All the struggles, ups and downs, and self mutilations finally found me in an emergency room. High fevers and not being able to breathe didn’t leave me much choice, but to listen to Robert and see a doctor. Robert generously put all the medications on his company account as if it was for himself, and I started medicating with colorful pills and drops.
The doctor urged me not to get out of the bed, but the prospect of staying still was too much to even consider. So we loaded up and headed out to the countryside to have a look at the beautiful Salto Cristal water fall, joined by Leti, her mom and grandma. The climate was tropical and very hot, but equally beautiful. Lush vines and green trees obscured the path down to the fall, and we trekked down for a good 45 minutes to get to the bottom. The route was almost 90 degrees down with class 5 scrambling, so we had to leave Roberts’s 8 months pregnant wife Sandra, and grandma at the base camp.
I’ve seen a lot of waterfalls, but Salto Cristal stands out because of its secluded location, and climate. The water was cold and it was a welcoming relief to my fever. We spent a few hours swimming, and laying in the sun before leaving the heaven. Now that I look at the pictures, I look whiter than Casper himself, and all the weight I lost concerns the hell out of me. So the next step was to fatten up.
The next day I made some Persian Kababs for the family, and although I couldn’t taste anything myself due to being sick, I devoured as much as I could to get some needed fat back. I visited the fascinating sugar factory with Robert, and we did some riding around Tebicuary. This town is very clean, with almost no garbage anywhere. The people are laid back, friendly, and always ready for a good fun. As most of South America, Dirt rallies are very popular in Paraguay and we had a chance to go and see the first race of the season. Although it rained a lot before the race, people pushed through the flooded roads on bicycle, motorcycle and small cars not to miss the race.
With Subarus and Mitsubishis being the predominant race cars, these amazing drivers cut through hard corners, and mud with unbelievable speeds and managed to keep their wheel on the ground. It was an exciting race and the locals did everything in their power to make it more fun, whether throwing their shirts on the track to have the tire mark as a trophy, or by jumping after the cars.
My stay at Robert’s house was a great experience and I got to know him and his beautiful family. He’s an amazing guy, with high hopes for his country. He welcomed me to his home and showed me nothing but good times. Paraguay is not a tourist destination by any means, and for no good reason. It is safe, beautiful, relatively cheap, and quiet. It’s a perfect getaway. Don’t miss out on this country, you’ll love it.
Dear Chis,
Thank you for writing me back. It’s an amazing adventure that you are going through… You can count on our support, our Hearts are with you! The Cause you are dealing with is so noble and soaring that I think you dеserve the attention and the ownership of the whole world.
Bogomir
hi,i have been following your journey since i came across it several months ago at gs resources.my kids are following also.its amazing all the ordeals you have had to pass through(along with many high points). my sister was a world traveler as a younger person. she would work hard here in the states, save her money then go live in another country till she was broke or got kicked out. she stayed 4 months in india and caught a parasite that almost killed her.i remember her getting down to about 90 lbs(she is 5’11’). anyway just be careful.maybe someone at gs resources(best people in the world) could figure out a health kit for you to carry. i really believe in what your trying to do. i have always thought that a lot of wars wouldnt be fought if people everywhere had just the simple basics of life. most of us just want to be safe,raise our families,and have enough to eat. thanks for allowing us to travel with you albeit vicariously. bill and malissa
I have really been enjoying following your trip. I am planning a motorcycle journey across the Americas as well, leaving this summer. Great job you have been doing. Thank you
Dear Bill and Melissa,
Thank you for following the journey, it’s good to hear from those who read my jumble of words and to know that it puts a smile on someone’s face. My medical kit is growing, sometimes people think I’m a traveling doctor! but there are so many diseases everywhere I go that having a hospital in my pocket is not enough 🙂 but one day at a time, I deal with it and keep going. Please give my regards to your family.
Cheers,
Chris