Pieces of Interesting Information

Travelling through different parts of the world, we observed things that really are of little use to anyone but add to the experiences and connections we have with our world back home. So, as we have this time chugging down the Amazon, thought we would reflect on this.

Colours of the Amazon jungle - varying shades of green. That's green, green, green.

Dominoes cost 10 Columbian pesos.

The local Brazilian drink - Cachaco - is deadly dangerous. Ask Paul.

Colour of the river - brown, mineral black often spotted with clumps of vegetation, logs, branches and plastic bags and bottles but mostly pristine.

Tourist spots - Constant reminder of the huge gap between rich and poor. Individuals - mainly women and children selling anything from individually wrapped sweets or some deep fried local delights to the up market tour operators who only deal in US$.

There is a fish in the Amazon, the minute candiru fish with a long bony snout, razor sharp teeth and skin covered with fine barbs that attacks the penis and other orifices. Once inside, its extraction without ripping the flesh is impossible.

Can only eat small quantities of indigenous foods. They tend to have catastrophic affects on the system but are great for cleansing.

The Amazon indians have an incredible ability to sit in canoes and paddle for hours on end.

Havainnas rubber thongs are big in Brazil. Therefore I must be cool!

Drinking water - it comes in sin gas or con gas - without or with bubbles. It is a constant part of our hand luggage.

Ordering food - unless one has a good command of the local language, often the food ordered comes as a surprise and not quite what one would expect.

Internet cafes - they are everywhere. Often the speed is very slow though.

Beer - this seems to be our stable diet tasting the local beer from each of the countries.

Coffee - for a part of the world that grows so much coffee, it is horrible. Or perhaps the barristers are not trained the way they are in Australia. Generally it is instant with a dob of condensed milk.

Toilets - pretty good except the paper goes into a waste paper bin. Yuk.

Power Charging equipment - IPAQ, camera and phone is never a problem. Just need the right attachment.

Amazonion fish - fresh water is alright says Paul. I've almost turned vegetarian. Every meal it is chicken. After reading Two Caravans I've gone off chicken too.

Taxis vary from country to country. In La Paz, Bolivia, the cheapest way to get around is the local mini taxi which is like a van with driver and touter. The touter yells out repeatedly all the destinations. You can imagine what that sounds like when there are around 100 vans!

In country Bolivia, the taxis were the conventional car, albeit wrecks, with no springs in the seats and a major pollution source. Peru was much the same, except here there appeared to be only two speeds - stop and 'lets see if we can frighten the passengers".

It was a surprise to get to northern Peru and the town of Iquitous (only access boat or plane) to find that the taxi cabs were a trike-type bike or perhaps a bike with the back wheel replaced by two in a buggy-like fashion. They were fun. (Jo we thought this would be a good business around Terrigal).

Now in the border towns of Brazil and Columbia motor scooters are the go. When in Brazil, no helmet is required. As you cross the border to Columbia, (there is not problem to move from one to the other) a helmet is handed to the passengers. Both these border town had numerous types of scooters including the Bug, just like mine.