(^38) Linhares – Barra Nova – 85 km
Our only option was to head to Barra Nova to see if the card had arrived. Sixty
kilometres down the drag, a large signboard advertised the inn and, after
consulting with locals, we turned off. Twenty–three kilometres, the advertising
board stated. We pedalled and pedalled, but no inn appeared. Eventually, the
paved road ended and turned into a dirt track but still no inn. The sun started
setting, and Amanda (as can be expected) claimed she would catch a bus. Albeit
beautiful, the area was deserted, and where she would find a bus remained a
mystery. The people we encountered seemed perplexed that we wanted to go to
Barra Nova, which according to one man, was far away and across a river (no
bridge, as indicated by the rowing of arms).
Eventually, it became dark, forcing us to wild camp (a first for Amanda). We
pitched our tents at the entrance of what appeared to be an oil refinery as they
had water (to the security staff’s great amusement). Amanda searched anxiously
for a toilet and mumbled, “I could’ve been somewhere in a hotel room.”
The security guards at the gate weren’t only friendly but understandably curious
about what two women on bikes were doing in their part of the world. Once again,
the directions to Barra Nova varied between 10 and 28 kilometres.
Oil refinery – Barra Nova – 20 km
Amanda survived the night without a toilet. Following coffee, we returned to the
gravel road and headed in the direction the oil refinery staff indicated. True to
their instructions, we came across a river about 20 kilometres further.
leana
(Leana)
#1