Posts labeled with Country ' Brazil'

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Our final day – with the biggest rapids – Class 4! We hike around Cachoeira Velha about 100 feet high and even walk behind it.

The final rapids are like a roller coaster – it is hard to stay in the boat.


Massimo – the Brazilian Kayak Champion – goes over the Class 4 in his kayak.

After a relaxing swim we board the 4 Elementos truck for the 8 hour ride back to civilization – in Palmas.

At night – back online for the first time in a week – I have heard no news since then – so it is interesting to read about hurricanes in the US, as well as the surprising Republican choice for Vice President.

The next morning we are off to the ATTA/ABETA Summit in São Paulo. Details soon, after everyone has a chance to read about the adventures.

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The morning of September 1st dawns like every other – clear and cool. While daytime temperatures soar to near 38 – 100 F , it is about 14 C – 57 F in the early morning.


We pack up – everything . This is “leave no trace” camping. Even the bonfire is built over a screen in the sand – in the morning the ashes are thrown in the river. Other than footprints , that will be blown away by the wind within an hour – no one would know that a camp of tents and cooking /eating areas was there only hours before.


The rapids today are more frequent and more powerful – up to class 3.

We set up camp at a beautiful river beach – but forest fires flare up throughout the night. Some of the crew puts out the fires with sticks.


Dinner was delicious – pasta followed by flambé, with champagne and red wine.

We saw no people other than our crew the entire day.

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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.

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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 !

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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.

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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.

Nov 13th
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The Unique Hotel in São Paulo is a great place to unwind at the end of a long Brazilian business day.

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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.

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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.

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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.