Not twelve hours, not ten hours but only eight hours was the time that the last delivery, the last sale of the year lasted in the city of Sao Paulo de Olivença. Just three hours after departure the engine slowed down for the first time today. The stops had been a funny mixture of city, community, city, community, city, community. It was early in the morning and the community had just woken up, the shops were about to open and the activity on the main street was calm and slow. I walked towards one end of the main street, passed first the monkey and then the stand with the fresh fish, the first catch from this morning, still alive and breathing.

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Five minutes to one end, I turned around and five minutes to the other end, I turned around and was back at the point of origin. I sat down with a group of indigenous to watch the activities on the ship and on the deck, thirty seconds of silence where they pretended to not have noticed my presence but then the children could not resist anymore and had to start smiling and then laughing. I had focused on the little indigenous blonde girl and was joking with her all the time about her blonde hair. She was four years old like my baby Matilda and her face was identical to the face of her two sisters; her hair was not colored, it was natural blonde, indigenous blonde.

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Twelve more hours and we would arrive this evening in Tabatinga and drop off the passengers. The Voyager V would actually continue further to Benjamin, another hour drive, a night of unloading, another hour drive and probably arrive back in Tabatinga again at 06:00 hours or 07:00 hours in the morning. I had the option to stay or go straight to the airport in Leticia to look for a flight. I had three gringos on board all looking for a flight and maybe more gringos in Tabatinga / Leticia / Santa Rosa looking for a flight, so I wanted to be first in line to check the availability for the next couple of days.

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One last time lunch, rice and pasta, feijao and chicken, last time rest after lunch, last rain shower and finally one last dinner, rice and pasta, feijao and chicken. We arrived at 21:30 hours in Tabatinga, 20:30 hours in Leticia. I gave a big hug to the elder man, a hug to the man and his daughter and took the next moto taxi to the airport in Leticia.

The airport was still open but all flights of the day had left and all counters were closed. I spoke to the security and he confirmed a charter flight to Cali at 00:30 hours. I could not take a flight tonight because I had to go to the federal police in Tabatinga first to get my stamp for leaving Brazil and then go to the immigration in Leticia to get my stamp for entry in Colombia; only then I could theoretically enter a plane. I still wanted to get as much information as possible tonight; two flights tomorrow one with Avianca and one with LAN, both around midday; the counter of Avianca would open one more time tonight for the charter flight and both airlines again tomorrow morning at 08:00 hours.

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A backpacker couple from Chile and I was the only passengers at the airport; we waited for the Avianca staff to arrive and open the counter. Just before the arrival of the staff a passenger from the Voyager V arrived, he was Colombian and actually looking for a flight to Cali. Now a travel agent from “Selwatravel” arrived, he was responsible for last minute tickets for the charter, 20.000 Pesos, cash only. We, the passengers from the Voyager V did not have cash for the ticket, the backpacker couple from Chile did and off they went. I spoke one more time to the security and asked if it would be possible to sleep at the airport tonight and yes it was.

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For a small understanding of the Amazon River 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!!!

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