RIO DE JANEIRO REALLY IS THE "CIDADE MARAVILHOSA" (MARVELOUS CITY)Now this may seem a lengthy blog for only 2 1/2 days but we really did cram it in!!! ... ... Friday 3rd July Rio de Janeiro exceeded my expections massively... mainly because I didn´t really know what to expect. Nonetheless, even if I´d had real high hopes for the city named by Portuguese explorers as the ´January River´, I´d still be pretty impressed by the many faces that the for...

GETTING TO BRAZIL - JUST SO YOU KNOW WE´RE OK!!!!! Number 55 bus 10.24 am Wootton Bassett to Swindon. Wait for National Express bus for nearly an hour because it was late. Get food from Tesco - meal deal and scotch eggs. Bus finally turns up. Comfy journey to Heathrow. Open bag to look for something, bag smells of egg - nice. Quick transfer through check in. Buy book (new Karen Slaughter book to add to the collection and the weight of my bag!). Have a pint. Boa...