August 10
BRAZIL-Brasilia
Sunday 2nd we had breakfast in the
hotel. After breakfast Mervyn went for a bus tour of the city,
Howard stayed in the hotel preparing for changes on the web site, we
can not access the web. After 1100 Howard went to the food mal
for elevenses, nothing was open. Mervyn returned before lunch
which we had in the hotel. Then Howard continued on the computer
Mervyn went for a walk. We went for dinner to a Churrascaria just
behind the hotel, we collected vegetables and then a waiter arrived
several times with different meat on a skewer. It was
delicious. Monday
started with breakfast in the hotel. Mervyn then went for a walk
and also had a haircut. Howard continued working with the web
site. Mervyn returned for lunch and afterwards took a bus tour,
Howard continued with the computer. We had dinner in the food mal
at an Asiatic mini restaurant. Tuesday started with a
hotel, buffet breakfast and then we packed and took a taxi to the bus
terminal. We bought tickets but had to wait an hour for the
bus. The journey to Goiánia was boring. When we arrived
Howard phoned Byron at the Iveco garage who sent a car to collect
us. The caravan was ready, we paid the bill and departed, driving
to Anápolis to stop in a fuel station at 1600. We had our
evening meal in a Churrascaria, it was very good. Wednesday we were soon on
Ruta 060 to Brasilia. We drove into Anápolis to find a
Carrefour, the entrance was too low. Forty minutes wasted.
We detoured south of Brasilia to join Ruta 040 towards Rio de Janeiro
just before Cristalina there was a loud bang and the engine lost power,
the replacement tube to the turbo had blown, there was a big split in
it. We found a garage with a repair shop, the chief drove Mervyn
into the town to buy a new tube. As we left the garage the new
tube blew, we returned and the mechanics tried to glue the split in the
original tube and to bind it with heavy tape. With a short test
drive it seemed OK but we decided to stop in the garage
overnight. Mervyn still had an upset stomach and did not want to
eat so Howard went to the restaurant for his evening meal. Thursday the usual early
start was made, we continued south east on Ruta 040. The turbo
tube started whistling about forty km out but the power was still
there. Howard saw a Savannah Hawk. In Paracatu we searched
for and found some more strong, sticky tape. We carried on, if we
took it easily on the hills the whistling was very low. We
arrived in Felixlândia at 1515 and stopped in a fuel station for
the night. Friday
we continued the journey south east on Ruta 040. The driving was
boring, mediocre scenery and lots of up and downs. The whistling
on the up hills continued. We turned east south of Belo Horizonte
onto Ruta 356 to easily find a camp at Ouro Preto by 1415.
Saturday
7th was a
rest day. Mervyn’s stomach was still not right, he did not go
into Ouro Preto. After dinner we watched videos for the first
time in a long time, Sunday
Mervyn was feeling better, he went for a walk round town and returned
for lunch. We relaxed in the afternoon. Monday we left Ouro Preto
to travel west to rejoin Ruta 040 where we turned south. As the
turbo tube was still whistling we found the Iveco garage in Juiz
de Forta where they cannibalised two tubes to make a repair. They
also sealed the left rear hub as oil was leaking out. We parked
in their front yard for the night. Tuesday we were on the road
by 0730, after five km we decided to check the tyre pressure, it was
down. We returned to Deva Iveco where they investigated the
problem. We were guided to another lorry garage but they could
not help, we returned to Iveco where they removed the wheel and set off
in a Deva van with the wheel. The van returned at 0945 with the
report that the valve extension was faulty. A new extension was
purchased, the wheel fitted back and we set off. The staff at
Deva were very friendly and helpful. The journey south on Ruta
040 to Petetrópolis was uneventful and Mervyn set off for his
walking tour of the town at 1330. He returned at 1515 and we left
for Rio de Janeiro where we arrived in the rush hour. We found
the camp without any useful direction signs. The names on the
signs were not on the map and the names on the map were not on the
signs. Wednesday
we set off to find a supermarket and to drive into Rio to see the Sugar
Loaf. We did not find a supermarket and Sugar Loaf was covered in
cloud. We drove west along the coast the road surface improving
as we joined more important roads. When we reached Ruta 101 (we
could not find it yesterday) we found a supermarket and shopped.
We continued along Ruta 101 to camp at Pontal Praia (beach) in
Parati. The scenery today has been the best so far in
Brazil, there were small bays, villages and boats similar to
Cornwall with many islands nearby. Thursday was a rest day on
the first sunny day since Juis de Fora. Friday we were on the road
by 0730, travelling south west. The Ruta 101 changed to 055 and
the inclines often needed second gear, out of six. The average
speed was fifty kph. We arrived at Bertioga and found the camp by
1430, we booked in. During the last few days we have passed
through heavily forested hills, we have also had several delays where
the roads are being repaired, rebuilding bridges and clearing
landslides.
Saturday 14th our early start was spoilt by losing our way in Bertioga. It was raining which did not help, when we found Ruta 055 we headed west towards Santos. The coast road although hilly had lost the severe inclines of yes
terday. We made good
time took the bypass north of Santos and eventually joined Ruta 166 to
head for Curitiba where we arrived and booked into the camp. Sunday a rest day for
Jigsaw, Computer and Editing Films. Monday the rear left tyre
was down again, for the forth time, so the first stop was at a repair
shop. A leaking valve was found and replaced. We drove
until 1530 hoping to find a camp, as we didn’t we stopped in a fuel
station in Virmond. Tuesday
we drove on westwards, the drive was uneventful but slow due to the
hilly narrow roads. We arrived in Foz do Iguauçu just
after lunch and settled into the same camp we had used
previously. We then took a taxi to go shopping after which we
relaxed. Wednesday
we drove north to the falls and spent two hours there taking many ph
otos and a hot chocolate
and cake. We returned to the van in time for lunch. After
lunch we settled down to Film Editing and Computing. Thursday we
drove north east from Foz do Iguaçu to Ruta 163 where we turned
southwards. The day went slowly due to the steep, narrow, hilly
roads. Not finding a camp we stopped in a
fuel station, just past São Michel d’ Oeste for the night.
Friday when we awoke
the caravan battery registered nil. When we tried to start the
engine the starter motor would not turn. One of the pump
attendants tried to jump start our van no go. He phoned for a
breakdown truck which duly arrived and winched our van up onto
it. A short drive into a repair garage in Maravilha where they
phoned for an electrician who discovered that a nut had fallen off the
rear of the starter motor. The garage also sealed the right rear
hub which was leaking oil and secured the front right bumper with four
bolts, it had been jolted loose by the very rough roads. We did
not leave until 1530 so we only went a short distance south to find a
garage just before Frederico Westphalen.
Saturday 21st we continued on our way down Ruta 158 which changed to Ruta 386 as we crossed into Rio Grande do Sul. We soon turned back onto
Ruta 158 and drove to Panambi where we turned
west onto Ruta 285 and drove for a hundred km to turn south to
Sâo Miguel das Missões, an old Jesuit Mission. We
finally returned to and drove east on Ruta 285 to find a camp before
Panambi, there was a low sign and a Brazilian climbed a ladder and used
a broom to lift the sign so that we could enter. Sunday we took a rest day,
we had electricity. Monday
we set off eastwards and tried a short cut on a paved road. The
map was wrong after the first town, the road was unpaved, a dirt
road. It took us longer to reach Cruz Alta than it would have
done on the better roads. The journey along Ruta 158 south and
then on 392 south east was uneventful until we reached Pelotas where we
wanted to stop. We could not find a suitable garage, there being
no camps available, we continued and eventually stopped at a restaurant
in Taim between Lago Mirim and the Atlantic. The meal was
passable. Tuesday
on a misty morning we drove south west on Ruta 471 seeing Copivaras and
many birds, Caracaras being the most numerous, to the border with
Uruguay. It took longer to leave Brazil than it took to enter
Uruguay. We were now close to the coast on Ruta 9 and it now
became complicated. We required Uruguayan Pesos, we were told
that there was an ATM in Punta del Diablo, there wasn’t. the camp
there was closed, we tried The Parque National de Santa Teresa, the
office was shut for lunch. We drove back to Chuy at the border,
the ATM wasn’t working but the bank would provide us cash on production
of a passport. This took over half an hour. We returned to
a camp, on the map, in La Coronilla, there wasn’t one. A police
man offered to lead us to a camp, we stopped at a customs post to
discuss the position and decided to go to Santa Teresa. The
office was open and we booked in, we followed a Parque map to the
site. While manoeuvring we backed into a ditch. Two
Uruguayans in a car offered to help, they took Howard to where some
soldiers were working, the Parque was run by the army, and they
promised to come to tow us out. Meanwhile four Officers had found
Mervyn and said they would help. Howard was returned to the van and a
large Daf lorry duly arrived and towed the van out. We 
parked at the end of two
eventful days. Wednesday
a rest day. Thursday
we arose later than usual but still left by 0845, when we drove to The
Fortaleza Santa Teresa, it did not open until 1000 so we droveon out
and south west on Ruta 9 to Rocha. In Rocha we shopped in three
small stores, we then drove south east to La Paloma, in the tourist
Office the Officer directed us to the local camp.
It was closed. We returned to the Tourist Office and were
directed to Camping Pe Pe. It was open on the first site we sunk
in and were unable to get out even with the help of the workers there.
The Señora sent for a breakdown truck which arrived and pulled
us out with his winch. Friday
with our usual start at 0800 we drove to the local lavenderia, it
opened at 1000 there was an internet café so we accessed our
e-mails. We couldn’t find a place to get some gas as our cylinder
was empty. At 1015 the lavenderia was still shut, we left and
drove along Ruta 1 to Atlantida, the camp was open but the trees were
too low, at Salinas we found a de
crepit camp with no one
there, we continued on to Montevideo. As there was no camp we
tried a couple of fuel stations where they said no we eventually tried
The Parque National Franklin D. Roosevelt they also said no but
suggested the nearby Casino. They said yes, we had burgers and
cake for dinner.
Saturday 28th we looked for a camp at Barra de Carrasco, we couldn’t find one and therefore drove into Montevideo, again we couldn’t find the listed camps. We left Montevideo to continue west on Ruta 1 to eventually find a camp at Santa Anna just before Colonia del Sacramento. Sunday as the camp had electricity and hot showers we decided to stay for a rest day. Monday we left and drove into Colonia del Sacramento where Mervyn went for a walk round the town, Howard stayed with the caravan near the Bastión de San Miguel. Before we left we met the Germans, Dirk & Andrea, from Talampaya, they were taking the Buquebus high speed ferry to Buenos Aires. Then we drove northwards to Carmelo to camp by the River Uruguay. Tuesday there was a thunder storm in the night. We continued north west on Ruta 21 under thick clouds, and heavy rain with thunder, to Nueva Palmira where could not find the camp. Dolores was the next town, again without a camp. Mercedes was next and the camp there was shut, our final hope was at Fray Bentos we found the first camp but there was no one there, we went into Fray Bentos where we found the Tourist Information who directed us to Club Atlético Anglo where we booked in for a site on the bank of the River Uruguay.
Saturday 14th our early start was spoilt by losing our way in Bertioga. It was raining which did not help, when we found Ruta 055 we headed west towards Santos. The coast road although hilly had lost the severe inclines of yes
terday. We made good
time took the bypass north of Santos and eventually joined Ruta 166 to
head for Curitiba where we arrived and booked into the camp. Sunday a rest day for
Jigsaw, Computer and Editing Films. Monday the rear left tyre
was down again, for the forth time, so the first stop was at a repair
shop. A leaking valve was found and replaced. We drove
until 1530 hoping to find a camp, as we didn’t we stopped in a fuel
station in Virmond. Tuesday
we drove on westwards, the drive was uneventful but slow due to the
hilly narrow roads. We arrived in Foz do Iguauçu just
after lunch and settled into the same camp we had used
previously. We then took a taxi to go shopping after which we
relaxed. Wednesday
we drove north to the falls and spent two hours there taking many photos and a hot chocolate
and cake. We returned to the van in time for lunch. After
lunch we settled down to Film Editing and Computing. Thursday we
drove north east from Foz do Iguaçu to Ruta 163 where we turned
southwards. The day went slowly due to the steep, narrow, hilly
roads. Not finding a camp we stopped in a
fuel station, just past São Michel d’ Oeste for the night.
Friday when we awoke
the caravan battery registered nil. When we tried to start the
engine the starter motor would not turn. One of the pump
attendants tried to jump start our van no go. He phoned for a
breakdown truck which duly arrived and winched our van up onto
it. A short drive into a repair garage in Maravilha where they
phoned for an electrician who discovered that a nut had fallen off the
rear of the starter motor. The garage also sealed the right rear
hub which was leaking oil and secured the front right bumper with four
bolts, it had been jolted loose by the very rough roads. We did
not leave until 1530 so we only went a short distance south to find a
garage just before Frederico Westphalen. Saturday 21st we continued on our way down Ruta 158 which changed to Ruta 386 as we crossed into Rio Grande do Sul. We soon turned back onto
Ruta 158 and drove to Panambi where we turned
west onto Ruta 285 and drove for a hundred km to turn south to
Sâo Miguel das Missões, an old Jesuit Mission. We
finally returned to and drove east on Ruta 285 to find a camp before
Panambi, there was a low sign and a Brazilian climbed a ladder and used
a broom to lift the sign so that we could enter. Sunday we took a rest day,
we had electricity. Monday
we set off eastwards and tried a short cut on a paved road. The
map was wrong after the first town, the road was unpaved, a dirt
road. It took us longer to reach Cruz Alta than it would have
done on the better roads. The journey along Ruta 158 south and
then on 392 south east was uneventful until we reached Pelotas where we
wanted to stop. We could not find a suitable garage, there being
no camps available, we continued and eventually stopped at a restaurant
in Taim between Lago Mirim and the Atlantic. The meal was
passable. Tuesday
on a misty morning we drove south west on Ruta 471 seeing Copivaras and
many birds, Caracaras being the most numerous, to the border with
Uruguay. It took longer to leave Brazil than it took to enter
Uruguay. We were now close to the coast on Ruta 9 and it now
became complicated. We required Uruguayan Pesos, we were told
that there was an ATM in Punta del Diablo, there wasn’t. the camp
there was closed, we tried The Parque National de Santa Teresa, the
office was shut for lunch. We drove back to Chuy at the border,
the ATM wasn’t working but the bank would provide us cash on production
of a passport. This took over half an hour. We returned to
a camp, on the map, in La Coronilla, there wasn’t one. A police
man offered to lead us to a camp, we stopped at a customs post to
discuss the position and decided to go to Santa Teresa. The
office was open and we booked in, we followed a Parque map to the
site. While manoeuvring we backed into a ditch. Two
Uruguayans in a car offered to help, they took Howard to where some
soldiers were working, the Parque was run by the army, and they
promised to come to tow us out. Meanwhile four Officers had found
Mervyn and said they would help. Howard was returned to the van and a
large Daf lorry duly arrived and towed the van out. We parked at the end of two
eventful days. Wednesday
a rest day. Thursday
we arose later than usual but still left by 0845, when we drove to The
Fortaleza Santa Teresa, it did not open until 1000 so we droveon out
and south west on Ruta 9 to Rocha. In Rocha we shopped in three
small stores, we then drove south east to La Paloma, in the tourist
Office the Officer directed us to the local camp.
It was closed. We returned to the Tourist Office and were
directed to Camping Pe Pe. It was open on the first site we sunk
in and were unable to get out even with the help of the workers there.
The Señora sent for a breakdown truck which arrived and pulled
us out with his winch. Friday
with our usual start at 0800 we drove to the local lavenderia, it
opened at 1000 there was an internet café so we accessed our
e-mails. We couldn’t find a place to get some gas as our cylinder
was empty. At 1015 the lavenderia was still shut, we left and
drove along Ruta 1 to Atlantida, the camp was open but the trees were
too low, at Salinas we found a decrepit camp with no one
there, we continued on to Montevideo. As there was no camp we
tried a couple of fuel stations where they said no we eventually tried
The Parque National Franklin D. Roosevelt they also said no but
suggested the nearby Casino. They said yes, we had burgers and
cake for dinner. Saturday 28th we looked for a camp at Barra de Carrasco, we couldn’t find one and therefore drove into Montevideo, again we couldn’t find the listed camps. We left Montevideo to continue west on Ruta 1 to eventually find a camp at Santa Anna just before Colonia del Sacramento. Sunday as the camp had electricity and hot showers we decided to stay for a rest day. Monday we left and drove into Colonia del Sacramento where Mervyn went for a walk round the town, Howard stayed with the caravan near the Bastión de San Miguel. Before we left we met the Germans, Dirk & Andrea, from Talampaya, they were taking the Buquebus high speed ferry to Buenos Aires. Then we drove northwards to Carmelo to camp by the River Uruguay. Tuesday there was a thunder storm in the night. We continued north west on Ruta 21 under thick clouds, and heavy rain with thunder, to Nueva Palmira where could not find the camp. Dolores was the next town, again without a camp. Mercedes was next and the camp there was shut, our final hope was at Fray Bentos we found the first camp but there was no one there, we went into Fray Bentos where we found the Tourist Information who directed us to Club Atlético Anglo where we booked in for a site on the bank of the River Uruguay.
URUGUAY-Fray Bentos