Rosario - Sao Luis - 74 km ^145
We cycled into the island city of Sao Luis, dead-tired following a long and hot day
into the wind. The road was in poor condition and extremely busy. I hated
situations like this as it made it stressful riding. The shoulder was non-existing, and
busses, trucks and cars careened down on us like bats out of hell. The heat was too
much for my sister, who took a bus to the city centre. We arranged to meet at
Pousada Vitoria, which turned out to be a good choice. The pousada was well
situated in the historic centre. This family home offered a charming courtyard and
homely knick-knacks.
The following day was spent barely doing anything, apart from laundry and a
trundle to the port to find when boats departed for the trip across the Bay to
Alcantara. Unfortunately, the bay was tidal, and ferries could only cross to Alcantara
at high tide.
Sao Luis – Alcantara - By boat
The information we gathered stated the boat departed at 9 a.m. But at the port, we
found all boats still sitting high and dry, and we were told to catch the ferry at a
different port. We jumped on our bikes and raced through the traffic to find the pier
we were pointed at. Eventually, and in time, we came upon the boat, dragged our
bikes across the sand and boarded. The boat finally sailed at 10h00 but struggled
through the narrow canal.
The sea was rough, and my dear sister had a trip straight from hell. The crew
gathered around to try and calm her down, but when you suffer from a fear of
water, there is nothing anyone can do or say to ease your anxiety. To cut a long
story short, we arrived safely on the opposite side. Phew!