Chapada Diamantina 4

A relatively simple walk today, mostly on a level trail, to a swimming hole and back again.

I was a bit sorry to leave the Chapada, it had been a fascinating 4 days, quite different from beach Brazil. But I was also glad to be moving on and have my days to myself and not be going on a tour every day.

After dinner I left via taxi (actually a modified station wagon) for Palmeiras where I caught the overnight bus to Salvador. At the station I met 3 travellers and their guide returning to Lençois after a 3 day hike. Two were Brazilians and the third a Croat. The young hiker from São Paulo spoke fluent English. The Brazilians from the south that I met were more conversant with English, because there is incentive to learn English for advancement at work. But in the Northeast, it's harder to find an English speaker and learning at least a bit of Portuguese is essential for travel.