Abrams Family World Travel

World Travel: 200 Not Out

SO after nearly two-and-a-half years travelling as a family - about 850 days - we have reached our 200th blog.

We've been to many countries and places and often people want to know which ones stand out the most.

I frequently ask Jamie which locations she either misses most or would like to re-visit. Her list is much shorter than mine. 

While we haven't yet found the 'perfect' location and don't even believe such a place exists, here are my top 5 hot spots, in no particular order. 

 

KUKLJICA

A picture-perfect village on the island of Ugljan off the coast of Zadar in Croatia. It holds special memories for us. We lived there for two months in the summer of 2010. We could never get enough of the deep blue Adriatic Sea and local, fresh food. We found the locals so friendly and welcoming. The weather was perfect, too. Jamie doesn't even like me mentioning the place, because she yearns to be there. We shall return one day with Kobra, part of whose named was derived from the village and country.

 

BAHIA

WE lived in Piracanga, an eco village south of Itacare, Brazil, for nine months in 2011. Kobra was born there. That makes the place unique in our memories. Our life there was basic. There were no shops. We made our entertainment by visiting the ocean and river and using what was natural around us. We played on the long, deserted sandy beaches. Sharing a home with us were spiders, bats, a rat and, occasionally to steal our fruit, monkeys. Jamie found our existence there too limiting after a long period. But I miss many aspects of the lifestyle, especially just living in a pair of shorts (nothing else required). Zenchai still talks fondly of the place, too, because he made friends there.

 

BRECON

OUR Christmas of 2011 was spent in the Welsh valleys. We did a stint of house-sitting and looking after cats and ducks in a beautiful cottage. It was mostly cold and wet, but the house was so cosy and the scenery spectacular. We liked the people very much. Both Jamie and I felt a strong affinity for the region. 

 

BUENOS AIRES

THE bustling capital of Argentina is a place I'd like to go back to more than to stay or settle. It has so much going for it - loads of places to visit; lots to do; cheap and efficient transport; lots of restaurants; nice people. I got to know it well during the near-three months we lived there in late-2010/early-2011.

It ranked as one of Zenchai's favourite spots, too, because he loved seeing all the classic old cars scattered on the streets. 

 

VARKALA BEACH

ALTHOUGH we were only in India a few months ago (Jan 2012), I look back affectionately on our time there. The weather was perfect and the people so glowing, inquisitive and almost overwhelmingly friendly and helpful. Being by the beach offered our kids a great playground every day. We felt very safe there. Although it was more touristy than we like and India in general is overpopulated, noisy and polluted, Varkala Beach has a great charm about it. Living and being there is so easy. 

 

Piracanga: What I'll Miss And What I Won't

10 Things Claude's Going To Miss

1. Outdoor Life

Regardless of the weather, getting out of the house each day was never a problem. Even if it rained, we often went out. There was fresh air, beach, river, forest, garden and most of the houses were built in a way that the air flowed through. Since returning to England, I've appreciated more just how fortunate we were to be able to experience the joys of being outdoors so much and with nature.

2. People

We made so many friends. People visit Piracanga from all over the world. It's an international community. We met so many visitors and residents who were alternative-minded, travelling like us and who took a similar approach to child-raising and education. The people were nearly always friendly and so many adults took out time to be with and nurture Zenchai. Also, I don't think I've been anywhere in the world where I've got to know so many people so quickly and easily.

3. Letting Children Roam Freely

Once you are back in a city, you understand and value how fantastic it was to have a child and feel comfortable allowing your child to come and go without us parents having to worry for his safety or whereabouts. Piracanga felt safe from that perspective. There were few cars and everyone seemed to know everyone. Often Zenchai would go for walks by himself and be gone for an hour or more. Frequently, he went to the houses of other children by himself. We were never concerned and nothing ever happened to him that gave us cause for worry.

4. Fresh Coconuts

They grew on the trees in our garden and were everywhere. There is a plantation next door and each week Alex, who works in the restaurant kitchen, sold and delivered them to your door. We would usually buy about 30 each week (at R30) and bolstered our supply with ripe coconuts from the garden. We drank the sweet juice and used the flesh for puddings, smoothies, soups, granola and just eating raw.

5. Beach And Ocean

Few days passed when we didn't visit one or both. The beach, especially at low tide, was brilliant for enabling children to let off steam and burn up some energy. We often had it entirely to ourselves. Whilst the waves were powerful, the water was usually warm. Zenchai would enjoy jumping waves.

6. Local Fruits & Vegetables

The choice wasn't exactly immense, but we will miss the size of the papayas, mangoes and avocados for certain. By British standards, it was all very affordable. The passion fruit was delicious and, when in season, Jack Fruit so delicious we would sometimes devour one in a single sitting. I shall miss other fruits like plantain, that are harder to get elsewhere, and vegetables such as mandioca.

7. Year-round Sunshine & Warmth

Only for maybe a few weeks of the nine months I was there did I need to where anything with long sleeves. Much of the time I had on just a pair of shorts and, at most, a t-shirt. In the summer it can get really hot, which makes sleeping uncomfortable, but I would take the heat and sun over cold and rain every time.

8. Clean Air & Limited Pollution

Piracanga had some cars and a tractor that was used by the workmen. But there was no traffic to speak of and, because of the forest, all the trees and being by the ocean where there was a constant breeze, the air was clean and fresh.

9. Living In Shorts & Bikinis

As an extention of No. 7, you don't have to pack much to visit here. The climate suits the minimalist. I had only two pairs of shorts and Jamie a couple of bikinis.

10. River

Zenchai preferred the river to the ocean. That's where he learned to swim and kayak - by himself. It's shallow at low tide and the perfect place for a child to begin swimming. Caution is needed when the tide rises and the current strengthens. We went to the river as a family all the time. When the water was warm it was like taking a bath.

 

10 Things Claude Won't Miss

1. Bicho De Pe

These little fleas, which are spread through the urine of animals, get into your feet (and sometimes hands), causing a slight stabbing pain and the only way to remove them is physically. Bichos are actually a type of flea - so they can jump, too. Kobra got one on her toe after only a few weeks of being born. We removed ours using a needle. I had about 10 in the nine months I was there. Zenchai had two and Jamie, somehow, avoided them all. Even though the first one I had taken out knocked me out - yes, I fainted - subsequently, I got good at removing them by myself and without fuss.

2. Poor Internet Signal

Having internet costs R50 per month or R5 per day. Where you live will have an affect on how strong your signal is, as will the weather. The internet signal is transmitted by radio. It's not fast. Some days we got nothing from our house and would have to go to the centre. On occasion the signal would be down everywhere. But in terms of using Skype and doing research online it was quite frustrating for us.

3. Driving On The Piracanga Road

This was a really bumpy journey, taking about one hour to Itacare going through deep puddles and large pot-holes. Zenchai threw up almost every time he made the trip. The road has recently been improved and the drive isn't as bad, but it remains a rally-type experience.

4. Humidity

Nearly all the clothes we took with us got ruined - they turned mouldy. The climate makes it difficult to keep clothing fresh, especially when it rains.

5. Mosquitos And Matukas

As much as you can get used to mosquitos, they can still drive you nuts at times. We certainly didn't react to bites as much at the end as we did when we first arrived. But outside of a mosquito net they would often swarm around you at night and, with a young baby, it wasn't fun. The bite of a matuka fly was more severe and matukas don't leave you alone. To clobber them, you have to let them land and sink their teeth in first!

6. Long Community Meetings

We got invited to many meetings during our stay, but soon found that most of them lasted two to three times longer than necessary.

7. 'Cold' Winter Nights

It did get chilly, relatively speaking. Some nights during the winter, with the homes open to the elements, we needed to wrap up under four or five blankets and snuggle together to stay warm.

8. Dusty, Sandy Houses When The Wind Blows Hard

It was hard keeping a house clean. Sand, dust and leaves would end up everywhere, especially on windy days.

9. Waiting For Laundry To Dry During The Wet Season

Sometimes the rain would last for days. With no washing machine, dryer etc, you have to either pray for the rain to stop or hang your clothes indoors. But even with the latter, it would take time for clothes to dry when the sun wasn't shining.

10. Insecurity

At first, we thought Piracanga was wonderful because there was no need to lock up your doors when you went out. Crime was almost unheard of. And then, as more houses were being constructed, workers came in from outside the village and the crime rate increased. We had a computer stolen during a burglary. Life never felt the same.

Piracanga: Living On Light (The Aftermath)

YOU´D think that having not eaten for 21 days the first thing on my mind when the ´Process´ was over would be food. But it wasn´t.

I left Serra Grande in the morning, after folding up the tent and sweaping clean the forest house, and Silvia kindly drove me to Itacare.

It wasn´t until around 12.30pm - and more out of necessity than hunger - that I had my first meal for three weeks.

I had ahead of me a 6 1/2km walk along the beach to Piracanga, carrying a rucksack which probably now weighed more than I did. Given how physically frail I´d felt during the ´Process´, I had some doubts about the wisdom of such a trek.

So I had lunch, sticking mostly to fruits and salads, and after I had given myself time to digest the food and for the tide to go down, I set off for Piracanga, not attempting to break any world records.

To my surprise, I completed the walk quite comfortably, aided by a tail wind, and found that the mental sturdiness I either had or acquired to complete the ´Process´ carried me without complaint to Piracanga in one piece.

In spite of my new greyhoundesque, super-lean physique, my energy and strength had returned. And when I finally reached Piracanga, with the wind howling into my back, I found the balsa to cross the river stranded. Yet I just threw the rucksack over my shoulder and, against a strong current, carried it across.

If physically I was back on track, mentally my head was sent into a tailspin when after arriving back at our rented house I discovered, to my shock and dismay, I had been burgled whilst away.

Worst of all, they had stolen Jamie´s Apple Mac laptop which contained ALL of our family photos that, through our own fault, we´d failed to back up. We had our spare camera taken, too.

Suddenly, having been in a calm, strong space, I was faced with a haunting predicament. ´Welcome to the real world', was the phrase which flashed through my mind.

For the rest of the night my mind, as you could imagine, was occupied in thought. But I did find that my experience in Serra Grande helped me more quickly reconcile my deep loss and any guilt I had for failing to make safe the computer.

And after a night of processing the reality of being robbed, I found in myself peace, acceptance and forgiveness. I realised there was no point in dwelling on what I could and should have done, because those thoughts lead only to self-destruction and wouldn´t bring back the computer.

I reported the incident to the Itacare police and the matter is under investigation with a suspect, a local worker, already identified.

I have no idea if I will ever see the laptop or photos again and I thought about what I wrote in my ´Week 3´ blog about how I could understand more clearly how éverything is perfect´. I tried to relate that to this incident. It was hard. But I accepted it had happened and that I can´t change the past.

I gave thought to our possessions and our desire to have valuable items and how while they bring us joy and happiness, there´s a price (not just in terms of money) to pay with worry over damage and theft. ´Do I want to own anything valuable again?´ I questioned.

It took me a while to regain my emotional composure as I returned to Piracanga life, especially to be back in a home where I had never stayed without my wife and kids.

There was an emptiness, not just in my heart but within the borders of the property. I could see remnants of Zenchai´s presence, but where was his voice, laughter and energy?

I had things to do. Staying present and finding stillness, which was simple in Serra Grande, proved a challenge. Being aware of the time even felt strange, as was getting used to eating again. The only clock that really mattered was my body clock.

My stomach didn´t react kindly to the first meal. I either made the wrong choice or consumed too much. The next day I felt as if I had eaten the hottest curry imaginable.

I tried to keep my portions to a need-only size, but even this required much self-discipline. With each day, though, things became easier. I could see, however, why I was advised to take my time getting back to ´normality´ after the ´Process´. Almost everything felt like an invasion on my senses following so long in virtual total serenity.

On my third day back I woke in the night (I still wasn´t sleeping well) with the idea to offer a reward for the laptop. It was worth a try. I had nothing to lose if it failed and I wanted to explore every option and know I had tried my best.

I sat in the kitchen the next day eating my dinner and noticed a message Zenchai had written on a piece of paper for me and hung over the dining table. It said ´TRUST´.

It bolstered my faith. I put out the intention to find the computer and the next day set off again for Itacare.

I had posters for a reward made and photocopied (100 for R20) and then spent the remainder of the day distributing them around town. After staying the night in Itacare (R25), I set off the next morning to Caubi. There were no buses until the evening, so I did my best to haggle a good price for a taxi (R40) and made my way there.

Caubi is a small, simple village with a bus stop, convenience store and not much else - and where the suspect lives. I handed out my posters to everyone I saw and then covered the 7km of wet sand and clay back to Piracanga, mostly barefoot.

The next morning, before anyone was awake, I placed my posters around the building site where the alleged suspect had worked, a stone´s throw from the house.

I decided to give it a week. Jamie booked my flight back to England. I remained positive rather than hopeful, even if the difference is only subtle, and waited.

In the meantime, I got on with living, cleaning the home we´d rented, gardening, doing some writing, playing beach volleyball and running again.

Within a week of the ´process´ending I felt physically back to normal in terms of strength and fitness, even though I was much leaner. Actually, I felt like I had boundless energy.

But controlling my eating felt difficult, as though my body was trying to make up for three weeks without food. Luckily for me, I remained active. But I noticed an interesting and important change - that while I was occasionally hard on myself for over-eating in the past, I just accepted it now for what it was.

Two weeks after the ´Process´ , I was more than ready to be reunited with Jamie and the children. I felt fresh, positive and alive.

Being away from my family for five weeks had certainly enabled me to fully appreciate them. Just as importantly, being by myself all that time had helped me to fully realise and accept myself.

And so I finally parted ways with the eco-village that had been my home for nine months, holding no regrets and only fond memories and lessons in life.

I stayed one night in Itacare and the next day took the five-hour bus (R35) to Bom Despacho, where I crossed the water (one hour) to Salvador by ferry. There I took my plane, via Frankfurt, to London´s Heathrow, ending the longest spell I had been away from ´home´.

 

Boipeba: Island Retreat

WE had been told about a little island paradise just off the mainland from Valença called Boipeba. All our friends that had made the journey there came back to Piracanga with a sparkle in their eye.

What was so magical about this place with 300 inhabitants? Could it be because it is a well-known ecological haven that houses a diverse aray of flora and fauna? Or possibly the tranquil beaches created by the surrounding reefs?

We had to find out for ourselves.

Getting to Boipeba from Itacare was fairly straightforward. Buses leave from Itacare every hour for Valença. Journey time is around 2 1/2-3 hours. Then once in Valença, you have to make your way to the Terminal Hidroviario. Take a taxi from bus station for R12, but it's walkable if you don't have mountains of luggage, taking around 10-15 minutes on foot.

There are two options by boat to Boipeba island - fast and slow. We opted for the quick route (one hour journey time) at a cost of R35 per adult. It can get a little chilly (with the wind) and choppy (depending on your driver).

There are lots of options for places to stay. Pousadas are everywhere. But if you're vegan, like us, we'd recommend you get a place with a kitchen. Eating out can be a problem off-season, but even when most restaurants are closed there are still options - more so in the evening when the acaraje (falafel-type fried balls made from black-eyed bean paste) and tapioca stands open for business.

Of course, the real attraction of this island is the beaches - and there are plenty. The water is shallow (great for children) and the sand clean.

Boipeba: Conch Shell Fun And Fascination

For Zenchai the highlight of our stay in Boipeba was him finding conch shells. He was so proud of himself and, after a visit to a bone museum in Boipeba town, Zenchai became fascinated by how you could hear the ocean when holding the shell to your ear.

He even invented a Conch shell-catcher (picture below with what looks like a long branch). He used it to scoop conch shells out of the water and reckoned it could even detect conch shells.

When Zenchai scooped out of the water his first conch shell, a large white one, the look on his face was like he had been handed the keys to a bright red Ferrari and been told it's his to keep. Although Zenchai reached down into the shallow water to retrieve it, in his mind he had dived deeply. He felt so proud.

Zenchai didn't stop talking about it the rest of the day.

Zenchai said, "When I next get invited to a birthday party I'm going to strap all my conch shells to my shorts with cello tape so everyone can hear the sound of the ocean and wonder where it's coming from." That did make me laugh, even if Z was being serious.

Always coming up with ideas, Zenchai said he would open a sand-dollar museum and put all his conch shells in there.

¨Conch shells are more valuable to me than gold,¨he said.

Later that evening and holding a conch shell to each ear, Zenchai said he was ¨listening to his ipod.¨

Zenchai told me that when you listen to the conch shell it tells you the conversation you had on the beach.

The truth is that the shell doesn't actually hold the sound of the ocean, but telling Zenchai that would be like blowing the lid on the Santa Claus myth.

What it does is resonate the sounds you hear around you. Because of its shape, each shell produces different sounds. Also, these shells are made from a build-up of calcium carbonate (which also makes hard water), usually reaching its maximum size after about three years.

When we got to Itacare (on the way home), I noticed Zenchai's bag of shells moving on top of our wardrobe. We took them out of the room, placed all the shells on the table and waited until something happened. Sure enough, some legs poked out of one of the shells. Zenchai stepped back, feeling afraid.

We did the right thing, though, by returning it to the ocean, though a long way from its original home.

 

Serra Grande: Living On Light

I DON'T regard myself as an extremist (although many would disagree). But I am extremely curious to discover my physical, mental and emotional limits (thank you, Zenchai, for helping me with the latter). 

I first heard about the 21-day Living On Light process when I arrived in Piracanga in January. I was instantly intrigued. Could it be done? What would it feel like? What would I discover about myself being in isolation and not drinking, eating or talking for a prolonged period?

For some it would seem like insanity. I understand that. The reaction from my own family (without me asking for any opinion) was interesting and contrasting: "I don't support him - it's dangerous"; "meditation doesn't work"; "I'm interested to hear about it when you're done".

But since I've been in Piracanga, I've met dozens of men and women who have completed the course. Practically all have had extraordinary and remarkable experiences. Many have called it the most powerful/enlightening period of their lives. 

The Living On Light process in Piracanga is done individually but as part of a group, some big and some small. But I am doing my process elsewhere, by myself surrounded by nature, though under supervision. 

The process isn't for me all about abstaining from food, although I am sure it will play a big part and my relationship with food will become clearer, too. Food - the eating and buying of, thinking and worrying about, preparing, digesting - takes from us a lot of energy even though we consume to acquire energy. It's a curious relationship. 

I want most of all, though, to learn about myself - to see if I can discover (or should I say rediscover?) my essence through stillness and by eliminating distractions. We can, of course, learn about ourselves, too, in every day life, through our interactions with others and mostly in challenging situations. But I want to be more in a state of 'being' rather than 'doing' - to try to live from moment to moment (just like my daughter Kobra does) with no concept of time except for night and day. 

This is an opportunity to try something new and I feel certain this journey will take me through another dimension. I want to confront myself and what I feel - to connect with myself by going inwards in a way that requires seclusion, silence and isolation (including no computers), where you can't escape and hide from yourself. That could, of course, drive some of us crazy - and maybe it will me - and bring about some discomfort.

I shall find out soon enough. 

Jamie and the kids, meanwhile, have headed off to England and I will join them when I am finished and have taken some time to process what I will undoubtedly discover. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brazil: More Police Federal Fun And Games

WE thought we had seen the last of Policia Federal in Ilheus. But no such luck. We needed a passport for Kobra as Jamie and the kids are on their way to England for Christmas to see friends and family (I will follow later).

Being born in Brazil makes Kobra entitled to a Brazilian passport. It's easier (from Brazil) than applying for a British one (which would entail mailing the original birth certificate to the British Consulate in Rio De Janeiro, getting a British one and then mailing it to Washington DC for processing and waiting for goodness knows how long for it to return).

We shall apply for Kobra's British when we are in England. It's simpler that way. In the meantime we applied for the Brazilian online. This involved entering all the essential information and receiving an appointment date at Police Federal in Ilheus.

Our appointment was confirmed. We printed it off and then waited for the day. We had a plan, which involved entering our paperwork, returning to Itacare by bus and then, the next day, going by bus to beautiful Boipeba for a small family break.

So when we arrived in Itacare on the morning of our appointment, we booked ourselves into a pousada/guesthouse (we opted for the Piracanga Pousada on the small square), left our bags and computer and then took the bus to Ilheus for the 2.45pm appointment.

Arriving well in time (the bus journey is about two hours, but fairly smooth), we had some lunch first, took a taxi to Police Federal and then the fun started, as usual.

We were told that the appointment venue had been changed and then to go to SAC in the centre where Police Federal now has a passport office. No-one had warned or told us.

We walked to the nearby bus terminal, took a taxi back to Ilheus centre (about R15 or £7) and found the SAC building. 

Immediately, we handed in our papers. But shortly after, an officer (the first friendly one we had encountered) gave us some bad news. Talking in Portuguese, he said something to the effect of "Doesn't look too good right now. If you [two] were Brazilian it wouldn't be a problem. But as it is, it's going to be complicated."

He disappeared back into the office. Zenchai played in the dirt with his cars. Jamie and I looked at each other almost in disbelief. Jamie was ready to scream!

Some time later a more senior officer, who looked at you over his glasses whenever he spoke, came out. Again, talking in fast Portuguese and sounding rude, he said he couldn't process the application. We weren't clear why.

His friendlier colleague came out to explain further, telling us we needed to come again the next morning (8am).

'YOU MUST BE JOKING' were the words ringing in my head.

We contemplated getting a bus back to Itacare, where all our belongings were, or staying the night in Ilheus.

After calculating the costs - and inconvenience - we opted to stay in Ilheus. The expense of staying one night added up to the same to travelling to Itacare and back the next day. Nice 'pousadas' are hard to find in Ilheus, though. We searched and got one that was (barely) acceptable. 

It meant, though, that we were paying for three places to stay on one night (remember, we are also renting a house in Piracanga)!

Up in time for breakfast, we then made our way to Police Federal again. Jamie tried to adopt a more positive attitude. I did the same. 

What could be the problem? We'd spoken to people who'd successfully applied. We'd had two Brazilians read the 'necessary documents' page on the government website. We felt prepared.

We were positive, but I also was ready for anything. Never take anything for granted. This was Police Federal after all. 

Jamie and I looked at each other when we presented our documents to an officer who had turned us away several months ago when we tried for temporary residency. Bad sign?

He came out several minutes later and, in his high-pitched voice, explained to us he could start the process and have a passport issued, but that we would need to go to the other Police Federal to make and sign a declaration.

We groaned, but accepted.

The passport would be ready for collection after eight working days and only one of the parents (provided he or she has the child's birth certificate and his or her passport) needed to pick it up. 

Quickly, we took a taxi to Police Federal (again). We had a bus to catch to Itacare. We asked for the relevant officer before Jamie was taken to an office. Zenchai and I waited. It took more than an hour. Zenchai was getting hungry. I could hear Kobra becoming restless.

Then it was my turn. We were asked all sorts of questions about our visit and stay in Brazil and then told to sign a statement. We also were issued with another fine - the maximum one (over R800 each) - for overstaying our visa.

The officer explained that we would have to pay it when next entering Brazil, but we couldn't return until next January (2012), a year since we last entered the country.

Once finished, we left Police Federal (hopefully for the final time) and walked to the bus station, luckily in time to catch our ride to Itacare, which leaves every hour.

Relieved, we got to Itacare and decided to stay the night before, finally, heading to Boipeba. 

Brazil: Pitfalls Of Legalising Our Stay

THE Brazilian authorities have been giving us the runaround. For instance, it took us over two months just to get Kobra's birth certificate!

First time I turned up to register Kobra's birth at the Forum (like a town hall in England), I was told that Jamie and I needed both our birth certificates (in Brazil documents for identification always include your parents' names). And when I went back with them at a later date, the lady working in the office was on vacation and, incredibly, no-one had been brought in to replace her. 

Finally, we got it done, but not without a few spelling mistakes, which is something we now have to live with. The aggravation that comes with having it changed is too much.

However, the matter of legalising our stay in Brazil has been even more challenging. For starters, we have to travel to Ilheus, about two hours away by car. This not only means taking the whole family over the bumpy road from Piracanga to Itacare, but, because the Police Federal are open only from 9-11am, the journey each time begins at the crack of dawn.

As I wrote in our blog on extending our visa, we were three days late first time visiting Police Federal (because Jamie had given birth and was advised not to travel) and were handed a fine and told to fill in forms, pay the penalty, return with Kobra's birth certificate etc.

Because getting her registered took so long, our return to Ilheus was delayed. We finally planned the trip, got up at 5.30am, left Piracanga at 7am and arrived in Ilheus just after 9am.

We had to have passport-size photos taken and then photocopies of every page in our passports. Armed with these, we went to a small internet shop opposite Police Federal that prepares your papers (at a cost). But their printer had broken down.

The clock was ticking while I waited for the owner to return with the printer. And finally, at 10.30am, she did. However, she struggled for about 15 precious minutes to install the cartridge. Florian, our Romanian friend who drove us to Ilheus, finally helped her, but we were left with only 10 minutes to spare by the time it was installed.

Quickly, she printed off our documents and I paid R130 per application (R390 in total).

Then we dashed across the road to Police Federal and waited some more - until it was our turn.

And when we got to see someone, he looked through our papers, decided Zenchai had to apply separately but not immediately, and that our paperwork hadn't been completed properly.

Just as happened on our first visit, Police Federal gave us no leeway. "We can't do it today," he said. "There's no time." He basically said to come back when everything was together in the right order and moved on to the next and final customer in line.

So, after he closed his door on us, we departed and contemplated staying the night in Ilheus and returning the next day. 

But we found Ilheus much too hectic - a real bombardment on the senses, especially with two young children - and, anyhow, it would be cheaper to return to Piracanga and try again another time. 

We waited another month before the right opportunity came our way and made the long journey again. This time we went straight to the internet office across the street, made sure our papers were in order and then across the road to Police Federal.

Despite all you hear about preferential treatment for pregnant mothers and mothers of newborns, it doesn't apply at Police Federal in Ilheus. We waited again several hours for our turn. Then the officer in charge took away our papers, returned several minutes later and, surprise surprise, told us we needed to pay more fines before the application could begin.

Why the officer hadn't pointed this out on our last visit I do not know. But it transpired that since our first fine we had accumulated more illegal time, amounting to R753.25 each (for Jamie and myself). That's about £295.

So we left again, this time wondering whether proceeding further - given we don't know if we will return to Brazil after we leave and fines are only paid on re-entry after you depart the country - is actually worth it. 

 

However, here are some tips for foreigners applying in Ilheus for temporary Brazilian residency.

1. Important! Avoid overstaying your three-month visa - apply for an extension before the expiration date.

2. If you are a family with a child born in Brazil, only the mother and father need apply. Siblings do not.

3. Make sure any fines for overstaying are already paid and keep a copy of the receipt.

4. Make copies of your baby's birth certificate for each applicant.

5. Have passport-size (3x4) photos of the applicants on a WHITE background.

6. Take copies of EVERY page in your passport.

7. Make sure you complete and sign a declaration form (obtained from the shop across the street from the police).

8. Ensure there are no errors on the application form. There is no margin for error. Anything crossed out or in the wrong section will mean you being asked to do it again. 

9. Turn up early and be prepared to wait. 

10. Take plenty of cash. If you use the internet shop across the street from Police Federal, they will not accept any other method of payment. 

 

Piracanga: 13km To Itacare And Back - With Two Kids, High Tide And A Tropical Storm

An overcast day, Kobra tucked in my sling and Claude, Zenchai and I on foot, we headed along the beach, all 6.5km of it, towards Itacare, the nearest town, for the day.

Claude was the only one of us that had made this walk before. The tide was low - the best time for this trek - and Zenchai in particular enjoyed jumping in puddles along the way.

  He also kept himself amused running along and jumping off sandbanks.

And exploring what had been left by others who'd made the journey, what the strong ocean had dragged to shore and collecting sand dollars.

We travelled light. Claude carried a backpack, Kobra's changing mat and other essentials. All was going well until we started to feel some drizzle in the air.

 

We made it to the point where the canoes are usually waiting to cross the river, but no-one was there. With Kobra now awake, we walked on further until they could see us - and waited.  

Waving our hands, we got the canoeist's attention and he started towards us. And once on the other side, we went about our business, gathering a few necessities that can't be purchased in Piracanga, taking in some lunch and heading back in time (we hoped) to avoid darkness.

The weather wasn't too bad as we boarded the canoe again, but the tide was high (we'd seriously miscalculated) and this meant the walk back wouldn't be straightforward. In fact, the waves were so severe we couldn't dismount at the usual point. 

With rain now lashing down and waves crashing against the sandbanks, we slowly and arduously returned - helping each other out whenever necessary. 

Visibility was poor and walking along the beach and in the shallow water wasn't an option. Black clouds gathered and were heading in our direction. The ocean was rough. We had to plough through cacti and bushes. The umbrella I had to shield Kobra from the sun came in handy.

It was exhausting work - my first serious exercise since giving birth. Kobra nuzzled in close and slept through much of it - even when at one point my foot slipped off a ledge that had crumbled away. Zenchai, stripped down to his shorts in spite of the weather, did remarkably well and held Claude's hand. By the time we found Piracanga again it was dark. This was a real family adventure with no real damage done - except for losing one of my flip-flops. 




 

Brazil: Visa Regulations

In Brazil you are given a three-month stay as a tourist when you arrive. If you wish to remain for longer you must visit the Federal Police and apply before your visa expires.

We faced a tricky situation, though. Our visa expired on April 24. We couldn't have gone before Kobra's birth because Jamie was heavily pregnant. And we couldn't go immediately after Kobra was born because Jamie was told by our midwife not to walk for 15 days.

We also didn't want to take our 12-day-old daughter on a long journey by car to Ilheus, about two-and-a-half hours away. But we had no choice. Each applicant MUST appear in person.

To make the trip easier, we travelled the day before from Piracanga to Itacare by jeep. It's an extremely bumpy road and the journey was made more difficult by heavy rain flooding the roads.

Nonetheless, we made it and stayed the night in Itacare. Then early the next morning, helped by our friend Sam, who is staying in Piracanga near to us and speaks Portuguese, we made the hour-or-so drive to Ilheus to visit the police.

But it wasn't as straightforward as we had wished or the formality we had been told it would be. We sat in the waiting area for about an hour after presenting our passports and then were told to each pay fines of R24.83 (about £10).

However, instead of then informing us we could extend our visas, the policeman dealing with our case said we had to leave the country - until he noticed Jamie was holding a newborn baby!

He asked Kobra's age and then if we had a birth certificate. We didn't, having not yet registered her. So he said we had eight days in which to pay the fines and reappear with the certificate - or else the fines would start adding up (the maximum is R827.75 (for three months).

There was no flexibility, even when one policeman could see our predicament and requested some leniency be applied.

So we're now getting ready for the same journey again. Poor Kobra did tremendously well on her first excursion and trip by car, even if exposure to the noise and pollution of a city at her age was something we had hoped to avoid for much longer.

Returning to Piracanga, though, we felt relieved to be somewhere so peaceful and secluded, surrounded by nature and all its wonderful sounds and smells.

Abramsfamilyworldtravel tip: make sure you go early if you need to visit the Police Federal in Ilheus. The office closes at 11am.