This is more of a status update than an exciting blog post…
When we discovered that I couldn’t get a 90-day extension to stay the full six months in Brazil as a Belgian—hoping we’d sell our camper by then—we needed a new plan. The closest border was Paraguay. Having great memories from our previous visit, we decided to make it our South American base for a while, at least until the heat chased us off or a buyer popped up for Bella.
(As always, click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)
Tacuru Pucu, Hernandarias
After crossing the border in hectic Ciudad del Este on September 11, Mark, Maya, and I returned to the free Tacuru Pucu campground, managed by the Itaipu Dam organization. Just like five months earlier, we stayed the allowed 14 days, but the grounds and facilities had deteriorated further.
Some of the electricity and water hookups were broken, the WiFi worked intermittently, and none of the hot showers functioned anymore. Most days, it was hot enough to shower with cold water anyway—or we could use our own shower and refill the tank with potable water. Maya was only allowed in a restricted area, so long walks were out of the question.
Despite the bugs and the heat, we enjoyed a much-needed break. Our favorite amenity remained the covered palapa, where we could do hand laundry, eat at the picnic table, chat with new and familiar faces (including Larry, who stopped by briefly), and swing in our hammock. I even started reading a book again!
Those two weeks filled up fast with cleaning nearly everything in and on the camper, cooking delicious meals, writing, catching up on Brazil blog posts, and setting up a new computer after more files got corrupted on my ancient laptop. Now, I’m getting used to two new-to-me devices.
I also gave my published book some long-overdue attention and started experimenting with a virtual audiobook. After a few chapters, I abandoned the idea—Amazon’s beta version wasn’t ready for prime time. Meanwhile, Mark repaired our water pump after an entertaining ride to the free zone with a Colombian, a Cuban, and a Paraguayan.
Nights were restless. Each blistering, humid day seemed to culminate in a violent storm, leaving us with a couple of chilly mornings before the heat built again. Maya was terrified of the thunder and lightning, and fireworks or gunfire from a nearby military base didn’t help either.
Mark was sick for a few days as well; a bummer. When it was too hot to do anything but sit in the shade of our palapa, we fantasized and talked about the next chapter in our lives, after our camper sells.
Ñacunday Falls
On our way to Hohenau to revisit Manantial Campground, we stopped for a night at Ñacunday Falls. Reaching the campsite deep in the jungle required trimming branches, brushing past foliage, and careful maneuvering to get level, but the peace was worth it.
