Feb 4

Crashed out until 12pm we finally roused ourselves, packed our stuff and headed to the ATM as we realised that we had just not enough cash. On arrival at our ATM we discover that someone really wants to smite us as it had somehow mysteriously broken. Which meant we had to hike up a hill, exhausted and hungover from the night before in the heavy oppressive weather (it had clouded over and rainclouds looked imminent) to the ATM at the top of the island. Eventually we arrive and thankfully it works. Except we ended up waiting behind this Italian guy who seemed to have NO idea how to work an ATM. Without a smile we shoved his card in the machine went through the paces (this was a tricky machine- I mean who would have thought you would have to insert the card twice? Once to recognise, the second to confirm..)
Riki and I did not have the patience nor tolerance for this so hurriedly before exploding we left and trudged back down to have an açai before heading back to the hotel. At this point we were melting and very unhappy so we spent the best 10Reais yet... On a wheelbarrow taxi.
Yes people thats right we hired a wheelbarrow taxi to carry our packs up the various hills to the ferry/boat terminal. Poor taxi driver, probably had a heart attack as he saw the size of our packs, and then actually feeling how heavy they actually were.
Spu, recently named/branded got a ride and a photo with our wheelbarrow and we boarded the speedboat to take us to Valença - the mainland. Coming into Valença was a bit of a shock...shacks on stilts over swampy mangrove and just general poverty in the town. Such a contrast after coming off a beautiful, generally maintained touristy island.
We managed to obtain bus tickets to Feira de Santana, a major transportation hub where we were to catch a bus to Lençois. Again the day didn't really go well. Our bus trip took far too long, possibly stopping at every single stop it could and people talking far too loudly - yes we are all in the same bus/country - you DON'T need to yell. Eventually we got to F d S and got on a nicer bus which did not stop until we wanted to - in Lençois. AT 4am in the morning we got off and were consumed into a mob of people trying to get us to go on their tours, or stay in their hostels. Riki, dizzy, and me half asleep/irritated that I was no longer fully asleep, were thanking our organisational skills when we saw our prearranged ride to our hostel.
Sleep came swiftly and happily...