What a place!!

Imagine a tropical island - palm trees, jungle, dozens of little unspoiled beaches with warm atlantic waves lapping at the sand. Populate sparsely with bits of town, little houses. No cars, just paved paths making up the few streets of the biggest town and dirt tracks along the shore between beaches and trails through the jungle criss crossing the island. No banks. Electricity - most of the time.

. . .

Today we went on a boat tour to this waterfall in the jungle near the coast. Normally it´s a 2 hr walk from town, so after doing a big jungle trek the other day we decided going by boat would be better.

Has anyone played Monkey Island? Remember Captain Dread´s little ship? That was our ship - no, ours was better! A little wooden boat just big enough to comfortably hold the 12 of us who went on the trip and its skipper - a mad bloke with shark tattoos called Camu who spoke broken but very spirited english. Flying the jolly roger from the stern, with a bunch of bananas hanging from the cabin, pumping out Bob Marley from 2 huge speakers.

Off we went around the island, putting ashore at a small isolated beach. He then lead us on an hour walk through the jungle along the narrowest trails, across lines of ants, past banana and mango trees, up and down the hills till we got to the waterfall, where we jumped in and had a very cold shower to wash the heat of the walk off!

On the shore a little further on we got some lunch, where me and a Canadian girl called Michelle did some jetty jumping while Sal and Jess soaked up the sun.

Then on to a bay called the ´sac of the sky´, so called because its so calm and sheltered at night all the stars are reflected in it. (Unfortunately we had to be back for the ferry so couldnt stay there that long) After that we went back to the beach where the trek to the waterfall began and put ashore to chill out for a bit, me and Michelle and another guy jumped off the boat instead of waiting for the dinghy to take us ashore so Camu threw us a pair of snorkel masks (calling us loco inglis, hehe!) and we did a bit of snorkelling around the rocks. Saw lots of fish and a couple of starfish, but nothing very big. Came back out and chilled on a big boulder watching while some of the others had some shots at the bamboo goal posts on the beach or played fribee, then sadly it was home time.

Leaving was very sad. On the way back to town, the sunset wasn´t awesome but the scenery it lit up in that evening way really was. The Brazilian mainland, rugged green mountains, was shaded greens and oranges in the haze of the horizon. Then the sharp contrast of the island´s hills - dark green against a bright blue sky with a torch of a sun reflecting off the waves of the sea.

It was a good un, anyway!

Then the rush once we got back to the hostel - Aquario - with Rosaria shouting at us to get our asses into gear and back onto Camu´s boat so he could take us to the main jetty (normally 10 min walk but we didnt have even that!) and the ferry back to Mangratiba. Somehow we made it, then got a mad minivan back to Copacabana, and once again landed on our feet finding a few beds available at the Mellow Yellow!!

Hostel was amazing - like a little tropical hideaway with hamocks in the bar and free kayaks. Staff amazing too - Fred and Rosaria who ran the place were absolutely awesome, such laid back, friendly, beautiful people. All in all quality digs in an absolute paradise of a place. I actually got a bit emotional at leaving it behind...but onwards and upwards - tomorrow we investigate getting to Salvador!  ¶ 6:23 PM