South America

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I am now in NYC. Flew in via JFK Airport early Saturday 17 July. Within three hours after landing, I had a bitter but sweet taste of the city attitude that missed. Many hours later, a not so stable man said he’ll shoot me if I come to his part of Brooklyn. Moments after that, an old lady said ‘thank you’ extensively for helping her with something. I’ll write about all that later.

The base for this segment of the trip, is specifically Roosevelt Island, Manhattan. My host, whose flat I’m staying in,  is someone I’ve only met once before prior to this trip, ironically, in this same city, this same month, four years ago. And the hospitality received thus far has been tremendous.

To note, unexpectedly, I left Caracas with a smile and a bang. The brief transit at Port of Spain Airport of Trinidad and Tobago, made me consider visiting the Caribbean region sometime in the future. Additional note, I observed that my hair now, when stretched, touches my chin.

- http://ZainHD.com/2010/07/nueva-york/

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I am now in Caracas, Venezuela. It is the final destination of the Expedition I’ve been in since I arrived in Buenos Aires. A lot of challenges, obstacles and many other brilliant moments took place during the twenty five or so days of the journey. Most of the thirty over participants have left Caracas, but the organising party are here till 23rd July, when another group leaves for another expedition to Lima via Manaus and Cuzco. I fly to New York is on the 16th of July, and my attempt to move it forward to today, 13th July was a failure that I now see as a blessing in disguise. We checked out of the hotel earlier today and I will be hanging out with the organising party in an old abadoned mansion in the outskirts of town, El Peñon.

- http://ZainHD.com/2010/07/finale-trans-amazon/

I am now at Pacaraima, Brazil staying the night. Border town to Venezuela. Arrived here around 5pm, got immigration clearance to exit, but customs gave a fuss with the cars. By the time that was cleared, customs on Venezuelan side had closed, which means the cars cant go through till 8m tomorrow. Will have to drive across pronto and make it to Santa Elena so can catch the plane for Angel Falls.

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Breakfast on BR319 Amazonas Highway, at 330km Humaita to Manaus.

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Am in Hotel Ibis, Manaus for one night that was meant to be two. There’s four more nights of camping  (might be five if we’re held back for whatever), before our next and final hotel stop in Caracas, Venezuela. En route, from Santa Elena, hopefully will get to have a butcher at Angels Falls, more than twice the height of the KLCC twin towers. Thinking of flying to NYC from Caracas on 13 July, instead of 16 as purchased online, but Tango suggests to spend those three days by going to the beach at Isla Margarita. Shall consider, depending on how far the two are.

- http://ZainHD.com/2010/07/sudamerica-the-last-leg/

We are now in Humaita a town in the state of Amazonas, arrived at 7pm yesterday. We’ve been driving alot the past few days, trying to catch up with time as we’re two days behind schedule. Not easy as road conditions aren’t always good and some of the cars are beginning to give us problems, forcing to breakup the convoy into two. As of now, we are only one day behind schedule. At noon, we leave this hotel for Manaus, taking the famous highway BR319, where many (many) people died during its construction. It was partly a move by the government to increase economical activity to the interiors of Brazil. Commercial, toursim, etc. At breakfast with Yoda, one of the oldest members in the expedition, he said this will be the toughest segment of our trip. Getting to Manaus will involve two nights of camping by the highway and we have been given keys to the locks of telco towers situated by the highway. This is because we will be camping in the compounds of the telco towers as it is unsafe to camp out in the open, even next to it. I’m not sure what flanks the highway but the main threat will be jaguars and cougars. The actual distance between Humaita and Manaus is not too far, but the road conditions are poor, hence why it will take us 3 days to get there, hopefully less. Go to http://www.facebook.com/zainhd to view pictures.

Am now in Comodoro, Brazil. We’re trying to move towards north, the Amazon by entering via Humaita as fast as we can as some member of expedition needs to be in Caracas by 11 July to fly back to BA and then KL. If that happens, I will try to fly to NYC earlier, as oppose to 16 July. Will write more when have more net access. Z