But lets start over...after one long day which we spent exploring the area of Tatajuba with our driver Tibor, we came back to our Hotel (Kite Brazil Hotel; btw an excellent place to stay if you are in the area!). In the morning we already agreed with a Brazilian couple which was also staying in the hotel, to get some dinner together...so we waited.
After one beer, they arrived and we discussed our options for the night. As it was already late and during the week, all the gourmet temples in Prea had already closed...so the conclusion was..."Lets drive to Jeri!!".
Jeri ("Jericoacoara") is about 10 km away from Prea, but the special thing is that the connecting road is going by/on/through the beach and the sand dunes...of course with very good infrastructure like many signs and lots of streetlights...NOT!
Well, me telling before that I like to drive in every country I am as well as our Brazilian friend having a broken leg, I was the one to drive. We also took Stefan with us, a long time guest of the hotel who is building his house directly next to it.
Our vehicle of choice (or nor choice as it was the only available) was a beach buggy which the Brazilian couple rented.
Ok, lets roll...that what we thought until the ignition of the car fell in the dash board while turing the keys to start the car. Fail number one.
Getting all our flashlights out, after some minutes and unconstructing half of the buggy, we finally found the ignition and tried to get it back in place. After this was done, however, we found one part of the ignition in our hands...so not back on its place. Oh well, if it works without, we don`t put everything apart again...and yes, it worked.
The buggy running, the 5 of us finally climbed the buggy in order to keep going...and we went. Driving the buggy, you could clearly feel that the so called Marea (or sth similar)...thats the word used by the locals for everything what the salty air and water does to your car...meaning the rust, the loose clutch (finding the gears was an interesting adventure itself) and so on. The buggy was not the "freshest" anymore.
But we are not complaining...it drives.
Going through the dark night, it was quite hard to guess the right way...but with the help of all we managed to drive through sand, crossing a river by simply driving through (I was not tooooo shure, if the water was not too deep...but the advice was to just speed up and dont stop...great advice :-) ).
So we were driving through the sand, the beach at our right, until all of a sudden, an unusual noice had its star appearance of the night...yes, a flat tire.
We "chose" to have the flat tire in the middle of the dunes, so there was no chance to wait for someone to come bye or to help...and the guy who rented out the buggy didnt pick up his phone. It appeared, that the Brazilian Couple rented a buggy, which had already an emergency tire on...which was the one that got flat. What a surprise!
So with a minimum speed, we continued our travel, passing some donkeys having fun during the night, all the way to Jeri...where we parked and searched for a mechanic to help us.
(Below, the star of the night)
No mechanic nearby an me getting really hungry (breakfast was already far far away) we ended up finally going to get some food.
Getting back was the next task to organize...as the guy who rented out the buggy finally picked up the phone, he promised to send a guy for us to get back.
After waiting and waiting, a taxi buggy was driving by...we stopped it but the guy wanted too much money for the transfer. The Brazilian guy then started to discuss with the driver but the couldn`t come to an agreement. We thought already that the driver was gone, until he came back to road all the way reversing towards us...strange.
After a quick discussion again, he made us the offer, that we could have his tire for the night, if we return it tomorrow...for half of our potential taxi price. We agreed :-)...in Europe no one would have made us this offer I guess :-).
So after being half way through with changing the tire, the owner of the buggy finally arrived, with a spare tire. This of course meant drama, as the one guy helping us already wanted to have his money of course (btw, he told us constantly in Portuguese, that he is in some drugs (Benzol) and also part of a popular nationwide gang...hmmm, thats also a negotiation technique I guess :-) ). And if you are now wondering how these people get their drivers licence...well, most of the buggy drivers simply don`t have one (its easier for them as they can`t loose it then :-) ).
Guy gone, tire on, us back in the hotel, there was only the problem, that the buggy still made noices...appeared that the suspension somehow broke.
Not our business, as the sound was there even when we started, but of course this is also a "nice" way for the rental "companies" to renew their fleet...of course its always the client who broke the suspension and not simply the disastrous condition of the buggy itself...but thats another story :-))))...
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