Instead of staying in Brazil after visiting Iguaçu Falls and driving north from there, Mark and I decided to return to Paraguay en route to our next destination, for three reasons: fuel is cheaper in Paraguay, so we wanted to cover a bunch of distance in that country; we didn’t want to use some of our precious, three-month entry allowance for Brazil just driving; and we preferred more time in Paraguay, since we’d enjoyed it. I wrote about those last Paraguayan days here.
Our Brazilian route
Border Crossing into Brazil
On June 17th, we left Paraguay and crossed into Brazil again, needing to drive all over town to find the required government offices and paperwork. This was a very different method from our usual border crossings, where the buildings and desks are located along the main highway. But we got everything straightened out and found a great and affordable grocery store with new products.
(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)
Bonito
That first night was spent at a loud truck stop near Bonito, confirming the fact that Brazil – especially the inland areas – is very heavy on truck traffic. The rutted condition of the roads, bumper-to-bumper traffic in cities, the actual percentage of these massive beasts in relation to cars, and the number of gas stations/truck stops with truckers’ facilities all contributed to this reality.
I had looked forward to snorkeling activities and scenic excursions in Bonito for many years (my blogging friend Gilda wrote an extensive post about it), but a few elements were against us. Prices were sky high (but we did say we’d commit to one excursion); we happened to be there on a long holiday weekend, which increased those steep prices by another 25%; and rainy/chilly days were ahead.
Before making any decisions about which company and which excursion to book, we walked Maya along one of the clear rivers, noticed we were close to an attractive-sounding campground, and checked this place out. Not only did we love the grounds, we also spotted our new South African friends Jo and Wayne.
The decision was made to move into the campground on that rare hot and sunny day and enjoy the facilities. The price for camping was steep for us, but the employees let us stay the following day until dark without charging extra, so it was well worth it!
