Day 534 5th January 2018
28 miles (Nazare to Valenca) Average speed 10 mph Top speed 36 mph
A short day but one of heat and hills.
I got up at 8 and showered, but there was no brekkie so I went to get a coffee and some bread and peach juice which I had with leftover ham and cheese and a banana.
After a couple of calls and making good use of the air con I left at 12 and was stuck behind a big smokey truck for the first ten minutes. Then I hit the first of many hills and struggled in the heat. I was soon drenched through with sweat. I needed to rest after only 6 miles and stopped in a bus stop for shade and to get my breath. There was some beautiful scenery and wildlife and lots of smelly road kill.
There were no shops or bars to buy a drink so I was glad of the water and banana I’d brought with me. The road was good but some of the cars were flying past with no respect of the speed limit or the first road sign I’d seen in Brazil for giving cyclists a 1.5 metre berth.
I made it to the campsite, but not before getting a big cold drink in the supermarket. Camping was nearly double the price on the website, but I guess it’s high season and still only cost the equivalent of £10 including a very good buffet breakfast. I tried to go for a swim but the gates were closed so I showered and went in search of food. I met two teachers from Menaus and they walked with me as we tried to communicate as best we could. I showed them the supermarket I’d been to earlier but they needed a clothes line and pegs, which I only realised later, otherwise I’d have offered them mine.
They pointed out a restaurant for me, but it was empty and not very inviting, so I went for a walk and found one with a bbq and freshly cooked meat. The waiter was very helpful despite me having no idea what I was doing and I got some steaks and salad with bread crumbs.It is a very spicy salad which I’m beginning to enjoy even if I can’t feel my lips for a while!!
Then I returned to the campsite and the girls invited me to join them and we talked via google translate while I had a nightcap.
Camping 45 reais inc good brekkie.