Heading to Belem, Brasil

I was crowned an honorary Moto-taxi member after chatting to this group of Moto-taxi employees who take passengers around town for half the price of a cab. To hire a cab here is almost impossible as the moto-taxis are cheaper and faster and dominate the market.

I didn't get to save this guy, I think it was poisonous as it had a triangular shaped head typical of venomous snakes. I dragged it off the road nonetheless by its tail keeping well away from its mouth.

Who says dumb as an Ox? These fellows were well trained and obedient, towing loads and never complaining a bit.

Cresent dunes that migrate with the prevailing winds.

Green in the dunes, In a couple of more weeks the dune valleys will fill with water withthe arrival of the wet season here in Brasil. The reflection from the blue sky and the contrast of the white sand will give the landscape a surreal blue and white pattern that is candy for the eye.

Nothing too exciting to report today other than the the rainy season has begun. I was riding through some intense winds and trying to outrun a passing cloud that was black as octupus ink. The cloud was thundering, and lightening was coming down. I really didn't take much notice as I was more concerned about keeping dry and out running the storm.

Alas the road had a bend in it which directed me into the storm path. I decided to don the rain gear in the 35 degree heat and the minute that I zipped up my coat the rain began pouring down cats and dogs. It was so intense that it reduced visability to only a 100 meters. I've noticed that as long as I keep my speed up around 100km/hr the windshield directs the majority of the water over my head.

I was concentrating on the road when I felt a lifting feeling. All of a sudden I felt my skin crawling, a jolt of electricity and a bright flash filled the front of the bike by my right hand. Apparently the charge grounded out of my right index finger through the front brake lever. Suddenly there was a huge CRACK, and I looked up cringing on my bike milli-seconds after beging electricuted and saw the black cloud above me still light up. It took a few seconds to register that I just got struck by lightening!

I was on the leading edge of the storm and apparently I made for a good ground for the storm cloud to discharge. I think, however, that the lightening strike went upwards from me to the cloud though, but that may just be because the sound was slower than the flash off my right hand.

For a while afterward I was wondering if I'd have some sort of super power like Powder did in that movie about the albino guy.....but no, I had no super powers to speak of. To add insult to injury I wasn't even able to talk the hotel owner down in his asking price tonight.