I was pretty nervous on Wednesday morning as I packed up and left the hotel in Manaus for the floating dock where the Clivia waited to take us down the Amazon River to Belem. From the day before I knew it was total chaos (well to me, anyway) at the dock and I wasn´t sure how to get to the loading area. How would they load the bike, where would I put my hammock etc?

So I arrived early at 7:30AM and by 8:30 it was all done - I was the first person to board the boat and it wasn´t leaving until 5:00PM! I did have a hassle with the union longshoremen - they wanted $150US to load the bike after I had paid the official $5.00 fee. We ended up at $25 which was twice the `normal`tip but they did a great job wrangling the bike onto the boat using ropes and muscle power.

The 4 1/2 day trip cost about $90 for me and $100 for the bike. There are a few cabins but it just seemed anti-social to not join the majority in Hammock Class.

As the day wore on more and more people and freight was loaded. Each time I thought that must be it there´s no more room, another row of hammocks was put up and more bags and boxes shoved underneath. It was all done very smoothly which spoke to the 100 odd years of identical river travel here. The boats, and there are many of them, are like buses to inland people that have roads from one place to another. The river is really the only road along the Amazon and it´s tributaries.
The social organization was fascinating as well. With the hammocks all touching each other and the only food the 2 identical fixed meals (rice, spagetti, meat) plus morning coffee (with bread) served at a common table first come first served, there was no room for class distinctions - we were all in this together - equally uncomfortable. The Brasilians (I was the only gringo for the first 3 days) were admirable. They just got along and before long strangers were in long conversations and singing would break out. Now I couldn´t understand what they were saying but tone of voice and body language seemed to communicate the mood well.

The river scenery was constant rainforest with very few river shacks or small villages. The dominant image was of the sky - as it is everywhere in Brasil HUGE skys with even larger cumulus clouds constantly moving. Heavy rain then bright sunshine. No wind then too much wind. The only constant was the heat and humidity which I guess was around 30C and 100%.

No mosquitos or any bugs for that matter which made sleeping a lot easier. So far I think any forest in Canada has more pesky bugs than anywhere I´ve been on this trip.

A routine quickly set on th boat. The noise from the engine and generators was at harmful levels 24/7 anywhere on the boat but I only saw one crew member wearing ear protection (in the engine room). Our only amusment was the frequent stops at little settlements where 100´s of bags of Brasil nuts were loaded. When one broke open we would all scramble to get a handful to eat on the spot. Through sign language and a bit of Portuguese I managed to make a few acquaintances to share the hours of railside silent thoughtfulness.

The river was a constant brown silty colour. This was also the water we bathed and washed clothes in but there was no alternative and apparently no harm done. I was the only passenger that used bottled water to brush my teeth so I felt the need to be discrete about it.

For entertainment there were the villagers who would send their 5 -12 year old kids out in dug-out canoes to intercept the boat (which slowed for nothing or no one in it´s path) and ask for hand-outs. Some passengers would throw plastic bags of food, treats, etc to them. A few boats were swamped by the wash and the kids were left to swim back to their boats. A Scotish mariner who boarded the last day was horrified that the captain was not obliged to stop and ensure the kids were safe after swamping theit little boats.

Some older kids would throw a hook onto our boat and be towed alongside. They would scramble aboard carrying mostly fruit to sell to the passengers. It was equally exciting watching them skillfully unhook their boats and be set free without disastrous consequences. Gives you a whole new perspective on how sheltered and protected our kids are (we drive them to school and still think they are not safe!).

Early Sunday morning, the river widenned and the tall buildings of Belem came into view. By 9:00AM after many long goodbyes and (I think) promises to stay in touch, new friends disappered off the dock and into the city. That left me waiting to get my bike unloaded by my longshoreman friends. As he was headed off the dock, the Captian whispered into my ear `20 reals`and sure enough that got the job done. My experience of a lifetime was over.

An hour later I had found a hotel in the historic district and a parking garage for my bike. I spent 3 nights in Belem and got to like this old, old city more each day. I have never seen such bustling activity, diversity, colour and architecture before - it makes Manhatten seem quiet and slow! Due to the heat and humidity, the Portuguese used colourful tiles on many old buildings and sidewalks. Most of the streets downtown are narrow cobblestone. I was even moved to check out the museum of modern Brasilian art (supposed to be the best collection in Brasil) but it was closed for renovations. I left Belem early Wednesday morning during one of the heaviest downpours to-date but it was 30C and actually felt cool for awhile at least.

It was good to be on the bike again. My time in Manaus and on the river had done a lot to mend my sore bones from the accident in Venezuela. I felt ready for the big distances ahead of me in Brasil.