Special thanks go to Alexander Kazantsev of Otkrytie Travels in Moscow, for providing many great photographs in these posts. Many of the rafting photos are courtesy of the trip provider – Quatro Elementos.

The sun comes up about 6: 30. A wakeup swim in the river is followed by a light breakfast. We are off for kayaking in the Rio Novo.

We go over some class one rapids. Overall it is an easy trip with only a few tipping over. The Korubo truck brings us back to camp.

In the late afternoon we drive to the giant sand dunes in Jalapão National Park.

One of the great things about the Korubo truck is riding on top of it – a great way to observe and take photos.

We stay on the dunes until sunset.

In the camp one must be on the lookout for snakes.

Cats guard the perimeter – they are faster than the cobras !

As I was in both the Southern and Northern Hemisphere in the last couple of days, I wanted to see if it was true that water goes down the drain in different directions depending on what hemisphere the activity takes place. The theory was proven. See below and play both videos simultaneously.

Southern Hemisphere – the water goes down Counterclockwise in São Paulo, Brazil at Latitude 23.7 South.

Northern Hemisphere – the water goes down Clockwise in Miami FL , USA at Latitude 25.7 North.

Last night I arrived in São Paulo, after a week in the Jalapão desert wilderness. As there was no phone or internet access, it was impossible to keep up a daily blog. The next few days, while I attend the Adventure Travel World Summit, I will post as often as possible to tell the whole story.

Below are a few pictures. The rafting/Kayaking photos and video in this post are courtesy of Alexander Kazantsev of Otkrytie Travels in Moscow, Russia.

Giant Sand Dunes !

Kayaking the Rio Novo.

Mesas & Buttes in the Desert.

Treacherous Roads !

From MIA last night, I boarded TAM for São Paulo. We landed at 6:30, on a late winter morning . GRU was 48 degrees- refreshing. At 8 I was on another plane North to Brasilia. As it turned out I had a 4 hour layover, so rather than hang around the airport, I took a public bus into town.

Brasilia – 1960’s Utopia

Planned utopian cities were the dream of many a 1950’s urban planner. Luckily most of them remained dreams. However, the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer’s Jetsonian masterpiece became reality when it was finished in 1961.

Seen from the air at night the city resembles a giant jet plane.

The entire city is laid out into sectors. In the “Pilot Area” is the Presidential Palace – pictured at the top of this post – double buildings next to flying saucers. Government buildings go down the fuselage. The wings are residential. All shopping is in one center, all hotels in another sector, etc.

This video was taken this morning from the Torre TV 75 meters up.

Life is calm and pleasant – no traffic, garbage, pollution and very little crime – in other words not like Brazil at all. Unfortunately there is little of Brazil’s excitement and culture. Like New Yorkers forced to work in Albany, government workers pack the planes south to Rio and São Paulo every Thursday night and back again on Monday morning.

For those who enjoy modern architecture and urban planning, Brasilia is a must –see.

After 3 hours I went back to the airport and took to the skies again – this time to Palmas, about 500 miles North of Brasilia.

The roads we will be on tomorrow !

We had to abort our first landing attempt due to high crosswinds blowing in from the desert. The second attempt was successful.

Our group of adventure travel experts, from the USA,England,Germany,Russia,Portugal and Canada, as well as a leader from EMBRATUR was picked up by Korubu.

For the next six days ArcticTropic will be on expedition. There will be no posts due to no satellite,internet,even cell phone – ArcticTropic will practice what it preaches – True Adventure !
Next Tuesday, September 2nd there will be many posts on each day afield.

Safari and Rafting Expedition In Brazil’s Northern Deserts

EMBRATUR – the Brazilian Government Tourism Authority and ABETA – Brazilian Adventure Travel Trade Association have invited ArcticTropic to participate in an 8-day exploration of the Jalapão region in the remote Tocantins River Valley of Northeastern Brazil.

The purpose of the trip is to promote a newly opened adventure travel region of Brazil. Few foreigners other than explorers or scientists have visited the region.

ArcticTropic Blog will have daily updates – except when traversing the rivers. Due to the nature of the journey – constant submersion in roiling rapids -, electronic equipment cannot be taken. Waterproof cameras will be used in these situations.

We will depart Miami next Monday night – first flying all the way down to São Paulo, then back North to Brasilia, then further North to Palmas, the capital of Tocantins State. From there – the adventure begins.

The Unique Hotel in São Paulo is a great place to unwind at the end of a long Brazilian business day.

Time out from a busy day for an excellent parillada at Fogo do Chão – said by many Paulistas to serve the best beef in town.

I’m here on business in São Paulo for a few days. Though it is spring the weather is cold,damp and windy – due to a stalled Antarctic front. São Paulo is one of the boomtowns of the world – and a great, if challenging place to visit. ArcticTropic will have updates all this week.

Yesterday morning, fresh off the plane from Miami , I took a cab from GRU to São Bento Cathedral in São Paulo, Brazil. This is a really old missal rite that is being revived, especially in Brazil.