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Travel and Backpacking Adventure Blog
I’ve driven from Johannesburg to Durban four times in the past year, and on some occasions I’ve decided to take some scenic detours. This route is 568km, takes approximately 6 hours to drive, passes through Gauteng, Free State and KwaZulu Natal provinces; and costs a class 1 vehicle R231 (in 2018) toll fees. For half the toll fees (saving R119 in a class 1 vehicle), +-30km more distance and about 30 minutes more journey time I get a far more scenic route, via the Drakensberg and Natal Midlands (with Detour Options 1 and 2A below). Detour 2a: Skip Mooi River Toll Plaza which has had incidents of protesters blocking the N3 and setting fires to trucks during recent long-weekend holidays.
I asked the taxi driver if he could stop outside Manaus Soccer stadium which is on the way to the airport. About 15 minutes later we arrived at Manaus Soccer Stadium. I arrived in Rio at 2310 (Rio’s time zone is 1 hour ahead of Manaus). As soon as I landed I connected to the free WiFi in Rio de Janeiro Airport and sent a WhatsApp message to my friend to say that I’d be at our hostel shortly.
There were just 6 of us guests remaining this morning at Amazon Tupana Lodge, so we all ate at one table. Forty Five minutes later at around at 1415 we arrived at the small town Castanho. We waited for heavy rainfall to pass and left Castanho at 1445. It would be a 25 minute transfer by flying catamaran across Rio Negro (Amazon River) to Port Ceasa in Manaus. When we reached Port Caesa waited 30 minutes for a shuttle to collect us and transfer us to our hotels – the 4th and final transfer from Amazon Tupana Lodge.
Even though the water is slightly heated (which makes it bearable in mid-winter), I like to use my car heater after a swim. Unfortunately, I had to wait 1.5 hour after sunset, shivering, for roadside assistance to jump star my car. I asked around, and my friends alerted me to this mini, cellular phone sized, multi-purpose power bank that has ports to jump start a car, and charge your phone or tablet. A single charge can last up to a year, ideal if you want to store this unit in the car cubby-hole for emergencies.