Moved to my new hotel/hostel yesterday. Getting there was a real experience! Got the metro from Copacabana to Botafogo and changed trains to one to Lapa no problems. Got off at the right stop. Was planning on getting a taxi the few blocks to my hostel so was no need for a map. No taxi driver would take me. At the time I was unsure why. I asked a man and he showed me mototaxi who would take me. Most hair-raising experience of my life. Uphill on the back of a motorbike with a 25kg pack on my back! when we got to the top of the hill I realised why no taxis would take me. There was a huge street party happening! I attempted to walk past for about half an hour and got about 100metres. I then gave up and decided to wait for the parade to pass. Sat and got talking to a lady whose house was on the path of the party. She was waiting for the parade to pass so she could get home. Her name was Claude and she is a dentist downtown. She is leaving the city before sunday becuase carnaval makes things crazy! I had been waiting for two hours before she invited me to use her bathroom. Then she gave me fresh coconut milk, brazil nuts and ice cream! Really lovely lady and very friendly. She gave me a magnet from brazil and I gave her some NZ postcards and a NZ bookmark. Headed on my way again and got incredibly lost. Asked some guys and they showed me the way (turns out I was much farther away than I had thought!). They also bought me a beer as we were walking. Checked into hostel 4 hours after had left Copacabana! The hostel was just a base and my actual room was in a hotel a block away. I had managed to score a huge double room in a nice hotel with bathroom and all for (around) the same price as people from my GAP tour who were staying in a 24 bed dorm. Also free breakfast! Was so tired after my ordeal to find the place that I had a nap for an hour and then went and booked a few tours of the city before going back to bed.

Today I woke up late and strolled down to breakfast before sorting my messy room out and going to the supermarket. At the supermarket I experienced the weirdest place I have ever been hit on by a guy. In the jam and spreads aisle. I then attempted to go see some sights but got stuck in a huge street party. Since I have been in Rio I have seen more men dressed as women than I have seen in my entire life of being at university. It seems the Kiwi boys have some extreme competition! I got back to my hotel and had to meet to go see the soccer game on at the stadium. This turned out to not happen due to incredible traffic. The transport there was nearly 3 hours late and at this point we would have missed the start of the game if we made it there without any traffic problems. This was not very likely so the decision was made to can it! Got the evening free now and thinking I will go out in Lapa but am pretty tired considering it is the last part of my trip. Two hours to decide.

Rio is still incredibly hot and humid!]

Amanda xoxox