ab 02.12.: Càceres / Mato Grosso

02.12.:

The rain stayed with me all night. Even this morning, but its strength is decreasing.

The night was a bit restless, and there's a reason for that:

When I reviewed the route I took yesterday, I realized that, without knowing it, I had left the Transoceanica in the form of BR 364.

This road is the guarantee for me to reach São Paulo relatively safely. Other roads may be neglected as they don't have the same economic importance. Potholes, muddy tracks...

But what reassures me is that I don't have to go back to the junction, I can continue on BR 174 until Cuiabá. Then I will meet it again. Should I go back to the junction? Everything in me resists it.

So, hopefully everything goes well...

I'm on schedule - not entirely voluntarily. Apparently, I'm already awake and ready for the new day around half past 5. But breakfast is only available from 07:00. Then I notice that my smartphone shows two different times. For Nova Lacerda on the AccuWeather info, it's half past 5 and on the display, it's already half past 6. I look out of my door, giving me a view of the kitchen - apparent peace.

Still, I get up and my first glance in the breakfast room is at the clock. So, it's one hour later.

Whether it's raining or not, I want to continue. The things hung up in my room didn't dry. What would I do without plastic bags???

Didn't convincingly complete the drying process

On the parking lot, I encounter a Toyota SUV with "Bolsonaro" written on the rear window. The car seems to belong to the owner of a construction office - he also wants a fresh start.

The hostel owner says goodbye to me at 10:00 am with a "laway, laway." What did he mean by that? I definitely don't want to go on strike today.

The first hour passes with drizzle.

When I stop for lunch and to refuel, it's still drizzling a bit. Maybe I'll reach drier areas?

A Gol pickup, with its original color still faintly recognizable.

The gas attendant also wants to know everything. I'm talkative because things are going well, while also paying attention to paying, closing the reserve canister, and putting on my helmet to park the Vespa at the nearby cantina. I enjoy a salad buffet with a particularly tasty potato salad, drink a hot coffee, and slowly want to continue. A tall and slightly stocky gringo tells me about his motorcycle tour outside. He shows pictures and also wants one of the Vespa and one with me. While we're talking like this, the gas attendant joins us and says something about a backpack. I don't get it at first. He points to my empty back seat. That's when I realize it. This can't be true!!!! I left the backpack at the gas station! Multitasking... My only excuse to myself is that I had to communicate and listen to the gas attendant in a foreign language...

I don't even know if I would have noticed the loss at all and not just at my next reserve canister refueling stop. What luck.

BR 174 in good condition and straight

The sky is slowly becoming recognizable again. The dull and contourless gray is gone.
Things are going well. Can I make it to Càceres? I plan to cover a total of about 360 km today. Why? Some may ask. Why is he rushing?

The rainy season is behind me. The worst months are December and January. I believe it will improve the further southeast I go. I'll only take another day off if I can hardly sit anymore.

Now I'm going through mountains and valleys and crossing many rivers. The landscape is changing. There are wooded mountains to be seen, and for some time, I drive on a plateau with a great view. We also pass through an indigenous reservation again. The forest cover is increasing again. I suspect that the remaining indigenous people have retreated into their forests. The crosswind shakes me and assures me that I'm heading south. From Cuiabá, I'll go east again with a strong tailwind.

The distance signs are sparse again. I don't know if I can reach Càceres and I have no idea what the next town is called. The next stop will bring me clarity: only 13 km left!!

I want to find a place away from the noisy road and hop around at 30 km/h through the city. I quickly realize that the hotels are only located on the main road. At this point, I don't really care anymore. I just want to arrive and get out of my warm clothes.

And as it always happens: after showering, the hunger comes! This time, it's rather impatient. But I'm optimistic because the hotel also has a restaurant. But: it's closed. Just like all the others along the main road.

The receptionist is about to order a pizza delivery when an old man on his motorcycle shouts something at us from the open door. He's taking me to a restaurant that opens at 7 pm. He takes me there.
I don't wonder now how he knows that I'm looking for a restaurant. It's not important to me either. I sit on the back of his motorcycle, and we both ride in zigzags to the restaurant. A mother and daughter sit on the doorstep - I've already seen them when I went up and down the street. But now they are eager to serve and bring me a beer to bridge the time until 7 pm.

Blue sky, pleasant temperatures

I sit in front of the restaurant, watching the traffic on the street, enjoying the now blue sky, and wondering if there's a menu.

At 7 pm, the lady asks me to go inside the restaurant and shows me fish, rice, meat, black beans, and salad. She shows me the plates and cutlery.

Finally, something to eat combined with the feeling that the hunger is slowly decreasing.

That's how Brazilians are: helpful and imaginative!

03.12.:

It's a decision that is also surprising for me.

I will stay here for two more nights.

The incident yesterday with the almost forgotten backpack at the gas station makes me think.
"Ned hudla," as the Swabian says (in calmness lies strength).

The first thought: mining activities? I still have to research that.

In addition, there's some paperwork to do. The weather outside is beautiful! The opposite of what I experienced in the last few days. Actually, the opposite, because it's better to wait for the midday temperatures. And there's also the desire for a post-breakfast nap, which I gladly follow.

So, I spend a lazy day, which is good for me.

This afternoon, late in the day, I want to get an overview of Càceres and find that the city center is only accessible by Vespa. Tomorrow is another day.

But something important is started nonetheless.

Cuiabá is up next on the route planning. Nora spent several months there and worked on her book project. She was able to stay with Nena, whom Gabi, Tillmann, and I also met in São Paula. Nora told us that she would do anything for German chocolate. So, we almost showered her with Ritter Sport chocolate bars.

Maybe I'll meet her in the next few days? Nora introduced me to Nena's friend - a self-employed architect - and gave me a tip on where the nicest place to live in Cuiabá is. The hotel is booked, and I've made contact with Jacqueline via WhatsApp. We'll meet on Wednesday evening.

All restaurants are open today. That's good too...

Tomorrow, there will be a small checkup for the Vespa and a tour to Rio Paraguay - not far from here.

Breakfast is available from 06:00 to 09:00.

04.12.:

Finally, waking up to sounds of nature.

I'm still half asleep and hear flocks of screeching birds flying over the hotel. I remember Scotland, where Tillmann and I stayed at a fancy hotel on the coast. We had our room facing the courtyard, where the kitchen stored its scraps. The seagulls' screeching was annoying.

The chatter of the "frequent flyers" here is somewhat disturbing. They fly low over the hotel. I assume they're heading towards Rio Paraguay. On the one hand, I'm curious about how the flight formations in the sky form, but on the other hand, I'm too tired and influenced by Hitchcock's film to investigate further until tomorrow morning.

The day has several items on the agenda:

Check and, if necessary, replace brake fluid

Check and, if necessary, replace oil

Check side cases for water ingress and, if necessary, dry them

Get the Brazilian bandera "bebberle" sticker, as it's still missing on my windshield.

Visit the historical museum

Things progress quite quickly: I'm initially sent from one workshop to another. No one dares to touch anything, even though most of the motorcycles are equipped with disc brakes.
But then I find someone who will take a look at the Vespa, but he doesn't want to touch it either. For now...
So, I suggest that we open the containers to inspect the quality. I stick to my plan, get my hands dirty, and soon I have the certainty that the fluid looks like new. Yellow and transparent.

Finally, tranquil architecture again

The oil needs to be changed every 10,000 km. I still have 7,000 km left. The oil that the Vespa needs is only available for cars. The question remains whether I can use it for the Vespa as well. I will have to ask the question again later. The oil level is fine.

Communication is rather one-sided and adventurous. I combine things and quietly hope that I'm combining correctly. But I'm hesitant about the oil type. The mechanic talks to me. He doesn't want to sell me anything unnecessary, he just wants to explain what he thinks is good for the Vespa. I understand nothing!

Rolf, who is back in Chile with Sandra and will continue his tour north in the next few days with his Defender, is my coach and gives me good tips!

A motorcycle carrying another on a "sidecar"

I drive back to the hotel and pour my heart out to the receptionist, who already knows me. She suggests trying again with a taxi. Good idea!

It's important that they are water-resistant. I wonder if the colors can withstand the sunlight?

Ready in just fifteen minutes

The Christmas tree is used for "comunicacáo visual" products

The historical museum is unfortunately closed, although the opening hours are stated as 7 am to 6 pm.

The side cases couldn't withstand the water masses. The plastic bags at least to 80%. The climate here is still dry, so there's a good chance that everything will be dry until tomorrow. In Puerto Maldonado, the things hung on the protected clothesline for 4 days. They didn't dry. The humidity was too high.

The two days were good for resting. Now I can move on.