I had some sleep or maybe it was just rest but whatever it was, enough to start the engine of the car, drive to the next supermarket, buy a Coca Cola and drive off. Just an hour later I reached latitude 00°00°00 and longitude 60°38°45 in the middle of the Amazon forest, I occupied one square meter out of 40.075 along the equator. I am sure in many other square meters of this kind along the equator you find an art statue, a historical landmark or an architectural building; the Brazilian government had decided to place an ice hockey stick in the middle of the Amazon forest as the landmark for this manmade geographical point.

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The next 150 kilometers, no city, no village, no indigenous community, no house, no shop, no gas station, nothing, just the asphalted road going straight through the rainforest, slightly hilly with ever-growing green rainforest to the left and to the right. The indigenous community had an iron chain at the entrance and at the exit to block the traffic, their own border control post for their own government given squared off territory, 100 kilometers in width and 400 kilometer in length, similar in size to Switzerland or the Netherlands.

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A week ago, I had spent a night with my South American friends in President Figueireido at the Municipal Park “Cachoeira das Orchideas”, today I chose just to make a quick stop; it was lunchtime and I was definitely thirsty, only a little bit hungry. Nothing special, nothing fancy, Coca Cola and some biscuit and I was back on the highway for the last 2 hours to Manaus.

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The closer I came to Manaus the more I realized how quick I had been. I would still have plenty of time left to negotiate a good price for the ship tomorrow. The airport was just a few kilometers off the highway that entered Manaus from the north and I decided to use the 30 minutes free internet at the airport and have one more time a Bob’s Burger Hamburger Trio with refill and my four favorite plastic cups: ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and BBQ.

I used the free 30 minutes of internet, had my Bob’s Burger Hamburger Trio and drove to the center of Manaus, to the old town, the port of Manaus. I parked the car outside the gated port area and walked down to the docks to inquire about the next ship to Belem. I had seen the type of ship and its location at the docks last week when we arrived from Tabatinga and Christian had sent me various emails with information from his transport. Still I walked to each ship at the docks and read the departure date and the destination. The Amazon Star was definitely the only ship at the docks to go to Belem, scheduled to leave tomorrow 12:00 hours.

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I entered the Amazon Star and asked for the commercial manager; he was sitting at his desk at the lower deck. I asked for availability and price for transport for my friend and me to Belem. On a big cargo like a car, you have the chance to negotiate and I could lower the price from 1.500 Reales to 1.200 Reales. We shook hands and I went to the parking to enter the port area with my friend, pay the departure tax of 99 Reales and parked the car in front of the Amazon Star. I handed the keys and the documents to the commercial manager, hung up my hammock and went for a late afternoon walk to the close by historical center and the market.

I had no money left for shopping and I just had some grilled meat from one of the snack stands that were opening now for the workers who were waiting for the bus on their way home. I was hoping for the person who sold French Fries last time and waited and waited but he did not appear.

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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 Google+ Album.

Please click on map to enlarge!!!

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

0 km      Rorainopolis

330 km  Presidente Figueireido

450 km  Manaus

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