Move to Natal in the northeastern part of Brazil.
I am traveling from Milan to Natal, a city on the coast of northeastern Brazil, which has beaches.
I flew from Milan with an airline called Meridiana, but when I got on the plane, the display said "Air Italy," and I'm not sure what the relationship between these companies is. I just chose it because it was cheap, but the seat was as narrow and hard as an Air Asia seat, and it didn't recline much, which was a bit scary.
I guess that when the price is cheap, the quality is also so-so.
By the way, it cost 313 euros, which is about 42,000 yen for a one-way ticket.
I took a local bus from the airport and got lost while transferring, and it took 4 hours to reach the hotel.
It might be the longest time it's ever taken me to get from an airport to a hotel in a local city.
My accommodation here is:
Che Lagarto Hostel Natal
Dormitory, 4 nights, 98 Brazilian Reais (approximately 3,120 yen).
It's 780 yen per night.
For the price, it's just okay.
There are some people who seem to be working part-time at the beach and living here for a long time, coming from various places.
Initially, I planned to obtain a Brazilian visa in Milan (which takes at least a week) and then travel to Brazil. I had a two-week buffer before my flight. However, I was able to obtain the visa in Warsaw, so I had some extra time in my schedule. Therefore, I decided to return to Japan temporarily to take care of some paperwork and to receive my credit cards in case I was stopped due to fraudulent activity. I will omit the details of that period.
In Natal, the tap water looks clear, but it's apparently not very clean. Because of this, I'm experiencing a lot of eye discharge, and after a few days, one of my eyes became bloodshot. However, other guests at the guesthouse are drinking the tap water directly... This gives you an idea of the living standards of the guests at this accommodation. However, most of them are good people, so there's no danger.
I flew from Milan with an airline called Meridiana, but when I got on the plane, the display said "Air Italy," and I'm not sure what the relationship between these companies is. I just chose it because it was cheap, but the seat was as narrow and hard as an Air Asia seat, and it didn't recline much, which was a bit scary.
I guess that when the price is cheap, the quality is also so-so.
By the way, it cost 313 euros, which is about 42,000 yen for a one-way ticket.
I took a local bus from the airport and got lost while transferring, and it took 4 hours to reach the hotel.
It might be the longest time it's ever taken me to get from an airport to a hotel in a local city.
My accommodation here is:
Che Lagarto Hostel Natal
Dormitory, 4 nights, 98 Brazilian Reais (approximately 3,120 yen).
It's 780 yen per night.
For the price, it's just okay.
There are some people who seem to be working part-time at the beach and living here for a long time, coming from various places.
Initially, I planned to obtain a Brazilian visa in Milan (which takes at least a week) and then travel to Brazil. I had a two-week buffer before my flight. However, I was able to obtain the visa in Warsaw, so I had some extra time in my schedule. Therefore, I decided to return to Japan temporarily to take care of some paperwork and to receive my credit cards in case I was stopped due to fraudulent activity. I will omit the details of that period.
In Natal, the tap water looks clear, but it's apparently not very clean. Because of this, I'm experiencing a lot of eye discharge, and after a few days, one of my eyes became bloodshot. However, other guests at the guesthouse are drinking the tap water directly... This gives you an idea of the living standards of the guests at this accommodation. However, most of them are good people, so there's no danger.
Brazil SIM card purchase & Natal city center.
I stayed here for four nights, and that was for adjusting to the time difference and resting. Even so, I went out a little bit.
Also, the banknotes I receive as change are all crumpled. It seems like nobody uses wallets.
Anyway, I got a TIM SIM card from a nearby shopping mall. This will make traveling between cities easier.
■TIM SIM card
Initial cost: 10 reais. Registration fee + 2 reais of credit (100MB available for 2 reais).
I added another 10 reais, so it's 2 reais + 10 reais = 12 reais, and I can use 600MB.
A few weeks ago, when I was in Europe, I felt a melancholic mood, like Fukuyama Masaharu's "It's Only Love" or "Good Night." But now that I'm in South America, I feel like the ending song of the movie "Easy Rider," "The Weight" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMy3AbpkYvw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMy3AbpkYvw), a kind of rock or blues... My mood has changed. Mood and the place you are are closely connected. This place is close to the jungle, but it feels like a wilderness.
I realized after coming here that Brazil is so large that traveling by bus to major cities from here takes more than 24 hours.
I messed up. Maybe I should split it up and stay in smaller cities for one night each. Or maybe I should fly to them all at once.
If possible, I could buy a small motorcycle in Colombia, and if I'm going to visit small cities, I could use a motorcycle.
Also, South America might not have as many things to see as you might think, but it's so vast that it takes a long time to get around.
So, it might be suitable for traveling around frequently by motorcycle.
Right now, I'm resting and recovering from jet lag and my physical condition.
The Amazon cruise, of course, is slow. A slow ferry from the mouth of the river in Belem to the middle of the river in Manaus takes a week, and from there to the Colombian border takes another week. I can't stay on it for that long, so I'll go from Manaus to the Colombian border by speedboat and then fly from there to Bogota, or I'll fly from here to Bogota first, get a motorcycle, and then decide.
I was originally thinking of the former, but the latter also seems okay.
If I have a motorcycle, I can see all sorts of scenery, so I might not need to take a boat.
Also, tours are cheaper on the Peruvian side, and they're less than half the price of those in Brazil, so there's no need to struggle in Brazil.
Also, it seems that you can't get a cell phone signal in most places while on the boat. For 5 days on a slow boat or 30 hours on a fast boat, you'll be in that state. That's a bit too long.
Moreover, cheap boats may or may not have power outlets, and there are only a few of them. That's to be expected. It's a boat... And cheap boats are not just passenger ships, but also ships that carry local goods.
It would be difficult to be without a smartphone for 3 to 5 days, even if I didn't have work. It might be impossible to respond to urgent requests for the website. So, the Amazon cruise is probably only a day trip.
However, I thought, "It's a shame to come to the Amazon," but I didn't really have that much interest in the Amazon. I'm just going to try it because I'm here. I don't have to force myself to go, and since it's close to Central America, I might be able to come back again in a few years, and I could also go from the Peruvian side this time.
Also, the banknotes I receive as change are all crumpled. It seems like nobody uses wallets.
Anyway, I got a TIM SIM card from a nearby shopping mall. This will make traveling between cities easier.
■TIM SIM card
Initial cost: 10 reais. Registration fee + 2 reais of credit (100MB available for 2 reais).
I added another 10 reais, so it's 2 reais + 10 reais = 12 reais, and I can use 600MB.
A few weeks ago, when I was in Europe, I felt a melancholic mood, like Fukuyama Masaharu's "It's Only Love" or "Good Night." But now that I'm in South America, I feel like the ending song of the movie "Easy Rider," "The Weight" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMy3AbpkYvw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMy3AbpkYvw), a kind of rock or blues... My mood has changed. Mood and the place you are are closely connected. This place is close to the jungle, but it feels like a wilderness.
I realized after coming here that Brazil is so large that traveling by bus to major cities from here takes more than 24 hours.
I messed up. Maybe I should split it up and stay in smaller cities for one night each. Or maybe I should fly to them all at once.
If possible, I could buy a small motorcycle in Colombia, and if I'm going to visit small cities, I could use a motorcycle.
Also, South America might not have as many things to see as you might think, but it's so vast that it takes a long time to get around.
So, it might be suitable for traveling around frequently by motorcycle.
Right now, I'm resting and recovering from jet lag and my physical condition.
The Amazon cruise, of course, is slow. A slow ferry from the mouth of the river in Belem to the middle of the river in Manaus takes a week, and from there to the Colombian border takes another week. I can't stay on it for that long, so I'll go from Manaus to the Colombian border by speedboat and then fly from there to Bogota, or I'll fly from here to Bogota first, get a motorcycle, and then decide.
I was originally thinking of the former, but the latter also seems okay.
If I have a motorcycle, I can see all sorts of scenery, so I might not need to take a boat.
Also, tours are cheaper on the Peruvian side, and they're less than half the price of those in Brazil, so there's no need to struggle in Brazil.
Also, it seems that you can't get a cell phone signal in most places while on the boat. For 5 days on a slow boat or 30 hours on a fast boat, you'll be in that state. That's a bit too long.
Moreover, cheap boats may or may not have power outlets, and there are only a few of them. That's to be expected. It's a boat... And cheap boats are not just passenger ships, but also ships that carry local goods.
It would be difficult to be without a smartphone for 3 to 5 days, even if I didn't have work. It might be impossible to respond to urgent requests for the website. So, the Amazon cruise is probably only a day trip.
However, I thought, "It's a shame to come to the Amazon," but I didn't really have that much interest in the Amazon. I'm just going to try it because I'm here. I don't have to force myself to go, and since it's close to Central America, I might be able to come back again in a few years, and I could also go from the Peruvian side this time.
Ponta Negra beach.
I came to Ponta Negra beach, which is apparently the most famous beach in Natal.
My accommodation is right near here.
Still, the sea is rough.
I felt the same way when I went to Cancun, Mexico. Perhaps the atmosphere of the Atlantic coast is similar.
This might be the reason why the Pacific Ocean is called the Pacific Ocean.
I used to wonder "Why Pacific (peaceful, calm)?" because I only knew the Pacific Ocean... But when I compare it to this, it might actually be Pacific (peaceful, calm).
My accommodation is right near here.
Still, the sea is rough.
I felt the same way when I went to Cancun, Mexico. Perhaps the atmosphere of the Atlantic coast is similar.
This might be the reason why the Pacific Ocean is called the Pacific Ocean.
I used to wonder "Why Pacific (peaceful, calm)?" because I only knew the Pacific Ocean... But when I compare it to this, it might actually be Pacific (peaceful, calm).
Natal's local port.
I went for a short walk and came to a local port.
There are a lot of men who work on the sea.
There are a lot of men who work on the sea.
Newton Navarro Bridge (Ponte Newton Navarro)
The huge Newton Navarro Bridge (Ponte Newton Navarro) spans the Natal River.
It is quite a spectacular sight.
It is quite a spectacular sight.
Natal Reef beach.
I came to the sea, drawn by the wind.
I'm walking along Natal Beach, feeling the wind.
Sometimes the waves are strong, and even though there are lifeguards, it might be dangerous if you're not careful.
The sea near my hometown isn't this rough.
Because the reef is located off the beach, the waves are somewhat calmer within it, so it seems manageable. However, if you go outside the reef, it might be the end.
I'm walking along Natal Beach, feeling the wind.
Sometimes the waves are strong, and even though there are lifeguards, it might be dangerous if you're not careful.
The sea near my hometown isn't this rough.
Because the reef is located off the beach, the waves are somewhat calmer within it, so it seems manageable. However, if you go outside the reef, it might be the end.
Fortress on the Natal coast (Foto, Fortaleza dos Reis Magos).
I will go to the fortress (Foto, Fortaleza dos Reis Magos) located on the Natal coast.
I will go to the fortress (Foto, Fortaleza dos Reis Magos) located on the Natal coast.
I will go to the fortress (Foto, Fortaleza dos Reis Magos) located on the Natal coast.
I will go to the fortress (Foto, Fortaleza dos Reis Magos) located on the Natal coast.
I will go to the fortress (Foto, Fortaleza dos Reis Magos) located on the Natal coast.
