Day 548 19th January 2018
41 miles (Itamajaru to Teixeira de Freitas) Average speed 9.9 mph Top speed 36 mph
Another tough day of hills and trucks.
I was awake at 3am and listening to the radio again. I did go to bed early but I really should be sleeping more after all this exertion! I got back to sleep for a while and got up at 7.30. Once the cleaner had opened the front door I could go to brekkie, but it’s a good job there wasn’t a fire!
I had brekkie across the road of two ham and cheese pastries and a jam doughnut with two coffees from a very friendly waitress. Then I packed up and got my bike from the garage and was on the road by 9.15. I knew what to expect as I’d seen the lorries slowly going up the massive hill the night before while listening to the gospel choir. It was extremely hot and I was drenched by sweat within minutes. My new haircut just meant the sweat ran down my face instead of staying in my hair, which mixed well with the extra suntan lotion I now needed for my head!
It was a hard morning and I was very pleased and relieved to find a bar at the top of a big climb where I ordered a two litre bottle of Schin orange and a water. It was a relief to sit down for five minutes especially after their dog chased me as I arrived. At 1.30 I got to a petrol station and had a good self serve lunch for 16 raeis and a two litre bottle of guarana. No wonder I was drinking so much as I later discovered that it was 35 c today.
As I set off after a peaceful lunch I attacked the next hill but was attacked by 4 dogs and pushed off the road again by an irate trucker.
I had dinner sitting in a footy bar watching Palmeiras v Portuguesa (I think it may be an under 21 game) of chicken, salad and rice and beans. I’m not sure if the waitress persuaded me to buy a beer for her but I’m about to find out when the bill arrives.
Well it didn’t turn out as I expected. The bill was 26reais for a great meal and two litres of beer! I’m now sat in a service station with lots of truckers and the atmosphere is brilliant, there are people playing guitars and others singing.
It’s much better than in the towns. Everyone is laughing and joking and having a whale of a time and it’s only 8.30. Everything I’ve read about these places Is true. There is such a wide diversity of characters and varying walks of life all coming together and having fun. As a side note, Mickey mouse is very popular here as most of the girls and men wear their t shirts.
Pousada Ipanema 60 reais