We have a Winner!
We finally made a right call and picked a winner with Barra Grande. It’s not an island, but it feels like one. Sandy streets and a completely relaxed atmosphere. The ‘town square’ is a big tree with a wooden bench around it. The place just feels right.
When we got off the ferry the first night, there was a cat sparring with a big blue land crab in the street right in front of us. That alone pretty much endeared the place to us.
We ended up staying a bit longer than expected. Bode woke up the next morning unable to move and with serious stomach cramps. He was hurting. After going through our list of possibilities (no palm oil), we decided to find the emergency room. Here, the ambulance ride was piggy-back style and the posto do sajude was only 6 blocks away. Despite not having any documents of any kind (we left them in the bus), we got to see the doctor quickly. Would you believe he’s from Scotland?
It was Friday evening, so it was too late for lab work. We hopped the 6 AM Saturday fast boat back to Camamu for a battery of tests. We were back in Barra by 10 AM. The tests arrived that afternoon and another trip back to the doc got us some meds for likely parasites. I would have figured we’d all have stainless steel stomachs by now, but I guess not. Still, we ate street food that night.
2 doctor visits: $0 USD
3 lab tests: $10 USD
prescription: $6 USD
total medical expenses: $16 USD
People have asked us many times about travel insurance or health insurance in each country. It just doesn’t work like back home, so you have to shift your mindset a bit on that topic. When you get sick, you go to the doctor. When there’s a bill, you pay it. It’s a pretty simple system.
The next day, we took it easy and Bode nursed his stomach on a new favorite snack. Crisis averted. And a bacon-flavored reward.
Wow, you guys sure found another wow place. I just don’t see how you’re ever going to be able to come home and go back to the life you had before all this started, it would just be so boring. I’m still living the life with you. It’s hard for me to come home after a month or more on the road, I can’t imagine how hard it would be after over 3 years. I’m gearing up for another summer up here in the PNW and lining up some trips. Got some VW Camper friends here in La Pine, and WetWesties members, that are going to come over tomorrow to plan a couple weeks road trip in May. I’m with you in spirt, Love you guys.
Just be glad you didn’t have to piggy-back me!
Yeah that does seem like a nice place from the pics!
Bode, get better dude! What i normally try first is coca-cola before going to the doctor. Burp and f*rt as much as possible due to the coke bubbles. Often it clears things out.
Any updates on Redbeard or is she just going strong atm ?