LPG Cylinders Ready and Visit to Angra

I've decided to go with what LPG I have in the cylinders.

This morning I went to the lazarette with an adjustable wrench to remove the small cylinder to take to the machinist in Frade and it felt very heavy when I handled it.  The larger cylinder beside it, which I've been using since Argentina, seemed heavy too.  I then checked the blabber blog and confirmed that all three cylinders had been filled in May and June.  Given that I was away in the USA for well over 2 months and that I use the electric kettle for heating water when I am on board I figure that I have used very little gas since leaving Argentina.  At 9 AM I saw Alexandre, explained my finding, and told him that there was no need to trouble himself with a trip to Frade to have an adapter machined.  I dropped into his office later and set up my Acer on a spare desk, plugged it into the internet, and in air conditioned comfort I found several web sites for calculation of propeller pitch.  Surprisingly, up to now he had not been able to make these calculations and he was keen to get access to one of these calculators.  I emailed him a message containing three hot links, explaining that there were many more available on the web, then we thanked each other and I was on my way.

Back at the boat I mounted the spare large cylinder (the one donated by Rick in La Paz) at the back rail and carefully secured the two “working” cylinders in the lazarette with several runs of shock cord.  The last thing I want is for these cylinders to come loose in a heavy rolling sea, and I've been successful with the shock cord so far.,  I figure that I'll be departing with about 85% of my LPG capacity.

Then checked the bus scheduled and saw that the next bus for Angra departed at noon, and 90 minutes later I was in the way.  I had four objectives: (1) exchange Reals for US dollars, (2) get a haircut, (3) get some provisions, (4) get a tube of silicone sealant. 

The first item was serious.  I had foolishly withdrawn another 1,000 Reals from the ATM in anticipation of purchasing those two new batteries, even though the indication was that they would not fit.  That left me with cash of about 1,800 Reals, equivalent to over $800,.  Then I made the decision to depart for Cape Town earlier than I had expected and also came to the realisation that there was just not that much more money to be spent to finish my preparations.  If I could not find a money changer I would likely sail out with R$1,500 which I would probably not be able to convert once I left the country.

At Angra I visited the HSBC bank.  The girl at the counter understood English but nevertheless I handed over a pre-written note in Portuguese explaining my requirement.  She went to a back office to speak to someone then returned with the bad news that the bank could not  exchange my Reals and that I would have to go to the airport.  “You mean the airport at Rio de Janeiro?” I asked incredulously.  Yes, it would be Rio.  I asked her if there was any place in Angra where I could get the money exchanged and she replied with an emphatic no.

Then I went to see my friends at the Information office.  It is a large and modern facility always well staffed with switched on English speaking young men.  The fellow who served me told me, to my great relief, that there were two places in Angra where I could have the money exchanged.  He pulled out a city map, such as it is (a minimal sketch with few street names) and marked their locations, which were only about 2 blocks away.  After two fruitless searches and my third visit to the Information building the fellow took me by the hand to lead me to it.

We went to the first place but the money changer was not in, so we proceeded to the second one.  I had noted that this first place was not on the corner as had been indicated on the map, and also “I didn't notice the sign 'Angra Way' that I had been expecting.”  He replied that there had been a sign when he had brought some tourists two weeks earlier but now it was gone.  (No bloody wonder I couldn't find the place.)

On the way to the second place we passed by the art gallery on the corner where I had been told to look but he said that wasn't the place.  Again, we went past the indicated corner then turned into a narrow alley way with shops on either side and soon I saw overhead “Galeria” (which can sound very much like “gallery”).  The fellow left me at the door of the business and I thanked him very much for bringing me to it.

I pushed the call button, heard the door buzz open, walked in and got good vibes the moment I stepped in.  As soon as I spoke with the clean cut young man with good English I knew that I'd be OK.  (One of the dangers of exchanging money, particularly on the street where you can get a better rate, is receiving counterfeit money.)  He told me that there would be no problem in converting the Reals to US dollars.  He did not ask me for my passport which is just as well because I had not thought of bringing it until I was on the bus to Angra.  I put R$1,400 on the table, he counted it out, did some calculations and told me that he could give me $637 USD on an exchange rate of 2.2.  I had expected to be burned on the exchange rate but 2.2 was amazingly good – better than what my own bank gives to me!  I thanked him very much and told him that he had saved me a trip to Rio.

Then it was haircut time and I was determined to find a barbershop on my own rather than troubling the guys at the Information desk.  I walked the fringes of the downtown area looking for a down market low budget operation were the locals go, because I was still bristling (no pun intended) over that over priced muppet/Mohawk cut that I had received in that up market boutique in Buenos Aires.  I eventually found the sort of barbershop that I was looking for and the guy gave be a brilliant haircut.  I no longer worry about language problems at barbershops.  I made a scissor gesture over my eye brows, into my ears, but not my moustache (which I had just done the day before).  I marked where I wanted the sideburns to be and indicated a half-inch gap with my fingers for the length of the hair.  My instructions could not have been better followed had I used the Queen's finest English in a London barber shop.  He threw in one extra.  He grabbed the tip of my nose with two fingers and carefully trimmed the hairs inside of my nose.  I can't remember ever having that done before.  I didn't ask about their scissor hygiene policy.  The charge was R$12 (about $5.50) and he was grateful for the well earned R$3 tip.

It was just past 3 PM when I walked out of the barbershop and I headed for the supermarket.  On the way I stopped at a likely looking business and presented my note asking for silicone sealant along with the near empty tube that I had brought from the boat.  Unfortunately they did not have any so I walked on.

At the grocery store I was disappointed to find little by the way of canned meat or fish.  (The tiny cans of fish were unbelievably expensive.)  Specifically, there was no corned beef.  I plan to avoid fresh red and white meats on the passage to Cape Town, mainly for dietary reasons, but that will also present the advantage of not having to keep the refrigerator cold at all times.  I expect to depart with the refrigerator full of fruit, vegetables, eggs, and plenty of cheese.  This will allow me to switch the refrigerator off at night to save battery power.

I walked out of the store with a big load of dried beans and lentils of various sorts, 3-minute soups and noodle meals, and some spaghetti.  The eggs, rice, paper towels, and much of the fruit and vegetables I'll be able to purchase in the local shop.

I caught the very crowded bus to Bracui at 4 PM as planned.  (The bus to Angra, had been crowded too, forcing me to stand for part of the way.) and at 5 PM I was back at the marina, satisfied that I had achieved 3 of my 4 objectives. 

I plan to make one more trip to Angra.  On Thursday I will visit the Policia Federal and obtain my clearance to leave the country.  I will then return with a big load of cheese, other last minute items that come to mind, and that silicone sealant if possible.