SO i am her now in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Arrived the morning on Wednesday(9th) after a 15 or so hour plane journey. The pilot announced it had been raining but the weather was improving in Rio. When we were landing in Rio the pilot had to work for his money, put it this way. Once we landed there was an applause form the passengers on the plane. The weather in Rio was like a tropical storm. Got a taxi straight to the hostel and checked in. After a few hours and after a lye down i became aware i was at the completely wrong hostel but decided i would just go to the other one in the morning. I Slept most the day. Went for a wander down to the beach at one point, the beach is only 2 or 3 blocks from the hostel, but headed straight back to the hostel as the weather was still very bad. At about? 6ish i decided to grab some food, i wandered about looking at some places and spotted one that had some menu in English to decided that wa smy best bet. After 2 or 3 minuets of pointing and saying English i gave up and found a restraints that understood my pointing technique.

Day 2.

When i got up in the morning i moved to the other hostel which happened to be right next door, basically the hole alley way was just hostels. After putting my stuff in the room i went out and found a book shop to buy a translation book thing. I couldn't find the book so i went to the guy and asked if he spoke English, he said no. So i put out one hand and said "ENGLISH" then i put my other hand and said "PORTUGUESE", I then slapped my hands together and the guy went "AAAAH" then got me the book. On return to the hostel i met a guy from Israel called Rafiel as in the turtle. We decided to go to the beach for a walk as the weather had improved and the sun was coming out. We spent the day wandering down Plan and Cocacabana.

Day 3.

Well basically on this day we just chilled on the beach, Was fairly quiet as the weather was still only like 20 degrees so locals think its crap weather, its actually nearly winter here. In the evening We went to this restaurant that was a all you can eat buffet with a difference. Basically cost 7quid but what they do is you go get your salad ect then sit down, then they bring you meat still sizzling on long stakes and cut it off onto your plate. When your about to be sick you flip over the wee card from green to red and they stop forcing you meat. The card actually proved pointless and you just had to ignore them and protect your plate form more meat.

?Day 4.

Rafiel and myself decided we wanted to go to the Jesus statue so mentioned to Alex who runs the hostel, he made a phone call and made it happen. Everyone else in he hostel then decided to do it as well. So anyway for 50realles(12-13pound)or whatever the currency is called this yellow taxi with a wee old man turned up. He took me rafiel a couple and Matt from manchester. We discovered out tour guide didn't speak English, none of us speak poutugeese. So basically Matt with his basics Spanish and the taxi driver got some sorta communication and cometary going but basically we just looked out the window. So anyway the taxi took us up to the statue and some view points and stopped and we got out for pictures and to feed monkeys. At the statue the taxi has to drop us of and leave for 45 min as police\military don't like vehicles at the top and who would argue with them as the size of their guns does make you worry. The statue was a complete tourist spot and was very crowded and touristized(i might of made that word up). There was escalators and lifts at the top of a mountain. When we got back in the taxi we got a tour of the rest fo the city avoiding going directly into a favela but near to them. We also visited them famous stairs with all the tiles that embarrassingly I've forgot the name off. We met the astist and he took me to when there was a Scotland map tile was. At the hostel i got talking to another guy who turned out was from a city near here so was asking for advice ect. We all (the hole hostel) went out to the meat place and then went to this club called bunker. The guy from Sao Pualo proved indispensable as he basically turned into a guide getting everything really cheap for us. The club let a bunch of us in for free because he bothered them so much. The msuci was like rap\hip hop and the people were all very attractive girls and guys who prob do Mafia activaty during the day. Alot of clubs here let women in for free.

Day 5.

Today after a long lye we went to the Maracana football stdium which is the wolrds biggest i was led to believe. It used to hold 200000 but held less now because they have put in seats. After a game last week there was mass riots. There wasn't much trouble at this one there was at one point a large crowd of police with batons over a meter long running and swinging them at some very hot footed people. Met a bunch of people from all round the world at the game as we were with a organized group, we all went out for food afterwards.

?My plan for the next few weeks is to head south to Ilha Grande which is basically a islandthats has only beaches and forest and some hostels. So should be good and i hopefully will start to brown so Brazilian girls will stop calling me a nerd cos i have white skin. I then plan to head to Iguaza Falls then down to Beunes Deres. Applogies for the spelling of the place names but i don't have a map next to me.