In Europe, Ireland[s] and Scotland On  02/12/2018  No comments

To know a litle more of Highlands we decided to do the Rabbie’s 1 day tour departing from Glasgow. After 50 minutes, we reach the destination. The castle was perched on a hill, imposing, great walls and well preserved. From its towers and walls we could see the Highland Mountains and the valley through which Glasgow’s motorway exits passed. There were many enclosures, courtyards, a chapel and actors staging the day-to-day life of the court. However, the castle lacked the refinement, luxury and sophistication that exists in other castles in Europe. Despite this, my impression was the best I could, after all, I was meeting my first real castle.

Then we headed towards our next stop, Loch Lomond, but rather a break for lunch in the charming village of Balmaha City. We walked a little and entered into small restaurant. Karla had lentil soup and I ate a little appetizing fried fish...

In Europe, Ireland[s] and Scotland On  21/11/2018  No comments

I am not very adept at traveling in Europe on vacation. I was fortunate to live twice in the continent, and I also travel a lot to work there. Holidays for me must be in an exotic place and warm place. If it has sea, better still. But trips are not always for me, in 2016, I made a vacation my my father and we made Holland on a bicycle. Now it was Marcelo’s turn to choose the vacation spot, he chose Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. And since we had holidays in February/March, it would be in the cold and in the snow. Well, it was not my ideal, but out of love, anything goes. We started the trip in Barcelona and ended in Berlin because it was the two cities of Europe where I had lived and wanted to show Marcelo a little of life there. Barcelona was also, to buy winter clothes since living in Salvador, Marcelo had nothing.

• Dublin

Dublin would be our first vacation stop, but we only stayed one day in the city...

In Chapada Diamantina, Hiking/Trekking On  20/10/2018  No comments

I had visited the Chapada Diamantina about 7 times since I moved to Salvador, Bahia. However, I have never made the trekking of  Vale do Pati, this time, I decided to face it. I would go with a friend who could not make it because of work, so I left alone with the guide. Our plan was to enter through Guiné, to go to Morro do Castelo on the second day and on the third day leave through Vale do Capão.

I was a little apprehensive because, lately, my right knee was hurting, but nothing very strong. So I talked to the guide André (Chapada Soul) to go slow. Since I was the only person in the group, the pace would be my own. Perfect.

We went up a rather steep trail to a plain where we walked towards the “Mirante” (a top hill view point). On the way, we crossed a small river that was a bit dry, did not motivate us to dive in. Then, we arrive at the famous Mirante do Vale do Pati, an incredible place, surrounded by valleys and mountains. There we stayed for about two hours enjoying the la...

In Chapada Diamantina On  30/09/2018  No comments

The driver/guide from Cirtur  picked us up  early for tour number 5. We went by car to our first stop, the Sempre-Viva Project and the Tiburtino Waterfall. Before visiting the Museum, we walked down towards the waterfalls. The path was narrow, stony and surrounded by fauna and flora characteristic of the region, especially the cactus and orchids. On the way, we dropped by to know a typical house of gold prospectors, their tools and materials used in diamond and gold mining. After about thirty minutes of the track, we are rewarded with a large waterfall in front of us. The river descends through the rocky terrain accompanying a high slope, forming at the end several waterfalls. The water was cold because of the season of the year and had a reddish hue but was quite relaxing. We were diving and massaging the back, taking advantage of the force of the water…

After the waterfall bath we went back to Sempre-Viva Project Museum...

In Books & Travels On  30/07/2018  No comments

Livro: Tracks: A Woman’s Solo Trek across 1700 Miles of Australian Outback
By Robyn Davidson

(Translation Celina C. Falck-Cook)

I read Robyn Davidson‘s book the days before I started my track on Pati. Reading made my adventure seem so easy and simple. I had seen the movie (Tracks) and read a review of the film saying that the book was much better. So, I decided to buy the book. I opted for the Portuguese version so I could borrow the book later. When I like a book, I always lend. Pass on to others this joy of reading.

It is amazing the story of this woman who – in the 90s – decides to cross the desert of Australia walking for almost 3 thousand kilometers in the company of 4 camels and a dog. I’ve been to Uluru, near Alice Spring, and we only hiked from 5am to 11am. After that, the sun was so strong and the weather so dry that the park advised against trekking.

The writing is easy but not monotonous. A good part of the book is about the time of preparation of the trip – about the decis...

In + More... On  25/05/2018  No comments

Sorry, this entry is only available in Português.

In Adventure, Brazil, Paddling On  14/04/2018  No comments

Karamuru Hoe Race from Karla Brunet on Vimeo.

The Outrigger Canoe Club – Canoa Bahia – that I participate decided to make a pilot 3-day race, from Salvador to Itacaré. I am not a competitive person nor do I have the dedication of who participates in competitions, but since it was only for us from the club, a pilot version, I decided to face the challenge. I did a special training in the gym to have more resistance and to be able to withstand the 3 days of strong rowing.

The experience was incredible. I was afraid of the water change because I had been injured (with huge bruises) in the training. Anyway, everything went well, I didn’t get sore. The scenery was beautiful. Crossing the Bay of All Saints, arriving in Morro de São Paulo, leaving early from Morro to Barra Grande, the open sea, the waves, the blue … Beautiful.

On the last day, we left ​​Barra Grande with rough sea, I was on the support boat and when I started to feel seasick, I realized that I had forgotten to take the med...

In Adventure, Brazil, Cycling tour On  14/02/2018  No comments

Errante Map: http://u.osmfr.org/m/166498/

After having enjoyed a few days of pre-carnival in Salvador – Palhaços in Rio Vermelho, De Hoje a 8 with the friends of Canoa Bahia and Gravata Doida in Santo Antônio – we decided to run away from the city on carnival days. The selected place was Imbassaí. It is near by, there was not much traffic and is an escape into nature. We rented a cottage away from the center of the beach and with a lovely pool surrounded by green and birds.

The first day was relaxing, just reading on the beach and swimming pool. I, finished reading “Cem Dias Entre Ceu e Mar” by Amyr Klink and Marcelo read “Os Robôs Vão Roubar Seu Trabalho, Mas Tudo Bem” by Federico Pistono. On the second day, we decided to move our bodies and pedal to Praia do Forte. We woke up late, so we left at the worst time, 10.30am in the morning. It was a 29km round trip. The road was very busy, cars on both sides all the time.  It was a relief to arrive at Praia do Forte, to have a secon...

In Brazil, Paddling On  02/11/2017  No comments

In 2017, I participated in an outrigger canoe expedition along the Amazon River. It was 10-days paddling journey, 11 days sleeping in a hammock, trails, river, riverside community…

Below, I put a documentary that the local TV (TV Liberal) produced about the expedition.

In America, Adventure, Brazil, Paddling On  22/07/2017  No comments

Here I have a 360º video that I did on the Rio Amazonas Expedition.
The expedition, organized by Canoa Paidégua, was carried out on a Hawaiian canoe from Santarém to Belém, in July 2017.

RioAmazonas360 from Karla Brunet on Vimeo.