[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iG_-HVZ3Ses/Uytq7UnAGLI/AAAAAAAAarY/UgVlooPrV98/s144-c-o/P3130272.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#5993001296523696306″ caption=”Some innocent dark round eyes…” type=”image” alt=”P3130272.JPG” ]

Sleeping in a simple open jungle hut with a family
Pos: here
Loc: Punta da Anunciacao
Acc: open jungle hut
Dist: 33,8 km
Start: 6:40 End: 15:00

No stampede went over my tent tonight, and the one poor disabled pig sliding over the beach yesterday unable to use his rear legs didn’t ask for asylum either. I was gone before eventually one of the local men showed up to look for me. Sorry, I could just wave from offshore.

It was a very annoying headwind day with many choppy waves, and amazingly my sole of the left foot played up again with open wounds. I thought I had cured that issue in my air conditioned room in Chavez! I think the constant soak in fresh water is worse than in salt water. And this is the foot stuck in the leftover sandal, the other one works free on the flip flop I had tied to the pedals and feels ok.

I refused a bunch of tempting looking houses, but at some point the skin on my sole was burning so badly I decided to land on an inviting looking high sandy river mouth bank. At least a convenient landing on low tide as I could paddle into the small river mouth to land conveniently in deep water on sand. On inspection, a father and his two teenage sons came out of the bush, have they already seen me approaching?

He invited me to rather paddle to his house a little up the narrow but deep river, and I accepted though the sandy high bank was fine. A mistake? Well, when it came to new experiences, no, but when it came to a quality rest, yes…

I slowly paddled into the calm streaming river, the three guys disappeared. Behind three curves, I spotted a man in a canoe, followed him, he landed and he was waving at some point to join him walking up to his nearby house. Thanks! But was this the house the three guys meant? No sight of them again. Anyway, this man and his wife were at their friendliest to host me and I really enjoyed playing with the 5 month and 3 years old daughters.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PZ1aQPfAhO0/Uytp3SJJA7I/AAAAAAAAarM/Ij6k6D1fcpU/s144-c-o/P3130268.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#5993000127630476210″ caption=”My home for this night. No dry ground outside for a tent.” type=”image” alt=”P3130268.JPG” ]

It was one of the simplest houses I have seen so far, despite two large boats sitting on the dry riverbank. It was only a smooth wooden
platform on stilts, maybe 4 x 8 m, had an asbestos roof, two open walls and the others with open window holes. No generator, no TV, open fire to cook and amazingly no visible outhouse. The interior was equipped with hammocks, many modern clothes stuffed in plastic bags and a bunch of cosmetics, medicine and basic kitchen equipment. Three low wooden stools, that was it.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-89NvxjVGijY/UytrRjTvnoI/AAAAAAAAaro/9VEjebV7j-g/s144-c-o/P3130271.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#5993001678426578562″ caption=”My kayak had to stay afloat with the rising and falling tide for the night, the river banks were too muddy and steep.” type=”image” alt=”P3130271.JPG” ]

Chicken were living on the poles and bars under the house, some ducks, pigs and cows were supposed to be around also. At some point the howler monkeys started their concert right in the trees across the river, but I couldn’t see any of them. At other days I had spotted a few monkeys though probably some smaller different ones.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BtKyQdFYnaI/UytpHI1DtrI/AAAAAAAAarQ/Gz3mRbc5foo/s144-c-o/P3130264.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#5992999300496602802″ caption=”My lovely simple living family in the jungle hut” type=”image” alt=”P3130264.JPG” ]

They had a large car battery operating a radio, and this was as in that other “simple living family” running almost all night after darkness on “Radio Amazon” which must have a strong Christian and national touch. I made my bed rather just on the floor instead of using my hammock or putting up my tent as usual. Also a mistake… it was a very clean floor, still some larger ants I saw played on my mind, not on my body though.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aFlvk6_j3EA/UytrpYkqbDI/AAAAAAAAaw0/O6d4szmB_zw/s144-c-o/P3130275.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#5993002087861611570″ caption=”The kitchen…” type=”image” alt=”P3130275.JPG” ]

Rather the tiny cat found herself twice kicked off my blanket, including her whatever co-inhabitants in her fur coat. The two dogs, during day never inside the house, were obviously at night allowed to sit right on the platform’s edge in my wind direction and were doing their coat cleaning. Plus the noises of the baby nursing, the father snoring, the young girl talking at night, the radio playing, some rain dripping onto my sleeping site and one or two of the amazingly few mosquitoes didn’t really give me a great rest.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7SvxD-31DbQ/UytpvwICTAI/AAAAAAAAaxU/wNpQRWcXcY0/s144-c-o/P3130267.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#5992999998239951874″ caption=”Baby girl!!!” type=”image” alt=”P3130267.JPG” ]

But it was again the most lovely family! What a pity communication is poor, so I spent my afternoon playing with the kids instead of typing or reading my ebook. They enjoyed my camera and the instantly displayed pictures, but a game I tried to show on my cell I felt was rather scary for the man and I put it away soon. He took care of my floating kayak, as I was barely able to walk and they saw it. A lot of healing cream made it better for the next paddling day.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HWMbxMiZmxk/UytuGXXz_NI/AAAAAAAAayo/049A_MUAd6o/s144-c-o/P3150287.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#5993004784778738898″ caption=”It really, really hurts!” type=”image” alt=”P3150287.JPG” ]

I really enjoyed the experience I wouldn’t want to miss, but the next nightI need a private and radio and animal free camp site!