I keep in touch with Mike with the help of fellow travelers logging me in when they find me. So far, I have traveled 34,621 miles - that's 55,717 kilometers for you metric lovers! Let me tell you, it wasn't easy.

It's not all flying first class, champagne, and caviar. I put in the work. Hanging out in the woods, climbing mountains and volcanos, even toured some restricted areas down south. But it is all worth it. Sometimes I end up just hanging out at the beach.

Once in a while I drop Mike a line and let him know where I've been. He probably tells my story better than I can. For me, it's just another day in the life, you know? But hey, if you get a kick out of hearing my adventures, I am glad to share. If you ever meet me, make sure to let Mike know, so he can document it. I'm too busy to write my own diary. That's just how it is.

August 15, 2021

The last I had heard about Klive, he was hanging out in a geocache at Our Lady of the Assumption church in Braga, Portugal. He spent about a week there, when he met up with flavio&rose, who gave him a ride up to Galicia, Spain.

As soon as he crossed the border and saw the beautiful banks of the Mino River, he loved it, and decided to hang out for a while in the PDA #1# geocache. So, about a month later, he met up with Pedromanu, who said he was on his way to South America. Klive could not pass up that adventure and they soon landed in São Paulo, Brazil.

Klive loved the beach at Prumirim I and stayed there for a couple of months.

But Pedro had other plans. He asked Klive if he had ever climbed a mountain. He said he had been on some really tall hills in Austria, but Pedro said,”Let me show you some real mountains!”

So, they went to Ecuador. The first place they stopped was Laguna Quilotoa.

Klive said “This looks a lot like Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.”

Pedro assured him that they were not in Oregon. “It is similar, for sure! It is a volcanic lake inside a caldera. The last time it erupted was in the year 1280 AD. Crater Lake hasn’t erupted since about 5700 BC. Laguna Quilotoa is also about half the size of Crater Lake, only 2 miles across, while Crater Lake is about 5 miles across. However, Laguna Quilotoa is at a much higher elevation, 11,483 feet, while Crater Lake is only 6,178 feet – that is a whole mile higher!”

Klive was astounded by Pedro’s vast knowledge of volcanic lakes. Then he said “Does this really qualify as mountain climbing? I mean, we drove up here.”

“Ha!” laughed Pedro “Well, then. Let me show you what real mountaineering is all about.” The next day they were on their way to the summit of Cotopaxi.

It was pretty cold up there. Pedro bundled himself up and got a special clear container for Klive so that he could keep warm, and still see.

“Wow! This is awesome!” said Klive.

They went all the way to the top and visited the Christmas COTOPAXI geocache.

Klive got really excited and just had to get out and dance!

“This is amazing!” said Klive. “Is this a volcano?”

“Yes, it is.” said Pedro “Since 1738, Cotopaxi has erupted more than 50 times, resulting in the creation of numerous valleys formed by lahars (mudflows) around the volcano. The last eruption lasted from August 2015 to January 2016.Cotopaxi was officially closed by the authorities to climbing until it reopened on October 7, 2017. So, we are very lucky to be able to come here.”

“Wow! You are such an expert. You sound just like Wikipedia. I am a real mountain climber now! I’ll bet this is the highest point in Ecuador.”

Pedro said “Almost, Klive. We are 19,347 feet elevation. That is three-and-a-half miles above sea level! We are standing on one of the highest volcanoes in the world.”

“You mean there is an even higher mountain than this?”

“Many mountains are higher than this, Klive. Would you like to go to the highest point in Ecuador?” asked Pedro.

“You bet I would!” said Klive.

A few days later they were on their way to Chimborazo.

“Here we are, Klive. This is Chimborazo. You are standing on the highest point in Ecuador at 20,549 feet above sea level. It is also a volcano and is the 39th highest peak in the Andes mountains. Chimborazo’s summit is also the farthest point on the Earth’s surface from the Earth’s center given that it is located along the planet’s equatorial bulge.”

“Wow! This is really cool, Pedro. I love it up here – you can see for miles, but you know what – I kind of miss the beach.”

Pedro agreed and they were soon on their way back to warmer elevations with sandy shores. They headed back to Brazil and went to the beach at Mirante da Caixa D’Água and hung out for a few months.

They visited the town of Guarujá where they discovered the Neguinha geocache.

They found the cache placed near a stone wall with a memorial. “Who is this dedicated to?” asked Klive.

Pedro and Klive did some research and found out that Neguinha was a local street dog who lived in the neighborhood. Many people shared in taking care of her and when she finally died of cancer at the age of 12, they put up a plaque to remember her by.

“She must have been a really great dog.” said Klive.

Then Klive and Pedro took a trip up the coast to Maceió and visited University City to discover the Praça do CEDU geocache.

They saw some modern art and visited Ipioca Beach.

Then they discovered the Ghost District of Pinheiro.

“Why is it called the Ghost District?” asked Klive. “Is it haunted?”

Pedro told him “No, it is not haunted, but it is abandoned. Years of mining rock salt beneath the city destabilized the land. When a 2.5 magnitude tremor struck the region in 2018, that was enough to crack many of the buildings in half and open up holes in the earth, so it is unsafe to live there now.”

Once they had enough exploration of the state of Alagoas, they went back down to São Paulo state to explore the countryside. With all of the souvenirs Klive had collected along the way, his little yellow box was getting a bit worn out and cramped.

So, Pedro helped him find something newer and a bit more spacious.

“Wow! This is really cool – and camouflage! I hope people will still be able to find me.”

“Don’t worry,” said Pedro. “Geocaching will give excellent directions.”

They visited Matriz São Bento do Sapucai but it was not quite right for Klive.

Then they took a hike up another mountain to the top of Pedra do Baú.

“Wow! This is beautiful!” said Klive “How high is this mountain?”

“About 6,400 feet. It is part of the Mantiqueira Mosaic, a natural area that was established as a conservation unit in 2006.”

After their descent from the mountain, Klive took off his climbing gear and Pedro had to give Klive some news.

“My friend, I am returning to Spain. I promised to take you on an adventure and I must tell you that this is the end of that journey.”

Klive understood completely.

They said goodbye when they reached the airport in São Paulo and Klive was last seen in the Tu tuuuuuuuuuuuu geocache.

Klive wished the best of everything for his friend Pedro Manu. While their paths may not cross again, their time together would always be remembered.

Now Klive waits patiently for his next big adventure. He has been to Europe, and North and South America. He has seen the North and South Atlantic Ocean, and glimpsed the Pacific. Only three more oceans and four continents to go.

Antarctica anyone?