The Life of Brad: February 2017 - Good Bye Diablo, Hello Sailboat

In February I changed my nice cabin in Punta del Diablo for a nice cabin abroad Witblits Catamaran near Paysandu. And I finished Draft 5 of my First Script!

"A man on land envies a man living on a boat, but a man living on a boat envies no one" Pieter C (paraphrased).

The first part of Feb I strapped in and finished off draft 5 of my travel drama script "Bandido Blanco" that has been moving along for the last 3 years or more. I have learned a lot in those years and become a better writer and storyteller. I hope to write 5 more scripts in the next years beginning with a drama/love story in March. The feeling of finishing a script is unbelievable and I'm hooked on it like an adrenaline junkie to skydiving!

Feb 14 - "Bandido Blanco" Draft 5

Diablo the GOOD: I truly enjoyed my time in Punta del Diablo. A reasonable cost of living, walkable to everything, the beach, volley ball, fresh fish, wonderfully colourful birds and insects and local horses just hanging outside my cabin. Lovely sandy road runs that end swimming in the ocean taking in the morning sun. I hope to return someday soon!

Diablo the BAD: Watch out for flying umbrellas that harpoon your gut while you're taking a nap on the beach to which the owner says "Are you ok?" and I say "No" and he just shrugs and takes his umbrella. Don't ask for a Visa Extension, instead go to Brasil and return later that day to save $30 fees. Ocean town Mosquitos are tough as anything and you really need to put your weight behind your smack cautiously finding the line not to explode them all over the wall. No marina for 100 km equals no sailing possibilities.

Diablo the UGLY: My cheap $5 haircut!

More Punta del Diablo in photos.

Lovely long lines waiting for the bank
to open. Hours are 1pm to 4pm.
It takes about 30min to get money out

I found the only Hair Salon in Diablo

That's it, $5 of UGLY

Sopranos meets Platoon

$6 to get over the UGLY

After a windy night cars are stuck in the sand

And road problems after rain

SOB! $30 to stay a few more months.

Beautiful birds on a wire

Cow cooling in the heat

Last sunset in Punta del Diablo

Left Diablo Feb 20 after 3 good months. Nice to get back on the bike for a ride even if only a short one of 100km to hang with a friend of mine, Sandra, in Punta Rubia at her beach front Hostel Francisca.

Breaking Things - when I arrived I realised my chain cover weld had broken again, my side case latch popped open in the 400 m heat sand walk springing my clothes all over the place, and I got a huge blister on my heel from the walk. Yeah!

kinda looks like the Karate Kid?

Making my mark on the Diablo sign

Cool to find a spot on the "Welcome to Punta del Diablo" sign

Impressively covered

Quick shot to "sort of close" to Hostel Francisca
Unsure of the access I first parked 400m from the hostel.
Tough walk in 33 degrees heat and all the gear.

Out front

Punta Rubia Hostel Francisca

Eventually we found a way to get the
moto to the hostel

And then the big ride on Feb. 21 crossing all of Uruguay and unfortunately not how the crow flies. A hot sunny day for a ride of 600 km from Punta Rubia to Paysandu in order to stay on a Catamaran "Witblits." Better hot and dry than cold and wet!

Thanks Sandra! Nos Vemos.

Tough start, uphill sand!

The road leaving the hostel

Tricky and could be bad in rain

On the road again

Some kind of road rally

Must be a big rally if they need
their own crapper

Near San Juancito

Always nice to pass road tolls free

I always take these photos coming in to San Jose

Near Soriano, beautiful lakes, river

I hope the boat is close

Hey Pieter/Geraldine

First moments after arriving to Rio Uruguay close to Paysandu and the spot of Pieter and Geraldine's Catamaran "Witblits"

Bike resting at Susana's Acreage
"La Quinta" in front of the boat

Boat Life the South African Naturalist Way. They have huge coffees with mounds of butter and honey while I have two apples to start the day. Then eating fruits as we like throughout the day, a big salad and slow cooked fatty meat with sweet potatoes truly fills you up (Check out Weston A. Price Foundation Diet). Most days are spent relaxing, talking to locals, taking the moto to the market to town with Geraldine buying kilos of meat and sweet potatoes, going for swims in the river, hanging with Fabian the dog and avoiding Lily the cat, encountering all the odd nature and insects, deep conversations with Pieter, parrillas and whisky with Baron and Gaby, beach time on the Argentina Island with Enrique and Laura, and dinners with Susana and her friends. Oh and hiding inside during "la hora de mosquito" which is 1 hour before sunset and 1 hour after although some times I had to endure outside to get some great photos (river mosquitos seem less annoying then ocean ones). To the locals I am the Canadian who speaks spanish.

Witblits - a south africa moonshine. The first time you board Witblits the boat you get Witblits the shot of alcohol. Opa!

The South African built Dean 44 "Witblits"

First night running on fumes after a long day, but happy as hell! A birthday party, mmm beer and pizza.

Happy to be here

First night we went to Jose Luis's birthday, "Hi everybody"

More photos from my first week staying on Witblits.

Fabian the navigator, "ah guys, we got some trees ahead"

First full day and I was put to work!

Lots of trees to clear

At the market which happens on Tues,Thurs and Sundays

King size bed!

Enrique and Laura to take us to the beach

Hey Fabian is that the bridge between
Uruguay and Argentina

The Island

Let's have a dip

A group beside us playing
beach shuffle board

A little beach parrilla

Me, Enrique, Pieter, Geraldine, Laura

Sun going down

Look at that! The whole week was like this!

On Witblits watching Fabian return from having a poop. He swam to shore and back against the river current then climbs the ladder to the boat! MUST WATCH!