Day 5 - Londrina to Iguacu Falls

Left at 7am to get to Iguacu Falls as early as possible. A 6 hour drive via Maringa and Cascavel to Foz do Iguacu. Stopped by police again! The town is larger and less attractive than we expected, but then we turned off to the National Park of Iguacu on a long road leading to the Hotel Tropical das Cataratas. We saw hundreds of yellow butterflies as we drove along and it was difficult to avoid them. The hotel is very elegant, colonial-style with a large pool.

Hotel Tropical das Cataratas

It was very warm and after lunch we walked over to look at the Falls which are immediately adjacent to the hotel. They are breathtaking and there is a constant roaring which can be heard all over the hotel. The spray was immense and we took lots of photos.

The falls were particularly full as there has been a lot of rain. They are truly awe-inspiring and we were very pleased to have arrived there early. Some people arrived late and couldn't see the Falls, then left early the next morning! We had a swim in the pool, then went back to the falls for sunset. The whole place is wonderful with many birds, insects and coati. 

In the evening we had a good dinner and then Greg gave a talk on altitude sickness.

The total driving distance today was 327 miles.

Day 4 - Campos de Jordao to Londrina

We didn't feel like doing 4x4 sections as the whole day was about 800 kms and yesterday's events had definitely had their effect on us!!

We decided to do our own thing and headed for Sao Paulo to get on to the motorway! In fact it was a very good drive apart from driving round and round Sao Paulo trying to find the right motorway. At the end of the motorway from Sao Paolo we saw parked by the side of the road car number 80, the green Ford Escort RS 200 of John Bateson and Colin Francis. A half shaft had gone!! We asked if we could help but they waved us on saying that a spare half shaft was being carried for them in one of the 4x4's. They seemed completely unfazed by the whole thing!! Stopped only once for a break but it wasn't too bad. We still did over 700 kms. 

It took us a while to find the control at the modern cathedral in Londrina, but we were the first 4x4 to arrive, because we'd taken a quicker route. We were consequently interviewed by a TV crew and there was a band and civic reception. It was pretty hot there and the hotel was good - the Bourbon Hotel.

 

 
Good dinner (buffet) in hotel, then we went outside to the car and met a local married couple and a nun.

The cathedral in Londrina.

The centre of Londrina.

The total drive for today was 457 miles.

Day 3 - Ouro Preto to Campos do Jordao

We left our hotel at 6.20, even though we were not allowed to go before 6.30! It was raining so we had no great views, but quite a good drive. Wendy navigated. We drove through Tiradentes, a very attractive 'colonial' town.

 
Went to have a sandwich before reaching the checkpoint as we were not allowed to proceed until the 'control' came through.

Tiradentes Control, Wendy 'signing in'.

Wasted an awful lot of time - finally got on to 4x4 section.

The road was red and very muddy. Colin drove well. Lovely houses, white lilies growing wild, then, suddenly, we hit an extremely muddy section and got stuck! We slid off the road towards a deep drop and fortunately were prevented from going over the edge by a post with barbed wire on it!

We tried and tried to get out but to no avail. We spent about an hour trying to winch, pull and push, all in thick red mud. Finally, the Irish team arrived on the scene and pulled us out with 2 cars! We arrived at the Hotel Mont Blanc at Campos do Jordao in a filthy state, caked in mud, and attracted strange looks from the hotel management.

The Hotel Mont Blanc.

We later found out that Chris and Linda, another English couple, had abandoned their car in similar circumstances and had left all their luggage and personal items with the car. We realised we were lucky to have been rescued by the Irish.

We drove a total of 319 miles.

Day 2 - Ouro Preto

Slept well under mosquito net. Up early for procession into Ouro Preto. This was part of the required route and there was a checkpoint there. We heard later that some drivers missed it and were heavily penalised! All the town turned out to see us in the Town Square. Driving to the town square in Ouro Preto following Ahmad.

Welcome banners in the town square of Ouro Preto

 

The town square with the cars parked up.

 

Church of S.Francisco, Ouro Preto, which had beautiful ceilings.

 

Wandered around and talked to some of the local people and saw the local market.

 
We left the town and drove off to a hypermarket for supplies. Sorted ourselves out back at the hotel ready for tomorrow. Quite cool and foggy in late afternoon. Went for a walk and saw great swimming pool, games room and some rabbits. A nice hotel, in fact. However, the bar service was very slow and the food not too good. We ate with Colin and two Englishmen, one of whom was Anthony Ward, who is in chocolate! Then later we were joined by Sir Terence English, a heart surgeon and former doctor to the Queen, and Chris McGregor, a very pleasant Scottish doctor from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Early to bed for a 5am alarm!

Day 1 - Copacapana Fort, Rio de Janeiro - Ouro Preto

A very short night, about two and a quarter hours only because of the early start. Wendy slept badly.

We went up to the Fort to take our place in the official start. The classics went off first and then the 4x4's with us in position number 16. It was great fun as we left the Fort with TV cameras, John Brown waving his start flag and Nicky and Steve there to wave us off, but not the British Consul.

Being waved away.

 

John Brown taking photos of the starters.

 

The early starters leaving the Fort at the start of the Inca Trail.

 

This was our first attempt at using the Tulip Road Books and within a few miles, still in Rio, we went wrong! A mess-up on the navigation front and Spencer Flack and team, who were behind us, followed us into the back streets of Rio! We had to do a u-turn and return to the freeway taking us out of Rio.

 

A beautiful drive through lovely countryside - very lush, becoming much drier. Stopped in Uba where Control was. It was very hot and we didn't fancy lunch there and drove on. We later discovered that one of the film crew, Chris Denham, had all his clothes stolen from his car while he was at lunch!

On the way to Ouro Preto.

The first half of the drive was on good tarmac roads through small villages in the middle of nowhere with large lizards, deer, and assorted farm animals but then we turned off the main road and drove along a very, very dusty 4x4 route . Many of the cars overtook us throwing up dense clouds of dust and annoying the villagers as they drove through the small hamlets. We were the first 4x4 to arrive at Estalagem das Minas Gerais.

The arrival at Estalagem das Minas Gerais, Ouro Preto.

 

 Colin, Greg, Chris and a rear view of Tessa Bamford.

We were housed with Colin in a bungalow down an extremely steep hill. We had our first 'meeting' with Pauline Harris and her co-driver, Ann Locks, who was doing repairs and servicing on their Porsche.

When we walked to have our evening meal, we went past many of the classic cars being worked on after the hard drive from Rio. Brake drums, suspension and engine repairs were all taking place! What a start to the Inca Trail!

The buffet was held in the main hotel - not great food but fun. Very tired and pleased to get to bed.

We drove a total of 319 miles

Rio de Janeiro

Lots of organising to do! We went to a camping shop in Ipanema for sleeping bags etc,to replace the things that had been stolen from the car in transit.  Then, the BIG PACK.

Once the packing was finished we had lunch with Colin on the terrace of the hotel and then I went with Colin to take our spare cases to Nicky and Steve's to be stored while we are on the rally. Wendy walked to the local shops for more supplies.

Tonight there is a big pre-event start dinner at Porcao Rio's, then it's back to more packing! Wendy I know would like to stay in the Sofitel for the next 8 weeks. It might be more comfortable than what we are going to experience! We were all bussed to the restaurant and met the Wheelers there. We were welcomed with 2 drinks each - one soft, one a caipirinha! Loads of meat and salmon, salads etc. Speech from John Brown and deputy Mayor of Rio. Good fun. Back by 10.15 to continue packing. Early start tomorrow!!

Copacapana Fort

Wendy felt ill in the morning - sickness, temperature - so she stayed in our room  while Colin and I went to collect the car from the flat and take it to the Fort. Wendy had a quiet day and ate nothing. Most people have now arrived, including the Browns, but John Brown is ill and is not staying on after the start of the Rally.

We all, including Wendy, went to see the cars at the Fort and thought the classic cars were very impressive. We wonder how many of them will complete the whole trip.

 

In the afternoon we went with Nicky to Tijuca (Barra) - a massive American-style mall - and located a company where we bought replacement parts for the Garmin.

We ended the day having a meal with Colin in the evening at El Faro along the front. It was OK, but Wendy wasn't!!

Rio de Janeiro

I went with Colin to the apartment to sort out car and then we all went to Flamengo Beach to meet the British Consul, Geoff Cowling, a friend of Roger Brown's.  He warned us of all possible dangers - crime, accidents, dodgy fuel etc, including the fact that his driver had been shot!! He said he might come and see us off on Saturday.

In the afternoon, we went up to see the statue of Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado. Small train to top, which took about 20 minutes. Marvellous views, even better than Sugar Loaf. Weather perfect. Christ 38 metres from ground (plinth 10 metres high) with a 28 metre arm span. Difficult to fit into photo, especially as the sun was very bright and in the wrong place! Freshly-squeezed mandarin juice then down in the train.

We returned to the hotel and met up with Colin and Ed Hammond and then went and had dinner in Ipanema with Colin, Nicky and Steve.

Rio de Janeiro

Greg and Chris arrived in the night and Colin is due this morning.

Stormy, wet and very windy. As soon as Colin arrived we had coffee and then we went to the port to collect the car, while Wendy got a taxi to Lagoa to go to Botanical Gardens with Nicky. 

Very hot now but lots of shade there. Very tropical with tall trees, not many flowers! Sandwich and drink then back to apartment to wait for Tim and Colin. Apparently it was very fraught and extremely slow at the port and worst of all things had been stolen from the car - sleeping bags and other camping equipment.

When we tried to get the car into Steve & Nicky's apartment's underground garage, it was too high with the spare wheel on top. Fun and games!

We returned to the hotel to have drinks with the others - caipirinhas - delicious, made of cachaca spirit and lime. Ended the day having dinner with Colin, Greg and Chris in our hotel - Le Pre Catelan - excellent.

Rocinha Favela and Ipanema Beach

The morning was spent taking a walk along Copacabana Beach to Copacabana Palace Hotel (old) - very nice with beautiful pool, but no suitable bar for a coffee or juice, which we had in a cafe along the road. Very hot and humid.

Spent the afternoon visiting the favelas with Marcelo Armstrong (guide) and 3 Spaniards in a rickety van. We went to 2 places - Rocinha and Vila Canaos. Shocking proximity of middle/upper-class homes and the American school to these shanty-towns.

Some had no sanitation and an electrical supply bordering on the life-threatening.

Met children in a Community School and bought a few things from them. Home via scenic coast road to the west of our hotel. We then went for a drink upstairs in the bar and had dinner next door with Robinsons and Hammonds.

Ipanema Beach