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i am in a funny place called São Mateus waiting for a bus to Illheus where i can get then get a bus to Itacaré. Mission! I went on a turtles hunt for the last few days but tragically did not find any. Was a right arse as well because i got a bus from Rio to Vitoria (where i nearly disasterised myself, more on that later), ended up staying there for 3 days then a bus to Concerção da barra and then another one to Itaunas where the turtles are meant to be. I was the ONLY foreigner in the place and my Portuguese is PATHETIC. it was quite hard but got myself a nice cheap little room with my own bathroom (AMAZING) and managed to ask -and understand - about the turtles and the lack of them there anymore.
but lets retrace my steps. I think i told everyone about rio being amazing but then its reio so its not really news. saw old jesus up there looking very serene and got on a funny train into the middle of nowhere and back again. Met some lovely people in the hostel and did lots of sight seeing with Rachel and drinking with Jakub. didnt have the wild party nights out i´d expected though, ended up at a super touristy club with very expensive drinks so decided to wait for carnival craziness. and i better get it at $80 a night in a s***e hostel!!
but i did love rio and the beautiful people wearing practically nothing. and even more i loved the not so beautiful people wearing similarly little and not caring a jot what they looked like. i draped myself in the brazilian flag and bought some new havianas so now i am truly becoming brazilian.
after Rio i got a bus to Vitoria which is a pretty nothing town that i was only meaning to stop over in for one day. i booked a cheap hotel (and even though i never saw it i discovered it was in the not so savoury area of the city...) and jumped off the bus at 11pm all ready to get a taxi. then i saw the bus stop. it looked ok, i wasnt in rio anymore.... so i got the bus. it wasny until a young, rather goodlooking boy sat in front of me and told me i looked lost... then when i showed him the hotel name, that i was lost and then that the buses were finishing for the evening. he called over his wife and between them and my poor poor portuguese we cobbled together a conversation that ended up with them inviting me to stay at their house. they were both younger than me and so sweet i couldnt say no! who says lightening doesnt strike twice, eh? this is my second rescue by the peoples of latin america!
they told me off for getting the bus and i was to get many a lecture over the next few days about Dangerous Brazil and to take care so i have learnt my lesson i swear! i got taken to the beach, to the chocolate factory, fed, watered even taken to the bus statio at 6 in the morning. Ive never felt so lucky (excpet maybe last time when i was adopted by the Morelia boys). I was pretty underwhelmed by Vitoria but the fact that there are people like Laureen and Hugo who were so kind to me really makes me love Brazil even more. They even reckon I am an angel who saved their marriage as I arrived in the middle of a serious argument they were having. So if i have that would be brilliant.
I also met Hugo´s Mum, Dad and extended family who all hugged kissed me, told me i was an angel and gave me beer. His dad even gave me deodourant.and no, he wasnt hinting!
Itaunas, when i finally got there is a lovely place. all sandy roads and little Pousada (B&B type things) but the lack of Portuguese was a problem and there was no other travellers to meet so didnt stay too long once the lack of tartarugas made itself apparent. Spent a briliant day on a beach 1km out into the sand dunes in a massive surf trying to make my stomach a body board. it sort of worked.
had a strange dinner of cheese on a stick, rolled in oregano and headed over a flame in a paint-tin by a man on the beach. yummy. can you imagine, cheese and beach, what more could i want? have also got addicted to açai, an amazon berry that is crushed up and made into a sort of slush puppy/sorbet thing. full of vitamins i hear! and delicious to boot.
Ok i think thats enough babbling on. Hope everyone is not getting too cold in England. Miss you all lots, keep me updated with gossip etc...xxxx
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