- Quick facts
- Total days on the road: 586
- Currently in: USA
- Miles Driven: 36821
- Countries Visited: 17
- Days Camping: 389
- Days Indoors: 202
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Brazil
We start at the famous Iguazu Falls, then head east to the coast, stopping off at Floranopolis for a week and then hauling north to Sao Paulo. For a few weeks we enjoy to coast line up to Rio de Janiero, before turning back to Sao Paulo to begin the dreaded shipping process.
Below you'll find updates of places we're visiting and our usual cheeky shenanigans. Also, we'll try to add useful information about our budget, internet availability, and border crossings.
Shipping from Brazil to the USA Roll-on Roll-off: Part 2
{jcomments lock}Don’t worry amigos. Part 2 isn’t going to be nearly as bad as Part 1.
The ISF Form
All cargo arriving in the US is supposed to be declared on an ISF form. We had an agent complete this form for us. They charged a $35 fee. The ISF form is supposed to be submitted before the ship departs the port where the cargo was loaded. Because of the mess that often occurs in shipping, the form often times can’t be filed until the ship has left port. This is not a big deal. As our agent explained, as long as it is submitted before the ship reaches the first US port of call, you will probably be fine.
One thing is for certain, if you don’t file this form, you vehicle will most likely be put on a customs hold and you will undergo a long and arduous waiting process to have everything cleared. Just ask Monica and Jeff over at Overland the World.
Brazil Wifi and Phone Report: Not Bad at All.
This article is part of our Internet and Phone Report series. {jcomments lock}
General availability: Excellent
Quality of bandwidth: High
Frequency of internet in campgrounds: Medium
Frequency of internet in hotels: High
Areas Visited
We crossed at Foz do Iguacu and headed east to Curitiba the south to Floranopolis. From there we went back up the coast to Rio de Janiero. Brazil is a massive country, we barely scratched the surface.
Overall Availability
Availability was remarkable. Every town had internet or calling centers, every hostel, rental apartment or hotel had wifi. Most gas stations on major highways had internet. We never had trouble finding a hotspot. Availability in campgrounds was mixed, but with a little advance research we were able to find a place with internet.
Shipping from Brazil to the USA Roll-on Roll-off: Part 1
{jcomments lock}Here we go again friends. I know you love shipping posts almost as much as you love budget reports. This time, we’re headed home, Santos, Brazil to Galveston, Texas, roro style.
As usual before we begin, a few general bits of information:
Goin’ RoRo
Roro stands for roll-on roll-off. It means “without a container”. It’s great because it’s a fraction of the cost of a container, and for those of you with large vehicles, it is the only option. It’s bad because you must hand over your keys. Your vehicle will be parked, usually unlocked, at various ports around the world. Anything in the inside that isn’t bolted down is likely to be stolen.
Brazil Campgrounds and Hotels
This article is part of our Accommodation Listing series. {jcomments lock}
Argentina to Brazil at Iguazu Falls: Border Crossing
{jcomments lock}This article is part of our Border Crossing Report series.
Border name: Iguazu Falls
Closest major cities: Puerto Iguazu, Argentina and Foz do Iguaçu, Brasil
Cost for visas: US$160 for US Citizens (must apply in advance) Free for South Africans
Cost for vehicle: $0
Total time: 45 minutes
Date crossed: Wednesday April 3, 2013
The Steps
- Drive up to the Argentinian immigration booth. Hand over your passports to be stamped out.
- Drive up to the random aduana official. Hand him your Argentinian temporary vehicle permit.
- Drive over to the Brazilian side. Go past the buildings, park at the back.
- Walk to the office labeled immigration. Fill out the tourist card and hand the official your passports and the card. She will check for your visa (if required) stamp and return the passports.
Rio, Baby. Rio.
Start: April 7, Florianopolis {jcomments lock}
Finish: April 25, Santos
Cookbooks Sent to Publisher: 1!!!
World-Famous Beaches Walked On: 2
Pounds of Crap Given Away: 50
Types of Meat Eaten Off a Sword: 12
Well, this is it. The last trip update from South America. In a mere week we'll be flying home. Jared to start interviewing for work, and Jess and Kobus to meet Blue several weeks later in Texas. Before we return to the grind we'll have one last adventure as Team Life Remotely in Flagstaff, Arizona where we'll be attending Overland Expo to hang out with the cool kids and promote our new cookbook.
But I get ahead of myself. We've spent the last three weeks hopping along Brazil's spectacular beaches. After spending 10 days in a rental house in Florianopolis to wrap up work on the book, we head north to Rio de Janeiro for three nights of sightseeing before backtracking to Santos, our final destination in Latin America.
Iguazu Falls and Into Brazil
Start: April 3, Iguazu Falls, Argentina{jcomments lock}
Finish: April 6, Florianopolis, Brazil
Countries to Date: 17
Border Crossings to Date: 23
Portuguese Words We Know: 3
We are nearing the end my friends. According to our original plans we should have ended two months ago, but the lure of Brazil proved too strong to overcome. Never fear we have at least a month left on the books, and although Brazil is our last stop on our 19-month tour of Latin America, you haven't seen the last of us.
Before experiencing our final border crossing, we have one place left to visit in Argentina. Iguazu Falls is a long drive out of the way, adding three 8+ hour road days to our schedule, but by all accounts people say it's a worthy detour. We brace ourselves for mobs of tourists, but are much looking forward to catching a glimpse of a spectacle that makes Niagara Falls look like a leaky backyard sprinkler.