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What a couple of weeks - Carnaval is utter madness and there is definitely no rest for the wicked. After a fairly arduous trip into Rio (seven hours on the road and then being stuck in a traffic jam for 2 hours in 36 degree heat at 7pm), it's time to say some fond farewells to people with a final dinner for the group. The restaurant was a buffet style BBQ place where you pick your salads and the waiters come round with gigantic slabs of carving meat - I've not seen so many different types of meat in one place and they had rare meat, for the first time in Brazil. Definitely came out of there like a little stuffed piglet at the end - unfortunately I was still sick and my body didn't appreciate the food as much as my taste buds.
Friday was essentially a free day for us so we just meandered around for the morning, in the searing heat - Rio's biggest heatwave in 50 years apparently. Early afternoon I had to go meet Nicky, who was flying from London, unfortunately she'd missed her connection in Sao Paulo so only got in late in the afternoon. After a short dinner, we had a few drinks with my crew, but Nicky's jet lag kicked in and my stomach was still on it's own wavelength, so we called it a night.
Saturday morning involved a trip up to Corcadova, where an 82 metre high, 30 metre across Christ the Redeemer was. It was a spectacular view of the city, the only issue was some muppet forgot to charge her camera batteries so nearly missed out on the photos - luckily one of my mates had the same camera so came to my rescue.
Saturday night was football at the Maracana Stadium - which is supposed to hold nearly 100k´peeps. We watched a game between Vasco De Gama and Fluments(?). The atmosphere was manic and half way through the crowd were setting off fire works inside the stadium, so at one point the players could barely see the ball. A couple of us left early so we could get back before dark - (everyone was continually mentioning the dangers of Rio). The score was still 0-0 and we assumed that like English football it would end in a draw - we were wrong, we ended up missing a penalty shoot out, but that was ok, I just wanted to go for the atmosphere - might even try and go to an English game when I'm back in December!!
Sunday - Samba Night - I had imagined that the Samba Schools were kind of like a bigger version of the Blossom Festival, but I never realised how wrong I could be - each school has an hour twenty to get through the Samba Drome and has nearly a thousand people in each school. The floats were amazing - two or three storeys high - it kind of puts all the cartridge flowers I made for our floats when I was kid, to shame. It was a truly fantastic night and so hard to describe in writing - the music was fab, the costumes were just brilliant. At the end the schools that didn't make it into the final gave their costumes away so many a person in the crowd was wearing random large hats and dresses - it was all very entertaining. The night eventually ended (for us anyway) at about 4am, we'd seen 3 or 4 of the schools, but too much alcohol and lack of sleep finally got the best of us.
Monday - funnily enough I slept most of the day - I managed to get up at some point to get some lunch, but I went back to bed fairly hastily after that.
Tuesday - We spent the afternoon on SugarLoaf Mountain, which is another view of Rio. Tuesday night was Gay Ball night - we'd all managed to acquire feather boas and masks, whilst the guys all dressed up in girls' outfits - some of them looked absolutely fabulous. The Ball started at 12am with a parade down a pink carpet, unfortunately we missed most of the people walking down because we arrived late - however there was plenty to see once we got inside - more t*** and bums than you can shake a stick at. Some of the women (?) were amazingly beautiful and you struggled to guess their original sex - others were most definitely men, but still very stunning. Most of the costumes didn't leave much to the imagination and some really didn't seem to wear much of anything. It was really hard not to just stop and stare at everyone. Another night that ended at 4am.
Wednesday - A few of us headed up to Rococinha, which is the biggest Favela in Rio (slum). It was an amazing journey into an area that not many people go because they are too scared. The people were brilliant and all very welcoming - we took motorbikes up to the top and had the best view I'd seen of Rio. We walked down through the Favela and at one point even met some drug lords with guns in their pockets and drugs openly on display. The drug lords keep a fairly tight reign on things because they don't want the police coming in, so crimes like theft, rape and under age molestation are dealt with swiftly and quietly.
Thursday is our last day in Rio and it's time to say goodbye to some more people, like Bev from Tauranga who was a mum away from home for me. We met the new peeps that we'd be doing the next leg of the journey with down to Bueno Aires, they all seem like okay peeps.
Friday - it's a 9 o'clock start on the truck. We are giving a couple of the old team leaders a hitch down to Parati and the guy that I sit beside turns out to be from, Dunnos and went to Tairei High. The scenery for once is beautiful heading down the Emerald Coast (the scenery through the middle of Brazil was nothing to write home about - even though I did sleep through most of it).
It took a bit of time to get to Parati, but was well worth the drive. After the escapades of Rio and being in a confined space with three other people, which was meant only for two peeps, I had gotten a severe case of cabin fever, so decided to upgrade to a single room - which was bliss.
Saturday we had an all day boat party round some of the bays with lots of free caprianhas (the local drink made with chaçasa (excuse the spelling). Luckily the boat was completely covered so no worries about getting sunburnt and there were also noodles for bouyancy so no worries about drowning :)
Sunday was a free day, so went for a wander into the town, then had a lazy afternoon enjoying some me time. Sunday night we went for Thai - the first I've had since I've been here and although it probably doesn't quite compare to Thailand Thai, it was the best thing since sliced bread on that occasion - it's amazing how excited you can get over the little things.
Monday - drive day, we head inland on an all day drive to Brotas. I've managed to nab my own tent so again - it's all about me time!!
Tuesday - today we got up and went rafting for the morning - although it wasn't on a par with the rapids at home, we still had a blast and again it was a drown free experience. I'm officially a neapolitan ice cream colour though, with brown arms, a white tummy and pink legs after the experience, but it was all well worth it.
Tomorrow we are heading off to Bonito for some snorkelling (for a girl who's not a great swimmer, I apparently seem to be spending a lot of time in it!!).
- comments
Mils Right thats it! you need to get on a plane and leave now... you are having way too much fun and Im jealous! xx
Ingrid Well missy, i'm impressed u are keeping us all informed with your escapades, or is it just to make us jealous! I'll chip in with mils for a one way ticket home! :) xxxxx
Big Brother Stop using 'peeps', you are not from Brixton.
Michele Wow - eating, drinking, eating, drinking seems like an easy life!!! had Japan plans cancelled where are you on 29th March for 3 weeks? Hey, I'm still going to be on the truck then, will be somewhere in Chile - probably around Santiago on our way up to bolivia......
Debs Michele, I'm still going to be on the truck then, will be somewhere in Chile - probably around Santiago on our way up to bolivia...... Ing & Mils - if you want to pay for my ticket you can :)
KT Hope you're not in Chile/Santiago at the moment. And if you are you are safe after the quake. Bryce's parents are in Salta and heading to Santiago at the moment :-) Having been up and down Chile camping in National Parks and collecting plants for the last month.
Deb We're still in Argentina - heading out to Chile over the next week or so - going to be zigzagging in and out of Chile and Argentina for a couple of weeks. You'll be proud of me - I'll be doing some hardcore trekking and ice climbing over the next few weeks. Hope you've heard from Bryce's parents and that they are ok - I saw some photos and it's definitely not somewhere I would have like to been when it happened. xx
Jax sounds like a VEEEEERY interesting trip doo - I would have loved to be at the gay ball night with you, people watching. Your whole trip sounds nonstop&very exciting. pls keep the news rolling in - love hearing from you. Thanks for keeping us all so well informed. Sending you lots of love & a big hug xxx
mils Glad you were far from the quake.... would love to purchase the ticket for you... but alas Im not even sure I can afford a lotto ticket this weekend, to try to win six mill- if I figure the gamble is worth it and I buy one and win- then sure I'll pay your ticket..... stuff it, I'll chuck this working palava in and meet you there! Behave yourself :) xx
dibz honestly, I've no choice but to behave on this trip - talk about slim pickings!!! wish you heard me when I tried to call. xx