Never look a gift-bus in the grill

The jeep (right) stopped at Rio Novo for an hour or so, then another jeep took us to Tutoia for 2 o'clock in the afternoon. We all wanted to take a ferry to Camosim (as this would have been the most scenic and interesting option) but on arrival we were told there is no boat. As a bus was waiting, with it's engine running, half us (backpackers) got straight on it. After Central & South America I never look a gift-bus in the grill !!

At this point, I find myself travelling with a group of 3 young French students, 1 girl and 2 boys and they let me tag along. They are all in Brazil for a year's work experience. They all speak Portuguese and they are literally brilliant at negotiating !! for them this is expediency, but it's great for me too as over the course of the next week I get some great deals on accomodation. Arriving at Paranaiba we find a good, cheap guesthouse, seafood for dinner and cheap Caparinha's (R2). The guesthouse guy recommends a private van to Camosim which means we don't have to get up before 6am for the bus ! This seems great in principle, but does not work in practice. The van guy picks us up late then parks in the town square for nearly 2 hours, drumming up more trade (C.A. style...), by the time we get to Camosim we have missed the jeep to Jeri. This is not a problem !  Camosim is a quiet untouristy coastal fishing town with great natural beaches and a river, so waiting another day is not an issue. Especially when "the Frenchies" negotiate a wonderful discount at an actual hotel. I stay in probably the best accomodation I've had in 15 months, for a pittance & lap up the luxury !! Later on we take a ferry across to the beach and have sun-downing beers (pic above).


The jeep ride along the beach to Jeri is fun, much too fast of course. This time we waited 3 hours in the town square at Camosim before departing, tiresome ! There is an Italian guy on the jeep who is the first person I've met who has also worked in Port Harcourt in Nigeria (pronounced locally "pott-ah-cott"), as I did in the early nineties. 

The Frenchies @ Jeri @ sun down time

We arrive Jericoacoara in heavy rain. Seems like a bit of an anti-climax. However the overland trip from Barrinhas was easier than I expected. But Jeri is not exactly what I expected, it is LONG past it's "hippies on the beach" phase (like almost everywhere else...), it is not overwhelmingly touristy, but close...  Everywhere you go it's the hard sell, buggy trips, horse riding, kite surfing lessons etc.. I know there is a cheap busservice to Fortaleza, but none of the agencies want to tell me about it, frustrating...  The Frenchies once again manage do a fantastic deal at a nice little guesthouse just out of town. I get a room to myself (plus a bathroom) for just over half the price of a dorm bed in town ! I don't know how they do it, speaking Portuguese seems essential. In find that, written down, Portuguese is very similar to Spanish and I can understand it. Pronounciation is a world-apart though !! Very different !! I have not tried to learn it, most Brazilians seem able to understand my terrible Spanish, but I can understand nothing of what they say. Surprisingly, English is generally, not spoken much in Brazil.

For my 4 days in Jeri, the best bit, by far, is watching the sun go down over the sea from the big dune that overlooks the town. If the weather is good, every tourist in town joins in with this Pagan ritual, bringing a couple of cold tinnies. It's glorious, a warm wind, hot dry sand, cold beer and very dark in only 15 minutes.

I've still got a way to go to get to Salvador and I want to get there a week early so I can "see the sights"and buy some souvenirs before I have to fly back. I say goodbye to the Frenchies and take the bus to Fortaleza.