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So... here I am! It´s only one week in and it already feels like I´m a million miles away (or maybe 6,500 miles at least!). I´m now in a place called Paraty on the Brazilian coastline, which seems far removed from Rio, where I left yesterday.
Carnival was absolutely amazing.... I don´t know where to start. Part of it is all about the main parades. This is where literally thousands of dancers in the most colourful costumes (think sequened head-dresses, tassled bras and thongs!) samba their way down a closed road about a quarter of a mile long on massive carnival floats. The crowds are packed in on terraces in quantities similar to Wembley stadium! It takes each school about an hour and a half, and there are six schools per night. As you can imagine, the parade lasts well past 5.00 am.....
The other part of Rio Carnival is all the street parties, where seemingly anyone and everyone joins the back of a large group of people randomly dancing to a couple of drummers on the back of a truck!
All this obviously gets washed down with copious amounts of Caiprainha (a cocktail made from the local fire water) and you have yourself a fantastic time, but one huge hangover!
Now although Carnival was amazing, Rio itself is actually a bit of a s***hole! The streets smell like pee and/or rubbish, there are prostitutes on every street (including in broad daylight) - although it passes the time trying to work out if they are ladies or lady-boys! All the buildings look like sixties tower blocks, and there´s nowewere to get any decent food (and you all know how much that upsets me!!) - restaurants and cafes seemingly aren´t that popular here! Still, it´s somewhere amazing to have seen...
Yesterday was the first day of overlanding, and last night was the first night we camped. Let´s just say it was interesting!!! Because it´s so hot here (about 35 degrees and 90% humidity) the tents were like saunas, and the mosquitos have had a feast! Still, give it a week or so, and we´ll have the knack of setting up camp in double quick time and we´ll be used to it all by then.
Today has been just perfect... a group of us went out on a schooner which took us around the coast to little beaches and snorkelling spots. It has really felt like a holiday today... bit of sunbathing, bit of swimming, chilling out with a beer... are you jealous yet? And you knew it wouldn´t be long before I got back out on the water!
This is definitely more like the Brazil I was expecting...
I can´t upload my photos from this internet cafe, so when I can, I´ll fill you in a bit more. All in all, things are going really well so far... my room mate is really cool, the whole group seems to be a nice bunch of people and I think we´re all going to have a great laugh.
Please email me or post me a message to let me know what you´re up to... and thanks to everyone who´s got in touch so far... it´s really good to know you´ve not forgotten me just yet!!!!
I miss you loads.... take care.
All my love, Nikki xxxx
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