we have had over the last days we have found some off the tourist route ‘must see’s’ in the province of Rondonia. The old Prince of Beirs Portuguese Fort and an other natural attraction 400kms up stream on the same River Guapore, on the Bolivia border.

With this in mind we have elected to leave our vehicles near the Iguazu falls and fly to Montevideo to meet our connecting flight. This will also save us driving time to Peru/Bolivia when we return February 2014.

Monday 7th October:

The last couple of days we travelled south to Pimenteiras do Oeste-Ro, a remote small town on the Brazil/Bolivia border and the Guapore River.

After checking the internet for flights from Igauzu to Montevideo, we found they were logistically challenging, and we decided not to visit the Fort as it was an 800km round trip and still drive to Montevideo.

Where there was once rainforest, there is now now vast plains of prime cattle country. We are all surprised with the vastness of this area, and can relate to the international concern.

I am also equally surprised with the now vast tracts of thousands of Australian native Eucalyptus trees.

Following some misleading Nuvi navigation to Pimenteiras, we travelled a long way in the wrong direction, finally electing to turn around and return to the BR364 and follow new directions.