The continuing story of the

top: arik, gza, me, yael and paul, btm: gali and liam
saying goodbye after 3 fab weeks of high-intensity football at the copa america 97!!!

Grupo Maluco

Some time ago. It seems so long, but is at the writing moment, just over a year ago, some of societies outcasts, coincidentally met somewehere in the great Pantanal of SW Brazil. They were all on their way through South America, for whatever reasons they had made their own. Amongst them was I, fresh in from Bolivia, tripping through South America, looking adventure. There in the out-back of Brazil, on something of an advebture safari, camp-site, type thing out of Corumbá, I met Yaeli-tubbie. The craziest of crazies, funniest of funnies, and loveliest of lovelies. Together we made life in the Pantanal fun, if dangerous., but that is another story and will be told in another place.

The Pantanal entourage gradually grew, with the budding friendship between us and Dan, the mad Israeli, who for some months had been spending his time helping the equally insane Brazilian guides, keeping camp. Then one fateful day Yael and I decided it was time for an interlude in wild-west town Corumbá, to sort out some practical stuff, like getting money back that a devious guide from a competing tour company had ripped off me.

We were the only people on the truck headed back that day, and once in Corumbá did what most backpackers do most of the time... Hang out!

In some amazing Comida por Kilo Restaurant, we met Paul, Nicola and Tania! Three people who, in hindsight, have come to have quite an important part in my litlle South American adventure. There something peciuliar about meeting people more than once on the same trip, often miles from each other. Something real peculiar.