I had not expected to stay in Manaus that long and definitely not expected to stay at the airport that long but it had been the most comfortable and secure alternative. I had been in Manaus and at the airport now for the last five days, five days that I actually needed to complete the work for the project, at least up to my adventure to Mount Roraima. I hated to be behind with the work for the project right now, I had been with my baby Matilda for two weeks and did not have the time to upload up to date and now I would be going onto the boat to Tabatinga for a full week and would not have access to the internet. The queue that I had worked off up to now would start growing again, day by day.

Lunch time and the last time Bobs Burger, the Hamburger Trio with refill. I had completed to upload all the days of the adventure to Mount Roraima to the site, completed to place all national parks of Mexico onto Google Earth and wanted to upload this afternoon two more days before going to the port. Ready, one more chocolate ice cream and then waiting at the bus stop outside the terminal for bus number 306 to pick me up.

The first part of the drive up to the terminal number one was easy and quick; most of the traffic was on the opposite lane coming from direction city center but then we needed about one hour for the last two kilometers to terminal number one. All buses were full with people and all buses were heading to the terminal at the same time causing an enormous traffic jam. Terminal number one was about one kilometer long and one of five gated terminals to change bus, now probably fifty different bus lines were all arriving at the same time causing an enormous bus jam within the terminal. We needed more than twice the time before we arrived at the bus stop city center / port. The bus stop city center / port was about one kilometer long as well and bus stop to probably fifty different bus. Like terminal number one, the boardwalk of the bus stop city center / port was full of snack stands with all kinds of quick food and drinks, ice cream or Din Din’s, suits, newspaper and small merchants with again a long list of goods. I went to the port, passed the gate, asked the security for my boat the Voyager V and walked down to the pier. About forty to fifty boats were lined up at the pier and probably twice the number of trucks of all size was parked in front of them. Numerous workers were loading the different boats.

I walked first to the left of the pier along the boats but did not see Voyager V, walked back and now to the right of the pier along the boats and Voyager V was the last boat. First I could not identify a responsible from the crew and waited watching the workers do their job. Actually one of the workers then invited me to simply go to the second floor where the passengers have their hammock area and make myself comfortable and this is what I did. On my way up then another crew member asked me for my ticket, checked the details and guided me to the second floor. To my surprise about fifty hammocks were already built up and passengers were resting in the dark. I located my spot, hung up my hammock and went back to the bus stop to have something to eat. A man carrying a big plate with prepared plastic bowls with French Fries passed me and I decided to try one. They were still warm and quiet tasty, I followed the man, finished my first bowl and had another one before I walked back to the boat and to my hammock.