Day 36 - The Easy Jungle

Getting on a motorcycle after 3 days (Belem, river crossing, and Macapa) reminded me of how much I love riding and how important it is to my soul. 

 

Riding a motorcycle quickly brings the now into focus. It brings an intensity to life that is pure joy just because you are alive.

Then, this joy expands to think of those you love the most ... your family ... and your initial smile widens even more.  And even though you are riding alone, you are not alone.

 

Big adventures like this one, through seldom seen places, are good reminders that life is not about getting somewhere or making it to old age ... it is just a journey ... an amazing journey if we chose to.

On a motorcycle, you often do not want to arrive at your destination ... traveling itself is life ...  the wind, the moving, the balance, the complex orchestration of all the controls, the smells, the challenges, the birds, the towns, the people you meet, the emotions ... and, yes, the risks ... those near misses that only intensifies the whole thing ... and remind you of the fragility of our time on this earth.

   

And, all the people you meet makes you realize that they all have something to share ... their experiences, their thoughts, their stories, their knowledge ... and how a smile or a hand or a hug allows us to discover those treasures ... we are all the same ... we are all good ... we all want a little love and a connection. 

Life itself is way more surprising than we think.

In any case, back to the trip.  We arrived to Amapa around midday after realizing that the whole 300+ kms had been paved.  Yeah! 

Amapa is a nice little town in the middle of nowhere in northern Brasil half way to the border with French Guiana.  Lots of agriculture and fishing around here. After the sun went down, the whole town came out to the main plaza to celebrate Brasil's Independence Day with a schools parade.

Again, lucky to be here in the middle of the Amazon, in a little town that most people do not know it exists, with good people.

Tomorrow is border crossing time ... we are going into the EU!

A mid-morning break with fresh orange juice

The gang on our way to French Guiana

The big kitchen at the mid-morning stop

Our gas station attendant Joisyane close to Amapa 

Our hotel in Amapa

The big church in Amapa

The whole town comes out to play after the sun goes down

The school bands getting ready for the Independence Day parade in Amapa

Dinner at the town square in Amapa

Very official

The crianças were having a great time at the parade

Our bikes in the inner courtyard of our hotel in Amapa for the night