Latin America: French Guiana and Brasil trip 17 Dec 2019- 7 Jan 2020
My friend Heather, her dog Minnie and I started our Latin America adventure by taking Blablacar from London to Paris. There was no other way we could get to Paris with a baby dog but by car. No plane, bus or train allow pets on. We were lucky to find this kind Portuguese guy Eduardo who was heading to South America- Bolivia in the same time we were going to French Guiana. In the middle of the major strikes in Paris we’ve managed somehow to get there from London on the 16th of December to take off on the 17th. It took us 7 hours drive from London to Paris. As soon as we arrived to the Porte de la Chapelle in Paris we went for a really good and cheap Afghan food. We slept at the hotel near by Orly airport so we could get our flight to Cayenne the next morning. There have been some public transport strikes in Paris since the last 2 months. We were lucky that we were traveling by car as the most of the trains have been cancelled. Likely we arrived extremely early to the airport 4 hours before the flight on the 17th December. When we were about to check in we were asked for a yellow fiver vaccination which we didn’t have proof of. I didn’t have one and Heather’s expired a long time ago. There is a medical centre at the Orly airport where you can get from the vaccination or certificate. We’ve only got the certificates (25€ each). Finally we were ready to go through the gates and reach hour plane. It all took approx 4 hours. On the plane we were stuck by one and half hour due to some traffic lights problems at the airport. I’ve got really sick, I must have had some food poisoning before leaving Europe. It might have also been up to stress. The Uber In Paris was 3 times more expensive than in London, probably due to the public’s transport drivers strike. It was the same price (85€) to go to the hotel near by the Orly airport from the Porte de la Chapelle in Paris as traveling from London to Paris.
After 9 hours of flight we landed in French Guiana. At 5:30pm we arrived and took the most expensive cab to reach the Hôtel La Chaumière (75€ per night b&b) Chemin La Chaumière, Matoury 97351, French Guiana.
We were welcomed by a very strong crickets sound. We were staying in the jungle. We were tired so we went to sleep really early at 7pm local time. There is only 3 hours of time difference compering to London’s time. The next day after I woke up at 6am I did my yoga practice at this outdoor wooden space. It was peaceful and warm. The life was waking up and the nature was getting more and more alive. I’ve joined my friend for a breakfast and noticed she was talking to someone of Indian origins. He was a tour guide and offers us a lift to the town (Cayenne) to go to the local market and sort out the car rental. He described the cultural diversities of French Guiana, people from India, Laos, Africa, Duch and French. It’s a real mixture af all those cultures over there. We went to the biggest market in French Guiana, we’ve got some mangos, papayas, bananas and passion fruit (Maracuja). We took a cab (35€/15km drive) to get to the Cayenne’s airport where we landed the day before to pick up the car (automatic 25€ a day) for 8 days 18-26 Dec. We definitely needed some freedom to move around without spending hilarious amount of many on cabs. The cabs in FG are really expensive, much more than in London. In the evening before the Sunset we went to the nearest beach Plage Sainte Rita In Remire-Montjoly. Heather wanted to check out the temperature of the water so she decided to get into it. She started disappearing in the clay/mud formed on the shore of the Guinean Atlantic Ocean. It was quite scary to get out of it as it was sucking her in. Because of the low tight the sea was 1km away from us. She had a nice free clay treatment in the sea mud. It was like having a skin clay treatment. When she came out of the clay she looked like she was wearing boots all the way up to her knees. Her little dog Minnie Monkey of course has followed her and they both looked like wearing boots/wellingtons. People were smiling while looking at her, it was really funny.
We walked along the beach all the way down to the jungle. As we entered the jungle we were a part of the crickets the most amazing concert. The sound was empowered by singing frogs, the experience was so unique. The darkness started coming and we needed to head back to find our car. As usual we totally forgot where we parked the car. Eventually when the darkness came we found our car. We were ready to had back to the hotel. The next day I walked up at 5:30am and had some yoga practice 6am, followed by a nice full breakfast afterwards at 9am (fresh passion fruit and orange juice), some boiled eggs, ham and cheese sandwich, pan de chocolate and croissants with different jams (blueberry, mango, strawberry). After I lost Minnie Monkey for a moment, likely she found her way to our room and ended up with her mommy 1 (Heather). We were set up for our road trip to explore the deep jungle. After 2 hours drive we ended up in this beautiful place by Kaw river. We took a boat (5€ each one way) to the nearest village. We met two local guys who indicated us the safe way to jump in to the river. They also reassured us that the caymans even if they are 6m long, won’t eat any humans. My friend couldn’t overcome the fear of being eaten by the cayman but I didn’t think twice and dove into the Kaw river, the brunch of the Amazon river. The colour of water was red, it wasn’t see-through but it was clean and refreshing. The current was strong so it felt like being stuck in the same place without moving anywhere. It was quite nice to do the work out without changing any destination.
Around 4pm we decided to head back to the car park and continue our journey. We’ve been offered to stay in the village over the night and sleep in the hummocks (10€ each per night), but eventually we refused the offer. On the way back to that little harbour where we arrived by the little boat (pierogies), we met the same guides (Boris and Avelino) from the over side of the river. They gave us a lift back. They also told us that they were living on the boat near by. We asked if we could stay over night there and they invited us to do so (10€ each per night). They still had some clients to take on the river’s tour. We joined them free of charge. It was exactly what we had in mind to do. We sailed along the river for few hours until the dark came. Sometimes it rained as we were in the middle of the rainforest, eventually our guid found a little half a meter cayman and picked it up to show us. The skin of the cayman was very soft and pleasant to touch.
We came back to the boat house around 9pm. Those 2 guides lived in the boat house. They prepared the mattress for us to sleep on while they were resting on their hummocks. The night was exceptional, with noises of jumping monkeys, bats, frogs, crickets and mosquitos. We hardly slept as there was constantly something happening. Likely we had a mosquitos net. There were plenty of mosquitos outside of the net but still quite a lot inside the net on my site keeping me the company. In the morning by sunrise 6 am I had a nice swim in the Kaw river. The body and mind felt refreshed and ready for the day. We had some fruit left from the local market in Cayenne, therefore we prepared the breakfast of papaya and passion fruit. I had some bread, cheese and salami left from the Cayenne airport bin so we shared it too. Our guides made some coffee for us and we had a nice sharing food experience. They invited us to stay as long as we wanted and of course they invited us for Xmas to join them. We weren’t sure what was going to be the next leg of our journey. We didn’t want to make any plans as we were simply going with the flow. My friend Heather has done some yoga practice on the deck with a spacial effects. In the background we could hear the tropical rain hitting the roof of the boat creating such a unique drumming symphony. She’s done some meditation and we were ready to continue our adventure.
We had no clue where to go. As usual we were lead by ours and our little Minnie Monkey’s intuition. We were destined to explore the most hidden and spectacular places of French Guiana. This was the 4th day of our trip.
20th Dec - Day 4
We went for a boat trip to the Kaw’s village again and after we returned back to our boat house we were ready to go and continue our road trip. Since we’ve arrived, the tropical rain has never stopped. It’s been been raining significantly. It wasn’t an issue as the temperature was still high (26 C). But we’ve got wet on the regular bases. We stopped to have some lunch in the nearest restaurant on the way to Regina. Super expensive (20€ per fish dish), in the middle of the rain forest, consistent rain made us relax and talk. Eventually we were set up to go to Cacao and then Regina. On the way to Regina there was a huge car accident where the truck hit the bus. We were stuck in the traffick in the middle of the rain forest and waiting for the road to be cleared out. Finally after 2 hours of waiting we were ready to go to Regina. As soon as we arrived in 1 hour it was already dark. There were no hotels in the area. In the nearest shop we met a local guy who spoke Portuguese. We asked for a cheap accommodation for a night and he took us to his brother’s Rasta hut. It was like a crack addicted people slam place. He set up for us a broken and smelly couch with really disgusting smelly sheets and the hummock. We paid 23€ for the night and as soon as he left we packed up our begs and left as well. In the darkness in the middle of the jungle we made our way back to the car and we drove back to the town Cayenne (120km) where we stayed a night before. Heather booked the 4 star Grand Hotel Montabo (125€ per night) and we arrived there after 2 hours drive. It was such a journey, I was driving fighting against the sleep and finally we managed to have a peaceful, restful and clean night. We had a great breakfast after the false fire alarm went off at 6am. After the last night of unpleasant experience of being in the middle of the juggle in this poor dirty Rasta man house, left on ourselves, heading back for next 120 miles to the capital of French Guiana- Cayenne, staying in a comfortable grand hotel, being awaken by the fire alarm and told off by the cheff that the dogs are not allowed in the restaurant, eventually we’ve decided to get back to the jungle and find a simple but cleaner place to stay. In fact we were heading back to Regina where we escaped from last night. We wanted to experience the nature.
We ended up in this magic place in the Blues Caffe Carbet. It’s an eco camping side in the middle of the jungle between Cacao and Regina. I slept in the hummock for 12 hours. Probably the best sleep I have had since the beginning of our trip. Heather with Minnie Monkey slept in the tent. We had a quite night with a few people drinking some alcohol in our space until Heather asked them to be quite. They kindly went to sleep. In the morning as soon I got up 6am I went to the river, had some yoga practice and swim. The current in the river is quite strong so it’s difficult to swim against it. It’s a quite nice work out for the body to stay still in one point while swimming intensively. Each roofed space can hold up to 10 hammocks. We occupied in total 6. I slept in the hummock while Heather and Minnie Monkey in the tent. Likely I took it with me so we can stay wherever we want. The following day we went to the local - Asian market in Cacao. We had some fruit, vegetarian summer rolls, tapioca coconut drink, sweat coconut tapioca. As we left the market we headed to the river where we met some members of the French foreign legion. They were looking after the forest by blocking illegal Brazilian gold mining. This process involves the mercury which is poisoning the Amazon river. The military guys were very handsome but we were very well behaved and politely after a swim in a large river and long conversation with them we got into the car and continue our road trip down to San George. San George is a ghost town which you would never want to visit. We decided to enter Brasilian side of Amazon. Without the green card for our car and Brazilian Visa for my American friend Heather. She sorted out everything with the immigration officials. She issued her own brazilian visa on the brasilian federal police website, she sorted out the green card, all free of charge. We were set up to enter BRASIL. We drove through the Amazonian rain forest for 6 hours to get to the nearest town Amapá. The road was really hush, lots of wholes. We managed to get to Amapa where we nocked to the pousada Cactous door at midnight. Someone opened me the door and handled the room key. The room was very basic with cold water, but you don’t really need any hot water while being in tropics. The breakfast from the reviews was supposed to be spectacular but it wasn’t. In price of 100 reals/30€ per room with breakfast included we’ve got offered, one egg omelet, tapioca, coffee with milk and juice. The town was tiny and dirty by the Amazon river. There was nothing interesting to explore. We took the car in the morning and after breakfast we headed to one of the largest cities in Brasil - Macapá. We ended up in the Macapa hotel, very comfortable with the best breakfast we had so far sim e the beginning of the journey. We were supposed to go on the boat trip to explore Amazon but Heather’s needed to go to the vets. We ended up in the most modern and the best equipped vets Clinique. It turned out the Minnie Monkey has a very rare bacteria coughs up in the jungle through the tick. It’s kind of dog’s malaria and it destroys the whole immune system and internal organs in not treated ASAP. We were lucky that Heather spotted it out just in time before it’s developed. Not cured might lead to death. We were fricked our when we heard it from the doctor. Likely Minnie after the treatment (2 injunctions) didn’t have any side effects. We need to repeat it in two weeks time before leaving for France. Possibly she’s got it from French Guiana, it’s quite common over here in South America. Also humans can get it. The next day we stayed at the hotel and did some beauty treatments: full body massage (60 reals/15€) and some waxing (60 reals/15€). The following day we drove to the eco village 22 km away from Macapá, in the jungle by the Amazon river. We stayed there for 2 nights 3 days. It was relaxing and recharging the energy levels after our 10 hour trip from French Guiana. The ecotel was in the middle of the Amazonian jungle surrounded by beautiful ecosystem, natural lake. In the morning while practicing yoga we had coties-monkeys species climbing the trees and terrace to say hello. They were very curious and courageous, they didn’t fear coming close to the humans. They looked like they were domesticated. After yoga practice by the terrace with the lakes and cotties view, swim in the pool and nice reach breakfast we went to the Amazonian beach and swam in the Amazon river. We hired the boat and went along Amazon river for a couple of hours (150reales). After a week of being in Brazil we headed back to French Guiana. On the way back we stoped in the ghosts town of Amapa int he same Cactus Pousada we stoped on the way to Brazil. It’s probably the only descent B&B in this area. In the morning we were ready to drive 6 hours to the borders with French Guiana. On the way we stoped by the river to have a nice spiritual experience of connecting with the nature. Heather practiced yoga and healed her dog from the dizzies she picked up. I went for a long swim along the river and connected with my ex boyfriend who just died from cancer. I have connected with him on a very spiritual level in order to release his pain before he ended his life and also release my pain after I knew about his death. I told him how much I loved him and that he always will be a part of me. I hope our ways will cross again in another life. It’s been excruciating to know that I will never see him again and will never be able to share how significant he was in my life. I couldn’t forgive myself that I wasn’t there to safe his life but eventually I’ve realised that either I was there or not it wouldn’t make any difference. He decided to go, he always told me that he will live well but short. Definitely he was right. He lived an incredible life full of passion, love, joy and he was the most social person I could ever encounter. Everyone loved him to pieces. So did I. We’ve been connected spiritually for last 25 years. We had an incredible time together during our 5 years long relationship and very deep spiritual connection for the last 20 years. I thought one day we were going to get old together. But I didn’t expect his death so early.
I would like to dedicate this incredible trip in South America with my friend Heather and her dog Minnie Monkey to Cico, my companion, my friend, my love. Hope you’re going to rest in peace wherever you are and I hope to see you again. I loved you so much and I know you did too. Thank you for being a part of my life and my story. It’s been so hard to forgive myself that I wasn’t near you when you were suffering so much during your last days and all those years I’ve been a part from you while traveling and living my life. I’m sorry for my mistakes and I want to forgive myself that I’ve been on my journey without you. I only realised now how short our life is and how important is to live the moment instead of wondering about the future and overanalysing. I couldn’t accept that I left and never returned.
We were trying to leave Brazil on the 28th of December but we arrived to the border 10 min after the border was closed. We were asked to find the Federal Police which we found randomly on the road. They realised that we entered illegally Brazil and we needed the stamps of entry. Eventually they gave us the stamps of entry a week after we physically entered Brazil. It means that we spent that week on the bridge between French Guiana and Brazil. We couldn’t get through the borders as the passage was closed so the federal policemen took us to the hotel and asked to come back to the boarder the next day in the morning at 8am. So we were stack at the borders of an ugly town and trying to get WiFi in order to cancel our apartment with a sea view in French Guiana booked for that night. In the whole town there was no WiFI. Finally we found on place with WiFi - the pharmacy “Farma”.
The next day we left for French Guiana. We almost got into a trouble at the Brazilian boarder, but likely we met our immigration officer friend who let us through the borders without an exit stamp. We were supposed to get it from the federal police before passing the borders. Finally we went through and crossed the bridge connecting French Guiana with Brazil. We went on the other side back to French Guiana. As we were crossing the bridge the vibe changed.
In Brazil people were warmer and there was a sunshine. French Guiana is beautiful but also very rainy and expensive. Brazil is much cheaper while French Guiana is a French territory therefore is much more expensive. Though the infrastructure like roads and all other public services are much more developed in French Guiana than in Brazil. We stayed in a very nice and comfortable accommodation with the sea front in Cayenne - Hotel Des Amandiers.
The sea was not very transparent as the Amazon affects the colour of the water. The view was amazing from our hotel and the staff members very kind to let us smuggle Minnie in. There were many Syrian and Palestinian refugees who were camping near by. It was sad to watch them but still very hopeful that they could get help form the French government in French Guiana.
I’ve met one Palestinian guy quite handsome good looking who told me the story of his trip to reach French Guiana. He traveled all the way from Lebanon to French Guiana, through several Arabic, African, Latin American countries up to French Guiana. His only dream was to get papers to become a citizen of France and run a business. He said that a kg of tomatoes in FG is 7€, he could set up the tomatoes plantation and sell tomatoes for 3€/1kg. I wished him the best of luck in new 2020 and went to sleep as usual at 9pm.
The next day we drove to Kuru. Kuru is 1h distant from Cayenne. We returned the car to the car rental company Sixt. We didn’t clean the car to cover all the damage we did to the car while driving back and forth on the dirty road from French Guiana to Brazil.
We did fly over the road for few meters and landed in one piece. Though we lost bits and pieces of our car. At the beginning the car was making some strange noises but after another little flight the noises were gone and the car was perfect again. We only realised the day later that the car lost some spare parts. When we arrived in Kuru, we didn’t need the car any longer as the following day we were heading to les Iles de Salut (the Salvations Islands).
We stayed in Kuru in a really nice apartment (Charman Studio booked via Airbnb) owned by two very kind ladies. Prescila took us by car to the port twice to sort out our transfer to the Salvation’s islands 🌴 She has also extended our check out time before we took our private boat to the island. We enjoyed that nicely designed new apartment and took the boat at 6pm instead of 8am. We finally reached our destination-the Salvation’s islands at 7pm.
Iles de Salut are one of the most beautiful almost desert islands. The only accessible island where you can stay over night in the hotel, in the hammock or tent is the Royal Island.
As soon as we arrived it was already dark. We set up our tent in the rain forest by the sea. The wind from the sea was cooling us down and there was almost no mosquitos. We went for a walk to the hotel in the former French prison. In fact French Guiana like Australia was initially the prisoners place. The Salvation’s Islands held the prisons with the highest penalties, as prisoners couldn’t escape due to the strong currents around the islands. As we walked up to the hotel for approx 1min, we could hear some music. It was a New Year’s Eve the 31st of December 2019. It was around 8pm, people started coming to the reception’s area to get some drinks and starters. We were waiting for the manager of the hotel Auberge des îles du Salut to give us availability of the rooms. Eventually my friend booked a nice room for three nights (€150 per night). We went back to pick up the tent and check in to the hotel’s room by the sea.
We had a nice terrace were we could relax and enjoy being in the middle of the jungle. The rooms likely didn’t have any AC as they were partially opened. The breeze of the wind was strong enough to cool us down. As the New Year’s Eve was promising a long night accompanied by the laud music, we decided to join the party and dance until the morning.
I was the last one leaving the stage. The next day we were announced that we won the New Year’s award - a dinner for two people. There was apparently a lottery which we didn’t participate in but never the less we won the award for the best dance.
The following night Heather and I had a nice dinner at the hotel with the accompaniment of a wonderful jungle and sea sound as we were in the open space surrounded by the outstanding nature.
The sea wasn’t very clear because of the Amazon river coming into it but still much better than on the main land. We swam with the turtles.
On the first day of our stay on the Salvation’s Island as soon as I found the spot to dive into to sea, I went with the flow and the strong current made me crush against the rocks. I’ve ended up bleeding with few scratches on my legs. I hurt badly the sole of my right food and couldn’t properly walk for a few days. The wound was deep and kept bleeding. I was a little bit concerned about having some infection. But I set up my mind not to have one and in this way I overcame the danger of having one.
When I was supposed to walk around the island and I couldn’t because of my injury, likely I’ve seen our security friend who I met during the New Year’s Eve party. He drove me around by his car.
The salvation’s island was an ex-prison therefore there was a post office, school of ex-officials children, church and other proprieties either belonging to the staff members of the prison or the prison in itself. The prison was shut down in 60’s and since then it was replaced by a hotel with facilities for hummocks. It was such a beautiful place. Hotel was quite pricy like everything else in French Guiana. The price of the room was €150 with breakfast included. The prices in FG were really cosmic.
After 4 days of being on this beautiful Salvation’s island we made our way back to the main land in Kourou.
We didn’t have any tickets booked for the catamaran to take us back. Likely we made friends with the staff members and the Capitan let us in on board without charging for the tickets.
We were traveling back with the security Joan Noël who offered us a lift to go to the b&b where we left our language. My friend met some handsome guy who was a part of the crew. He offered us a lift as well. After we accepted his offer we went to vets to sort out some heart worming tablet for Minnie Monkey.
Then we came back to the same b&b we stayed at the beginning of our trip. It was such a nice and peaceful place in the middle of the jungle.
The loud sound of the crickets as a therapeutic touch was nice for the ears. We had two more days left before the end of our South American adventure.
We went to the artificial lake Petit-Saut Dam on the Sinnamary river which was created to produce the power https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petit-Saut_Dam There is only one way to get around it - by the boat. Unfortunately we couldn’t rent a canoe there. We would have to go back to Kourou to rent it out from there. There was no more time to do so. We went to Kourou for the evening to say good bye to our friends and to see the Space Station. It was quite impressive to watch it. This is the main attraction of the FG tourism, which is really insignificant. Then we spent by the hotel’s pool the remaining time.
At the end of our journey we went to the airport to return the car which my friend rented for the last two days. My friend DJ Mike from the French Guiana Radio Premiere came to say good bye. We were ready to take off and come back to London. None of us: my friend Heather and I wanted to return. We were better off in the tropics. One day we’ll be living in a nice and warm place. It’s just a matter of time to get ready to move on and settle in the middle of the nature.
French Guiana 🇬🇫 is the only EU country in the whole Latin America. It’s the size of Portugal 84000km2 with only 290 000 habitants. The 8O% of the population is male. It’s a paradise for the straight females😉 The landscape is covered mainly by vegetation, lots of springs, rivers, lakes make the experience even more unique. You can travel with the hummock with a mosquitos net and sleep all over in the Cabernet.
Thank you Heather for taking me on this amazing trip. I really appreciate it 🙏
