On the road through Brazil

Hey RoadStars, this time we're reporting from Brazil – the largest country in South America and the fifth largest in the world. In the 90 days we have as tourists, we want to experience as much as possible. That's why, immediately after the border, you cross a dam through a huge wetland area. In the distance, we spot capybaras and caimans – too far away for photos, but still fascinating even from afar.

At a truck stop, Mike orders a “com tudo” sandwich (with everything). To our surprise, it contains chicken hearts – a popular ingredient in Brazil, but one we still have to get used to.

From Porto Alegre, we head into the mountain ranges of southern Brazil. From sea level, the route climbs to a plateau 900 metres above sea level. The Axor masters the steep and winding roads well, but Mike still has to be careful in the tight bends. A lot of trucks come to meet us, and as most drivers know the route well here, they are on the road accordingly. With altitude, the climate and vegetation change completely. Araucaria forests appear, we see azure blue jays and encounter gauchos in small villages. Along the breaking edge of the high plain, there are fog-covered gorges from which you could look all the way to the Atlantic coast with a clear view.

We spend a week in the mountains, hiking along cliffs and mainly using small side roads, away from the main traffic arteries. Finally, you drive down serpentine roads through dense clouds to the coast. It is getting milder here, the villages look different and the region is more densely populated. We stroll along the coast, through old Portuguese towns with colourful houses, and sometimes even take a ferry to the next village.