Last post we left John on a tributary to the Amazon in Brazil. Find the blue arrow on the map to ascertain his whereabouts. He has just begun a week of fishing adventure…
Get started by reading AMAZON ADVENTURE…Part One: Getting there & getting settled.
And it continues…
Get started by reading AMAZON ADVENTURE…Part One: Getting there & getting settled.
And it continues…
Monday March 2, 2009
River Xeriuni
Allen and I ran upriver at 7:30 with Hi, so called, and fished sinking line and fly all day. We had periods of good fishing with some slow periods. I caught one fish reeling in the fly as I sometimes do in Frost Slough. The fish were not big, 4# was my largest. One fish looked to be quite large since it grabbed my fly near an open beach and ran parallel to it pushing a lot of water but the hook pulled free when the line reached my reel. It rained a lot. We found camp about eight miles up from where we left it and this time on river right versus river left this morning. We saw several kind of macaw on the trip but not one monkey.
Tuesday March 3, 3009
River Xeriuni
Heavy rain poured about 2:30 AM for about a half hour with thunder and lightning awakening everyone in camp. Allen and I went fishing with guide Marcello and I wanted to try poppers on the peacock bass and they relished them. I caught two fish on sinking fly then about a dozen on a small silver popper until a piranha destroyed it. I used Sage 9.5 foot 8 weight rod with Elkhorn reel and Monic “all weather” blue floating line. I tied on a larger green popper and some larger fish loved it. I took a 5# peacock on it and lots of smaller ones but I broke the fly off on a good size fish. I tried a similar pattern in silver color and caught numerous fish including a 6# peacock but eventually the popper was destroyed by another piranha. Of the forty fish or so that I landed a good three quarters were on popper. Allen preferred sinking line and landed a similar number of fish as me to 8#. Of all fish landed and lost today, double the number simply exploded on the popper. Sometimes one or more fish would blast the offering without getting hooked. I haven’t laughed so much while fishing in a long time. I captured a very good picture of a caiman (jacare) on the beach before it slipped into the water and a not so good picture of a stork (cegonha) after it turned away but before it flew away. They have a scarlet red throat patch that I unfortunately could not capture. Camp was moved up river again about ten miles when we returned at 5:30. Evening was typical with tea colored, river water shower. I was eaten up by no see’ums throughout the trip but used some insect repellent only once. I suspect they got me mostly in the evening while I sat around camp wearing shorts. I wore shorts fishing the last two days only. Mosquitoes were non- existent though there were some stinging bugs but none nailed me. Mac said one got him on his knee and the hurt lasted over five minutes.
Wednesday March 4, 2009
River Xeriuni
It rained again during the night but without the lightning and thunder. Today our guide was Glad or at least that is how they pronounce it. I started with sinking line and caught the first fish with Allen taking one right after me. His next cast put a fish on that went way into his backing. That was a first for both of us. He did a fine job handling the 13# peacock and landed it after about ten minutes. He and I had a similar day as yesterday and I had a ball again on poppers. Our guide insisted I use my largest one that I caught so many queenfish on in Australia. It worked wonderfully though I again missed a lot of strikes but that action is so exciting even without a hookup. In one particular area, Glad insisted I use sinking line and fly because he said we would be casting to big fish. Right he was because Allen and I spent about two hours hooking and releasing fabulous fish mostly from 4 to 6#. There was no rain today but periods of high wind. Though a few areas did not produce fish, there was a good bite most of the day. Camp was not moved today. Dinners are good consisting of local foods including rice, chicken, fish, beef, fruit, ice cream desserts and others. There is an open bar and all the beer anyone wants. We drink a lot of bottled water. Bed for me is consistently between 8:30 and 9 PM and most everyone is put away not much later. Generator is kept on all night to facilitate air conditioning but far enough away to be muffled.
Thursday March 5, 2009
River Xeriuni
I heard no rain during the night and we had none all day. Pat asked Allen and me if we wanted to partake in an adventure he had in mind and we both enthusiastically agreed. Pat had a Google Earth picture of the area on his computer and it showed a large land locked lagoon close by the main river and it looked to be an old river bed. Our guide, Ivo, showed us the “equator tree” where runs the dividing line between northern and southern hemispheres. Naturally, we took a picture. Then we searched for our “lost lagoon” and after a couple of false attempts, found it. Then we had to devise a way to get our boat portaged about 20 yards and we did it with great help from machete wielding Ivo. We left motor, gas, electric motor, and battery on the beach of the main stem and when we reached the lagoon, Ivo paddled us about. We began to catch small peacocks right away and continued to do so the entire morning exploring the new found waterway. Big fish went about four pounds. We looked for another arm of the old channel but could not locate it so portaged back to the main river at 1 PM. Ivo put us on a sand bar where we waded while casting and I managed one peacock. The last two hours of the day we spent in a sort of cul de sac waterway of which there are so many we have fished already. We caught lots of small peacocks but in the last half hour found many in the three to five pound category. I broke one off and Allen broke two off. I managed to land several of these hard, scrappy fighters all on sinking line. I caught two peacocks reeling in including the last fish of the day. Camp had been moved again so we ran upstream and found it river left on a most interesting sand bar of all. Cloudy conditions remained but no rain fell in the evening nor during the night. Wind was gentle unlike yesterday. Dinner tonight included a very delicious piranha soup which was so good that I had a second helping.
River Xeriuni
Allen and I ran upriver at 7:30 with Hi, so called, and fished sinking line and fly all day. We had periods of good fishing with some slow periods. I caught one fish reeling in the fly as I sometimes do in Frost Slough. The fish were not big, 4# was my largest. One fish looked to be quite large since it grabbed my fly near an open beach and ran parallel to it pushing a lot of water but the hook pulled free when the line reached my reel. It rained a lot. We found camp about eight miles up from where we left it and this time on river right versus river left this morning. We saw several kind of macaw on the trip but not one monkey.
Tuesday March 3, 3009
River Xeriuni
Heavy rain poured about 2:30 AM for about a half hour with thunder and lightning awakening everyone in camp. Allen and I went fishing with guide Marcello and I wanted to try poppers on the peacock bass and they relished them. I caught two fish on sinking fly then about a dozen on a small silver popper until a piranha destroyed it. I used Sage 9.5 foot 8 weight rod with Elkhorn reel and Monic “all weather” blue floating line. I tied on a larger green popper and some larger fish loved it. I took a 5# peacock on it and lots of smaller ones but I broke the fly off on a good size fish. I tried a similar pattern in silver color and caught numerous fish including a 6# peacock but eventually the popper was destroyed by another piranha. Of the forty fish or so that I landed a good three quarters were on popper. Allen preferred sinking line and landed a similar number of fish as me to 8#. Of all fish landed and lost today, double the number simply exploded on the popper. Sometimes one or more fish would blast the offering without getting hooked. I haven’t laughed so much while fishing in a long time. I captured a very good picture of a caiman (jacare) on the beach before it slipped into the water and a not so good picture of a stork (cegonha) after it turned away but before it flew away. They have a scarlet red throat patch that I unfortunately could not capture. Camp was moved up river again about ten miles when we returned at 5:30. Evening was typical with tea colored, river water shower. I was eaten up by no see’ums throughout the trip but used some insect repellent only once. I suspect they got me mostly in the evening while I sat around camp wearing shorts. I wore shorts fishing the last two days only. Mosquitoes were non- existent though there were some stinging bugs but none nailed me. Mac said one got him on his knee and the hurt lasted over five minutes.
Wednesday March 4, 2009
River Xeriuni
It rained again during the night but without the lightning and thunder. Today our guide was Glad or at least that is how they pronounce it. I started with sinking line and caught the first fish with Allen taking one right after me. His next cast put a fish on that went way into his backing. That was a first for both of us. He did a fine job handling the 13# peacock and landed it after about ten minutes. He and I had a similar day as yesterday and I had a ball again on poppers. Our guide insisted I use my largest one that I caught so many queenfish on in Australia. It worked wonderfully though I again missed a lot of strikes but that action is so exciting even without a hookup. In one particular area, Glad insisted I use sinking line and fly because he said we would be casting to big fish. Right he was because Allen and I spent about two hours hooking and releasing fabulous fish mostly from 4 to 6#. There was no rain today but periods of high wind. Though a few areas did not produce fish, there was a good bite most of the day. Camp was not moved today. Dinners are good consisting of local foods including rice, chicken, fish, beef, fruit, ice cream desserts and others. There is an open bar and all the beer anyone wants. We drink a lot of bottled water. Bed for me is consistently between 8:30 and 9 PM and most everyone is put away not much later. Generator is kept on all night to facilitate air conditioning but far enough away to be muffled.
Thursday March 5, 2009
River Xeriuni
I heard no rain during the night and we had none all day. Pat asked Allen and me if we wanted to partake in an adventure he had in mind and we both enthusiastically agreed. Pat had a Google Earth picture of the area on his computer and it showed a large land locked lagoon close by the main river and it looked to be an old river bed. Our guide, Ivo, showed us the “equator tree” where runs the dividing line between northern and southern hemispheres. Naturally, we took a picture. Then we searched for our “lost lagoon” and after a couple of false attempts, found it. Then we had to devise a way to get our boat portaged about 20 yards and we did it with great help from machete wielding Ivo. We left motor, gas, electric motor, and battery on the beach of the main stem and when we reached the lagoon, Ivo paddled us about. We began to catch small peacocks right away and continued to do so the entire morning exploring the new found waterway. Big fish went about four pounds. We looked for another arm of the old channel but could not locate it so portaged back to the main river at 1 PM. Ivo put us on a sand bar where we waded while casting and I managed one peacock. The last two hours of the day we spent in a sort of cul de sac waterway of which there are so many we have fished already. We caught lots of small peacocks but in the last half hour found many in the three to five pound category. I broke one off and Allen broke two off. I managed to land several of these hard, scrappy fighters all on sinking line. I caught two peacocks reeling in including the last fish of the day. Camp had been moved again so we ran upstream and found it river left on a most interesting sand bar of all. Cloudy conditions remained but no rain fell in the evening nor during the night. Wind was gentle unlike yesterday. Dinner tonight included a very delicious piranha soup which was so good that I had a second helping.
Friday March 6, 2009
River Xeriuni
Allen wanted to fish with his friend Mac, so Bill went with me and Hi. We started in an area where Allen and I caught good sized fish with Marcello and I hooked into a nice bass but the hook slipped free. Incredibly, the next three fish I hooked came off. In all, three of the four were in the 4# to 6# class. Bill had no action during this time. It was the same fly I landed several fish on last evening. Suddenly, I began to land a few and in no time I had landed four for eight hooked. We moved to another location and I landed my big fish for the day. Bill had a boga-grip scale and I honestly thought the fish was larger than 5# but those scales are highly accurate. Bill hooked a good fish mid morning and it cleared to the middle of the river and we got to weigh his at 11#. Rain was horrific on and off but mostly on and I learned a trick from Jay to employ an umbrella and I actually caught fish while using that unorthodox method. On one of the non rainy days I saw Jay on another boat with an umbrella up for use as a parasol. I yelled to him that he looked like he was on a lake in Central Park, N Y. Later, he told me he uses it in the rain while fishing, as well. So I took my umbrella out and when the heavens opened up as they can do in the tropics and dumped visibility impairing amounts of rain in torrents. I hurriedly put on a rain jacket then grabbed my umbrella and after deploying it, put the handle in my left breast shirt pocket. This freed my hands to continue fly casting and I actually caught a couple of fish while staying somewhat dry but more importantly, not being pounded by the downpour. With no wind, the system worked quite well. If there were wind, well, Mary Poppins can tell you about that.
During periods of no rain we caught fish on a rhythm of almost every cast. There was a caiman that was particularly pesky swimming to our hooked fish but not eating them except for one that Hi tossed to it. It followed us for the longest way downstream. Toward the end of the day I decided to use a popper fly. I caught a few small bass and had some hits and swirls but one of the most memorable fishing events of my life quickly ensued. I cast the popper and gave it one pop when the most incredible explosion came upon it with a huge fish clearing the water on the take. My line zinged up to the reel in a flash when the fish bolted for cover in a nearby tunnel like jungle, infested with trees and brambles and broke me off in the tangle. The three of us were awestruck and Bill, like me, said he had never witnessed a fish explode on a fly with such ferocity. It was, by far, the most exciting moment of this fishing excursion and my only encounter with a peacock over 10#. We finished the day each catching a few more fish. Rain continued sporadically through the evening. By the way, all fish counts listed in my “tropic records” are approximate but actually on the conservative side. Also, many other species were caught that I did not post. I consider them by-catch and though fun, not our target species. Besides, I cannot remember the Portuguese names of these many fish our guides tell us. Even the ones listed were caught in more numerous numbers than mentioned.
Saturday March 7, 2009
River Xeriuni
Allen and I were back together for our last day and it started out slow fishing. He caught the first one and several more before I got my first. It was fairly equal thereafter through noon but fish were small to 2#. Marcello took us on a short walk to another land locked lagoon where we cast from a beach. I caught three small peacocks including one while reeling in. We motored in to a large lagoon and Marcello indicated if any fish could be located here, they would be large. We found none. We had no rain until 2 PM and then just a short heavy shower. We left camp this morning heading downstream and camp was moved down later. We went a long way down and actually saw a house on river right when we turned to come back. I caught an odd peacock that Pat identified for me later from my picture as a temensis that weighed about 4#. It came to a fly given me by Jay which was destroyed by a piranha fly later. I switched to blue popper the rest of the day and Allen stopped catching fish for whatever reason. My last of the day was a 5# peacock to end the poorest catch for us in one day for the week but we had a grand time nonetheless. I truly enjoyed everyone’s company on this trip and particularly Allen. We sat outside swapping fishing reports for the week both before and after dinner. Ivo brought me a peixe-boi (manatee) carving that he made. He also gave one to Allen and a smaller version each to Jack and Jay.
Sunday March 8, 2009
River Xeriuni to Manaus
Everyone was up at the regular time of 6 AM, packed, fed, and ready to go by 8 AM awaiting arrival of the float plane in another forty-five minutes. A tremendous rain storm descended so we huddled in the dining tent. Four played cribbage, I read and wrote this while others sat around with long faces. Ivo brought us his hand made necklaces for sale at $5 each and we bought him out. We waited and waited and waited. Rain quit at 11 AM and Allen said if we would take off by 11:30 we would make our connection. We waited some more.
The plane buzzed overhead at 1:30, landed downstream, and who emerged but my friend Bob who introduced me to his friend Jerry who will join us in Australia in September. The flight to Manaus took us an hour and three quarters effectively preventing Allen and me from making our 3:10 connection. Brahma met us and helped us secure a flight for tomorrow. Goodbye to Ed & Jeremy who were going to wait at the airport for their 12:30 AM flight to Atlanta that the other fellows were to fly as well. Allen and I checked into room 2225 while the other four checked into rooms near us. We met at the lobby bar for dinner and I enjoyed catfish with hearts of palm, other good vegetables, and plantains. I called Elaine to tell her of the delay and left a message. Goodbye to newfound friends when we retired to our rooms at 7 PM.
Monday March 9, 2009
Manaus to Miami
A bit of tummy problem has bothered me the past couple of days and continues this morning. I was up at 6:15, showered, shaved, and slipped out to the pool to continue reading silly Bryson. It began to rain so I returned to the room but Allen was still sleeping so I took a couch outside our room until he emerged at 7:30. We ate breakfast together and returned to our room with hours to fill: packing, reading, whatever. I took Bryson to the pool area to polish him off. There were a lot more people there at 8:30 than at 6:30, 300% more. One was sweeping the pool, one was sweeping leaves from around the pool, and one was putting out and arranging chairs. I finished my book a little before 9 AM and a good thing too because the humidity was getting to the point of oppressive. With changed and missed flights on both ends of this trip, with rain and humidity, with no other book to read, I must admit I am homesick. I don’t believe I have suffered the malady ever on a fishing trip but I do so want to go home from this one. The fishing was good, the locals are friendly, the companions were fun, but the getting to and fro was bothersome and extra expensive. I wandered through the zoo a last time feeling trapped like the animals. O K, that is a bit melodramatic but with time on my hands I tend to exaggerate, all in good fun. Now it is 10:30, what to do, what to do? I amused myself further by reviewing the week’s pictures. I caught but one temensis peacock for the trip. At least I only have a picture of one and on the last day. Noon finally arrived and Brahma whisked (he actually drives like a maniac) Allen and me to the aeroporto, helped us with our luggage, and walked us in. He was a terrific help throughout and we tipped him accordingly. After checking in, we wandered through a few shops then through security. For the second time in my life, they disallowed my three piece rods as carry on. The first time was Sydney to Tokyo in 2007. Immigration was not a problem nor was boarding the plane. Allen and I were separated by two rows and on opposite sides of the plane. I had an excellent view of Manaus and the grand river as we swung around the city to head north. There is a bridge under construction to span the mighty stream. The five hour trip was pleasant with only about one-third full so there was plenty of room for everyone to stretch. Surprisingly, there was no time change upon reaching Miami which I don’t understand because there was a one hour change heading south a week ago. Has DST started already? Customs and immigration were a super breeze but I had to wait extra time for my rod case. Allen and I wished each other a hearty goodbye with promises to exchange pictures. I waited a half hour for Hampton Inn shuttle van, then called, then waited another half hour. Room 617 was comfortable and I talked to Elaine for nearly an hour. Checking e mail, I had 64 messages to wade through and I answered several taking me until 12:30 AM.
Tuesday March 10, 2009
Miami to SFO via Dallas
I slept fitfully until 6:30 but bounced up to start my final travel day this trip. I checked out of the hotel at 8 AM, checked in with American Airlines, and bided my time in Admiral’s Club until my 10:40 departure time. Elaine had changed hotel and flight arrangements for me and wonderful as she is, had me upgraded to first class. Except for the horrendous increases in costs for this trip, it was really enjoyable and I feel I handled the stress of delays and layovers quite well. That is particularly true compared to my attitude before I met a person who is as close to a professional traveler as anyone I ever met and who handles the vicissitudes of travel so expertly. There is nothing like learning control from an expert. Thank you, Elaine. I talked to Steve in the office and to Elaine on her way to the office and all sounded well. Flight left on time and I got a good look at Miami as we swung wide over Key Biscayne. We were bound for Dallas with continuing service to San Francisco. I stayed aboard the aircraft while a new crew boarded followed by passengers. The turnaround was an hour and a half and we were airborne at 2 PM. Since I have no book to read and I already exhausted all magazines at my disposal, I decided to watch the movie offered by AA. I enjoyed very much The Express starring Rob Brown and Dennis Quaid in the story of Ernie Davis, football player for Syracuse University in the early 1960’s and winner of the coveted Heisman trophy. The movie ended an hour before touchdown, pun intended, and again, I cannot remember ever being so anxious to get home. Hello Elaine, kitty Rusalka, San Francisco, and the land and all the people I love. Oh, and the Jo-Fran, too.
River Xeriuni
Allen wanted to fish with his friend Mac, so Bill went with me and Hi. We started in an area where Allen and I caught good sized fish with Marcello and I hooked into a nice bass but the hook slipped free. Incredibly, the next three fish I hooked came off. In all, three of the four were in the 4# to 6# class. Bill had no action during this time. It was the same fly I landed several fish on last evening. Suddenly, I began to land a few and in no time I had landed four for eight hooked. We moved to another location and I landed my big fish for the day. Bill had a boga-grip scale and I honestly thought the fish was larger than 5# but those scales are highly accurate. Bill hooked a good fish mid morning and it cleared to the middle of the river and we got to weigh his at 11#. Rain was horrific on and off but mostly on and I learned a trick from Jay to employ an umbrella and I actually caught fish while using that unorthodox method. On one of the non rainy days I saw Jay on another boat with an umbrella up for use as a parasol. I yelled to him that he looked like he was on a lake in Central Park, N Y. Later, he told me he uses it in the rain while fishing, as well. So I took my umbrella out and when the heavens opened up as they can do in the tropics and dumped visibility impairing amounts of rain in torrents. I hurriedly put on a rain jacket then grabbed my umbrella and after deploying it, put the handle in my left breast shirt pocket. This freed my hands to continue fly casting and I actually caught a couple of fish while staying somewhat dry but more importantly, not being pounded by the downpour. With no wind, the system worked quite well. If there were wind, well, Mary Poppins can tell you about that.
During periods of no rain we caught fish on a rhythm of almost every cast. There was a caiman that was particularly pesky swimming to our hooked fish but not eating them except for one that Hi tossed to it. It followed us for the longest way downstream. Toward the end of the day I decided to use a popper fly. I caught a few small bass and had some hits and swirls but one of the most memorable fishing events of my life quickly ensued. I cast the popper and gave it one pop when the most incredible explosion came upon it with a huge fish clearing the water on the take. My line zinged up to the reel in a flash when the fish bolted for cover in a nearby tunnel like jungle, infested with trees and brambles and broke me off in the tangle. The three of us were awestruck and Bill, like me, said he had never witnessed a fish explode on a fly with such ferocity. It was, by far, the most exciting moment of this fishing excursion and my only encounter with a peacock over 10#. We finished the day each catching a few more fish. Rain continued sporadically through the evening. By the way, all fish counts listed in my “tropic records” are approximate but actually on the conservative side. Also, many other species were caught that I did not post. I consider them by-catch and though fun, not our target species. Besides, I cannot remember the Portuguese names of these many fish our guides tell us. Even the ones listed were caught in more numerous numbers than mentioned.
Saturday March 7, 2009
River Xeriuni
Allen and I were back together for our last day and it started out slow fishing. He caught the first one and several more before I got my first. It was fairly equal thereafter through noon but fish were small to 2#. Marcello took us on a short walk to another land locked lagoon where we cast from a beach. I caught three small peacocks including one while reeling in. We motored in to a large lagoon and Marcello indicated if any fish could be located here, they would be large. We found none. We had no rain until 2 PM and then just a short heavy shower. We left camp this morning heading downstream and camp was moved down later. We went a long way down and actually saw a house on river right when we turned to come back. I caught an odd peacock that Pat identified for me later from my picture as a temensis that weighed about 4#. It came to a fly given me by Jay which was destroyed by a piranha fly later. I switched to blue popper the rest of the day and Allen stopped catching fish for whatever reason. My last of the day was a 5# peacock to end the poorest catch for us in one day for the week but we had a grand time nonetheless. I truly enjoyed everyone’s company on this trip and particularly Allen. We sat outside swapping fishing reports for the week both before and after dinner. Ivo brought me a peixe-boi (manatee) carving that he made. He also gave one to Allen and a smaller version each to Jack and Jay.
Sunday March 8, 2009
River Xeriuni to Manaus
Everyone was up at the regular time of 6 AM, packed, fed, and ready to go by 8 AM awaiting arrival of the float plane in another forty-five minutes. A tremendous rain storm descended so we huddled in the dining tent. Four played cribbage, I read and wrote this while others sat around with long faces. Ivo brought us his hand made necklaces for sale at $5 each and we bought him out. We waited and waited and waited. Rain quit at 11 AM and Allen said if we would take off by 11:30 we would make our connection. We waited some more.
The plane buzzed overhead at 1:30, landed downstream, and who emerged but my friend Bob who introduced me to his friend Jerry who will join us in Australia in September. The flight to Manaus took us an hour and three quarters effectively preventing Allen and me from making our 3:10 connection. Brahma met us and helped us secure a flight for tomorrow. Goodbye to Ed & Jeremy who were going to wait at the airport for their 12:30 AM flight to Atlanta that the other fellows were to fly as well. Allen and I checked into room 2225 while the other four checked into rooms near us. We met at the lobby bar for dinner and I enjoyed catfish with hearts of palm, other good vegetables, and plantains. I called Elaine to tell her of the delay and left a message. Goodbye to newfound friends when we retired to our rooms at 7 PM.
Monday March 9, 2009
Manaus to Miami
A bit of tummy problem has bothered me the past couple of days and continues this morning. I was up at 6:15, showered, shaved, and slipped out to the pool to continue reading silly Bryson. It began to rain so I returned to the room but Allen was still sleeping so I took a couch outside our room until he emerged at 7:30. We ate breakfast together and returned to our room with hours to fill: packing, reading, whatever. I took Bryson to the pool area to polish him off. There were a lot more people there at 8:30 than at 6:30, 300% more. One was sweeping the pool, one was sweeping leaves from around the pool, and one was putting out and arranging chairs. I finished my book a little before 9 AM and a good thing too because the humidity was getting to the point of oppressive. With changed and missed flights on both ends of this trip, with rain and humidity, with no other book to read, I must admit I am homesick. I don’t believe I have suffered the malady ever on a fishing trip but I do so want to go home from this one. The fishing was good, the locals are friendly, the companions were fun, but the getting to and fro was bothersome and extra expensive. I wandered through the zoo a last time feeling trapped like the animals. O K, that is a bit melodramatic but with time on my hands I tend to exaggerate, all in good fun. Now it is 10:30, what to do, what to do? I amused myself further by reviewing the week’s pictures. I caught but one temensis peacock for the trip. At least I only have a picture of one and on the last day. Noon finally arrived and Brahma whisked (he actually drives like a maniac) Allen and me to the aeroporto, helped us with our luggage, and walked us in. He was a terrific help throughout and we tipped him accordingly. After checking in, we wandered through a few shops then through security. For the second time in my life, they disallowed my three piece rods as carry on. The first time was Sydney to Tokyo in 2007. Immigration was not a problem nor was boarding the plane. Allen and I were separated by two rows and on opposite sides of the plane. I had an excellent view of Manaus and the grand river as we swung around the city to head north. There is a bridge under construction to span the mighty stream. The five hour trip was pleasant with only about one-third full so there was plenty of room for everyone to stretch. Surprisingly, there was no time change upon reaching Miami which I don’t understand because there was a one hour change heading south a week ago. Has DST started already? Customs and immigration were a super breeze but I had to wait extra time for my rod case. Allen and I wished each other a hearty goodbye with promises to exchange pictures. I waited a half hour for Hampton Inn shuttle van, then called, then waited another half hour. Room 617 was comfortable and I talked to Elaine for nearly an hour. Checking e mail, I had 64 messages to wade through and I answered several taking me until 12:30 AM.
Tuesday March 10, 2009
Miami to SFO via Dallas
I slept fitfully until 6:30 but bounced up to start my final travel day this trip. I checked out of the hotel at 8 AM, checked in with American Airlines, and bided my time in Admiral’s Club until my 10:40 departure time. Elaine had changed hotel and flight arrangements for me and wonderful as she is, had me upgraded to first class. Except for the horrendous increases in costs for this trip, it was really enjoyable and I feel I handled the stress of delays and layovers quite well. That is particularly true compared to my attitude before I met a person who is as close to a professional traveler as anyone I ever met and who handles the vicissitudes of travel so expertly. There is nothing like learning control from an expert. Thank you, Elaine. I talked to Steve in the office and to Elaine on her way to the office and all sounded well. Flight left on time and I got a good look at Miami as we swung wide over Key Biscayne. We were bound for Dallas with continuing service to San Francisco. I stayed aboard the aircraft while a new crew boarded followed by passengers. The turnaround was an hour and a half and we were airborne at 2 PM. Since I have no book to read and I already exhausted all magazines at my disposal, I decided to watch the movie offered by AA. I enjoyed very much The Express starring Rob Brown and Dennis Quaid in the story of Ernie Davis, football player for Syracuse University in the early 1960’s and winner of the coveted Heisman trophy. The movie ended an hour before touchdown, pun intended, and again, I cannot remember ever being so anxious to get home. Hello Elaine, kitty Rusalka, San Francisco, and the land and all the people I love. Oh, and the Jo-Fran, too.
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