Overnight my batteries had recharged and were back at 45%. I was thirsty but I had no money. The streets were completely empty, no one and definitely no Gringo around to ask for 1 Euro or even for 100 Bolivares. It was time to leave and drive to the border, for whatever reason I drove to the Gringo Street and saw a small group of blonde girls standing in front of the hotel of Eric, the German tour operator Backpackers. They could very well be the group that I actually met on my terrible way down from Mount Roraima and had a small talk after I had realized that they spoke German. The girl remembered me, we had another small talk but then I immediately asked her to help me out with 200 Bolivares to buy me a drink before going to the border; easily she gave me what actually was twenty five European cents. Thank you.

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I went to the only snack bar open at this time and had the last Coca Cola from the refrigerator. There was nothing more I could do than drive to the border and wait for all the government offices to open. It was 06:30 hours in the morning and I drove through an empty Santa Elena de Uairen, followed all the Brazil sign boards out of the town and arrived at the border fifteen minutes later.All Venezuelan offices were still closed and would open at 08:00 hours; even the border from Venezuela towards Brazil was still closed and just opened another fifteen minutes later. The military staff had now the time to take the obligatory pictures with the confiscated illegal goods that smuggler had tried to import the day before. One sergeant had to pose with his weapon next to the desk with the goods of each smuggler, altogether about fifteen times.

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The immigration office opened just a few minutes before 08:00 and I was the one men queue, I was first in line and it was my turn. The assistant asked for me to confirm my date of birth, September 4^th. I confirmed and she looked to me with a smile and confirmed her date of birth, September 4^th. I had to smile as well but that was it, time to say good bye. I walked across the street to the immigration office for my friend the car. The staff was just arriving and it took a full hour before they had the computers turned on, before they had finished their coffee, before they had finished their small talk and before they were ready to attend me and my friend. The assistant went outside to check the numbers of the document issued two months earlier with the car. We went back inside and were finally ready to enter legally Brazil.

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I just needed now the stamp from the Brazilian federal police to confirm my legal entry. I was the one men queue, I was first in line and it was my turn. I was back in Brazil. I went to my bank and this time the machine had money. I had money and I had supermarkets full with everything, more expensive but no queue. My stomach probably had the normal size again but I was still not feeling hungry. I had to eat something and actually I wanted to eat something now that I had access to so many things; I had two fresh and crunchy French baguettes and a big chunk of mortadella.

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I left Pacaraima around lunch time and drove slowly back to Boa Vista, turned on a House music mix from my friend, put the legs next to steering wheel, relaxed and let my batteries recharge. I had exactly enough petrol to arrive in Boa Vista and had no more than 50 km allowance before the 40.000 km revision. I drove straight to the Volkswagen dealer, asked for the manager, sat down in his office and explained my project Rio 2016, my situation and my proposal. He had to speak to the director for the final ok and the final price for the long term parking and would come back to me tomorrow morning. I had a slice of pizza at the supermarket for dinner. My batteries were back at 50%.

Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.

For a small understanding of the days travel, I have included a Google Earth map. The red pins mark the locations I have stopped and taken pictures. At the bottom of the page you will find a link for all the pictures I have taken. The link will open in a Picasa album. At the top left of this Picasa album you will find the button for a Slideshow.

Please click on map to enlarge!!!

See map and distances / Siehe Karte und Entfernungen / Ver mapa e distâncias / Ver mapa y distancias

0 km                     Santa Elena de Uairen

135 km                 Amajari

235 km                 Boa Vista

Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.