Baixio – Sitio do Conde - 51 km ^101
Amanda, unwell, preferred taking the bus to Conde, the next community on the
map. As soon as she boarded the bus, I continued by bicycle. The route was hilly
and it was perhaps a good thing Amanda took the bus as it bucketed down almost
all the way. Once in Condo, I found Amanda at the bus stop.
Condo was smaller than envisaged and it was better to cycle the six kilometres to
Sitio do Conde, a lovely laidback beach village. With practically no one around, we
were spoilt for choice. A reasonably priced hammock-adorned abode, right on the
beach made a good place from where to watch the pounding waves, barely a few
metres away. So enjoyable was it, staying the following day came naturally as it was
a “swing-another-day-in-a-hammock” kind of place.
Sitio do Conde – Estancia - 89 km
A tropical storm came in during the night and, by morning, we had serious doubts
about whether to continue. Amanda (cleverly) decided to take the bus, and we
arranged to meet in Estancia. I biked along the ever-so-hilly road but luckily
encountered a lovely tailwind.
Once across the border into the tiny state of Sergipe, and with twenty-five
kilometres to go, I had a flat tyre. Fixing it, Amanda’s bus came past, and I saw a
little white hand waving out the bus window. By the time I got to Estancia, she
already located a room (as well as a few cold beers). I could get used to such luxury
and was getting ideas of encouraging her to take the bus more often.