Xmas Eve and I feel rank ! Way too many capriana's last night ! Everyone else went to an xmas meal at the other hostel in Copacabana. Didn't feel like it so tryed to survive in 35c heat - not conducive to a banging head ! Lounged around and practised poor portuguese with the security guard who just kept laughing at me ! Went to the beach again in the afternoon - ha ha some things still work out ! Xmas eve back in Notts is my time looking for my 5th year in a row ! Couldn't have got it more wrong. Brazilians stay at home with their families until about 1am xmas day and then come out to play, or so we were told ! In reality the whole place shut down, nothing was open and the heavens then opened. So hope you guys had a great one back in England coz I trudged up and down Prai do Flamengo in the pooring rain for around three hours with a whole host of internationals and a fit french girl with PJ who didn't speak hardly any English. It was the funniest thing to watch - his dribbling attempts and her complete bemusement....settled there and then !!! Happy Xmas Peeps .................