Hi Adam and co,
sorry to get your hopes up but I'm not offering to share a cabin (wrong continent
), just thought that you might appreciate a few pointers about the Amazon boats.
The cabins are pretty small and on some of the boats make even the most cramped cross-channel ferry cabin look like a palace. Basically a bunkbed with a narrow bit of floor beside it, that one person at a time can stand up in.
A couple of tips
I took my own hammock on board with me and hung it up over the railings outside my cabin as a place to relax outside of my extremely small room.
If you don't manage to find someone to share before you get on the boat, the captain can sometimes put you in with someone else, if you say you want to share.
food is usually provided, but take some extra snacks and stuff like peanuts etc and you can buy more food from the people at the docks along the journey.
Santarem often acts as an Interchange, and you may need to change boats here to continue your onward journey (something that is often not explained to you when you get your ticket). You may suddenly have to get off the boat at Santarem and onto another one- which should be included in the original ticket price.
Practise riding your bike along narrow bits if wood at steep angles! Because you'll be the one riding your bike up the gangplank to get it on board.
It's a great boat ride, sit back, relax
and enjoy it.
Good luck