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Fifi Flipflops Big Adventure
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Fifi Flipflops Big Adventure

An open-ended adventure by Fifi flipflop Read more
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    Colonio Sacremento

    March 6, 2016 in Uruguay ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    We arrive at 0700 in the morning, and grab a quick coffee and croissant at the station. Then straight for the ferry that will take us to Colonio Sacremento, the taxi driver is an absolute sweetheart and drops us off in the safe port.My misunderstanding of the language causes problems as I think the guy says that the slow ferry leaves at 3pm so I pay double for the fast one , to later find out that the other ferry took 3hours and left at 930, ah well lesson learnt. The ferry is very similar to the Isle of Wight ferry, and its strange how we have little reminders of home as we travel. We pass through immigration where our fingerprints are taken (big brother is definately watching now), and board the ferry. The crossing takes just over an hour and we arrive in Colonia Sacremento. The hostel is literally 10 minutes walk and very easy to find so we drop our rucksacks and take a walk to explore the town. We only have one day here as we need to get a move on towards Torres del Paine before the winter really sets in as we will be camping for 5 days in the wind rain and snow. I am shocked at how small the town is, although very beautiful, with lots of history, but within 3 hours we have pretty much done the old town. We return to the hostel and find our beds for the night , unpack a few essentials and then head out to find something to eat. The other end of town has beaches for 10km so we walk along the beach front aiming to find a bar that serves food and were met with the sunsetting over the River de la plata. The bars are pretty much closed as we are coming to the end of the season and we agree to watch the sunset and head back to the old town to eat . we find a little pasta house and order a couple of dishes and a salad. I have to say it was the best meal i have had since being here , so delicious, little bowls of various pastas served with various sauces , another idea i will be bringing home. An early night is in order as we will be leaving at 6 in the morning.When we arrived yesterday I realised our android devices were an hour ahead of my watch. When I asked about this the Uruguayan governement have this year decide not to adhere to the hour change for summer, beacause the restaurants had complained they were losing business , so for the first time in centuries the clocks havent changed. The government have also agrred that if you pay for anything with Visa they will give you a 15% discount so whilewe are here we will make the most of it.Read more

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    Day From Hell

    March 5, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Today is going to be a long day , we are catching the overnight train from Rosario to Buenes Aires, but it doesnt leave till midnight, luckily we have managed to get our room for free as we have been here for 4 nights and the fifth is free , we use the morning to pack and in doing so Mark finds that he has lost his bank card. The next 3 hours are sent trying to cancel it. Firstly topping up the phone then on the phone to India, going though security to a point of having to give my shoe size. we send the rest of the afternoon chatting with a lovely couple from Brazil, Vicky and Raffael, and share a lunch of Aubergine pizza(i will share the recipe when i get home). An hour before we are due to leave another storm starts and we agree a taxi to the station is the best way, but trying to get one in the rain is nion impossible , after an hour we flag one down and say our goodbyes to the greatpeople we have met. Wearrive at the station and go to the ticket office book the tickets and the guy start speaking to me in Spanish, but i havent a clue what hes saying. Eventually i figure out that you cannot pay by card and as we are leaving Argentina to head to uruguay I dont have enough cash. The nearest cashpoint is 7 blocks away and it is now nearly ten thirty. The chances of getting a cab are slim so i speed walk like ive just had 8 cups of coffee I arriive at the cashpoint and it wont give me any money ? I check the balance and its 0 My worst fear, whoever has had Marks card has cleared out the account. I hastily flag down a taxi( it has now stopped raining and head back to pick up one of the other cards from Mark at the station tell the taxi driver to wait again and head back to the cashpoint with the other card. Thank god this time it works , and i ask the driver to take me back to the station. He must think ive lost the plot. Back at the station i call the bank again (this costs me 15 quid) and they advise me the reason its showing zero is because the bank i was using wasnt compatable with the card, and our money is safe. I get back to the station purchase our tickets and im tempted to not tell mark and let him suffer a little for his irresonsibility but cant do it. we board the train, both relieved. The train is really comfortable, and far cheaper than the bus so we recline our seats, get our blankets out and sleep.Read more

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    Till We Meet Again

    March 3, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Today I woke early and left Mark in bed while I headed down for an early breakfast, only to find we have no water and no electric. I sit and relax planning our excursion for the day. There is still lots to do here and I really want to make the most of it. I wake Mark and we have agreed to take a trip to the Independence park, we still have a few leftovers to use in the fridge so I throw them together in a frittata , Mark pops to the shop to pick up ciggies etc and I go upstairs to pack a few things in the bag... meanwhile our frittata is still cooking in the oven, as we start to leave the hostel Mark remembers the frittata, which is just about salvageable. we walk for approximately 1 hour and arrive at the entrance. To the right of the entrance is the football stadium and I try to distract Mark, but miserably he has spotted it, so our picnic in the park is on hold for a little longer . thankfully the stadium is closed but the museum is open, and e make the most of actually finding one that is. The museum is all about the history of Rosario various struggles for independence, the various wars and artifacts of the eras.
    Finishing in the museum we walk through the park and find a picnic spot under a tree to eat our well done frittata. Mark offers to paddle me around the lake in a rowing boat, but I decline and we continue to walk through the segregated park of rose gardens and monuments. Heading back to the hostel it is a perfect day to go up the monument a la bandero, which gives us a birds eye view of the whole city. From up here the city seems really built up, as you walk the streets the buildings are so beautiful, you don't sense it.
    Back to the hostel before we head out with friends we met in Arraial do cabo , Ana and Cecil. They arrive punctually and after a quick beer in the hostel we go down to the river. The mosquitos are in they're thousands here , but as we eat dinner something drops on the table and to my horror it's the biggest cockroach I have ever seen. Everyone is screaming at Mark to kill it but instead he stabs it with his fork and waves it around in the air. The cockroach fly from the island opposite when the weather is a little cooler just to have a quick warm, then fly back again. Pizza consumed and a few campari's drunk (they are on happy hour) we say adios to the girls........until the next time xx    Read more

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    Beatles Mania

    March 3, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    We had plans to hit the beach today so we arose early to find they had predicted cloudy weather all day , and it's one of the coldest days we've had since being in South America so we opt to see more of the city. Our first port of call will be the museum of contemporary art, about a 40 min walk from the hostel. The atmosphere here is so relaxed that it's 10 oclock before we leave the hostel. Mark picked up a book in Paraguay and hasn't been able to put it down, so I spend almost an hour pulling him away from it.
    Rosario is full of beatiful parks and the walk to the museum is along the river , along the way we come across an area that is dedicated to sexual diversity that flys the pride flag and actually has the stretch named as such -Paseo de Diversidad,. Rosario is one of the gay capitals of South America and has the romantic ambience to go with it. We arrive at the museum to find it is closed due to an exhibition taking place so we leave a little dissaponted and head for another museum located several blocks away.
    On route we stumble across a Beatles bar and head inside to quench our thirst. There is endless memoribilia and in the back is a Beatles museum, it even puts the one in Liverpool to shame as some of the things are really iconic , we finish our drinks and continue the voyage in search of an open museum.
    In most places in the city their roads run like a grid, everything is square so it's pretty easy to find your way around , unless your name is Mark .
    The next museum is also closed so we have to do the next best thing and shop, a couple of tops later and we make our way back to the hostel for tonight's acado ( Argentinian bbq)
    I cannot wait to eat the Argentinian steak and after last night's disappointment I am more than ready. The bbq is lit with all the coals in a 'bucket' in the centre once they are hot they break them into smaller pieces and spread them underneath a huge grill. The various meats are cooked slowly and then for the last 10 minutes with larger hotter pieces underneath. After a long wait 10pm and dinner is served. The various cuts of beef are served with sweetcorn and potatoes with egg . We eat intestine, blood sausage, ribs and the art de resistance fillet steak, it is delicious , with a full stomach I head to bed.    Read more

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    Unbelievable.

    March 2, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Today we woke quite late, and this is unusual, but i guess the relaxed atmosohere has helped me catch up on the multiple hours of sleep I have lost over the past few weeks. we grab some breakfast but decide to just have a few hours chilling around the hostel and enquiring about the various must see places in the city, Ana is a German girl who is currently working in the hostel, and her help has been invaluable, although she hasnt been here that long, and hasnt seen half the things herself. After a coule of hours catching up on blogs , learning Spanish and speaking with my lovely daughter , we invite Ana to join us to viisit the museum memoria. This museum is a memorium to all the men, women and children that "disappeared" between the years of 1975 and 1977, in excess of 20,000. The new dictatorship basically culled anyone who they think posed a threat and over the months people would just dissapear.
    The place is harrowing but also eye opening to the fact this happened only 40 years ago and i have never heard of it. Young highly educated people were kept in concentration camps , beaten to death or put into planes and literally dumped in the sea to die. Whats even worse is the families of these people had no explanation, and often no bodys were found so they were left with the fact that there wives husbands or children were just "missing".
    The museums way of showing this was also heart wrenching as they hung the id cards of all the people that had not returned , there was also an improvised picture of a group of teenagers in a park , all friends who had all disappeared within weeks of each other. This genocide has happened during my lifetime and as a mother i feel an overwhelming sense of wanting to help.
    We head for the supermarket on our return as i am cooking mexican tonight grab the relevant ingredients and back to the hostel to cook eat aand sleep with a very heavy heart. I never took any photos here as it didn't seem appropriate but will upload some others of beautiful Rosario.    Read more

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    Rosary Beads

    March 1, 2016 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    So we have survived the bus journey and have arrived in Rosario, it is five in the morning and I suggest to Mark that we stay in the station, grab some food and use a decent toilet , get some cah because we ar yet again in another country. We have come to Rosario, because we were recommended it by 2 girls we met in a hostel, who live here. We met Ceci and Ana in Arrial De Cabo , lovely girls, and were proud of their city . As we pulled into the city i got a warm feeling we were going to like it here , it was civilised but with a layed back feeling. We order one of the promotions wherevyou get 2 snacks( i dint recognise the word cuerno)and a coffee turns out they were croissants absolutely delicious as well. We grabbbed a cab and gave him the address written on a piece of paper(STILL NOT CONFIDENT WITH THE BASICS IN SPANISH)I google all our hostels as to how near they are to the station and local points of interest but this one is 20 mins by car and over an hour walking so a cab it is. We arrive at the hostel just after 7.30 and were greeted by a guy who speaks no english so once again thanks Google translate. Luckily we could book straight into our room , and for the second time in the trip we have booked into a double room and not an 8 bed dorm. The painting on the wall is suggestive but The first thing we do is ........ sleep. We wake a coule of hours later and head out to take a look around . The city is just over 200 years old but the buildings are contemary Spanish and the whole feel here is something quite different. The sound of tango music rings in your ears and the smell from the bakeries wafts through the air, We arrive at the monument historica nacional a la bandera which is the museum of the national flag it is closed till 2pm so we stroll down to the river and walk along through the beautiful parks ,everywhere you go in South America there is graffiti, but its artisic graffit and a lot of itnisvthe voice of the youths trying to express theyre feeligs and thought, not at all offensive.we try to find the museum of fotbal but with the phone running out of battery and Mark unable to read maps we end up walking miles and getting nowhere so head back to pick up a paper map from the hostel . A really nice guy who works here called Menke helps us out with the local info and we set off again. We arrive back a couple of hours later and were keen to try the argentinian steak so we ask one of the guys here where we can go. They advise is that they can have the food delivered and we wait in great anticipation for our bloody steak to arrive , we get delivered a steak sandwich and although wasnt what i was waiting for was still delicious . An earliesh night for us and a wonderful day sent in Rosario, I am not dissapointed.Read more

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    Film Night

    March 1, 2016 in Paraguay ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Today will have to be a lazy day, Mark and I both have hangovers from hel and the rain it just keeps on coming. It reached 47 degrees yesterday, .....is that normal? Apparently in Paraguay yes. It is so hot here that the thought of eating just really doesn't tick my box but this morning I need to. We eat lots of fresh fruit and bread, not quite the full English breakfast, but it does the job.
    Eric is a Mexican guy who helped start the hostel and his English is perfect , he has been a massive help here, and Juan from Colombia who's English is also good has helped with my learning of the basic fundamentals of Spanish. Mark is waiting in anticipation for the big fight tonight, and in the hostel is a pool table so I challenge Juan to a game and beat him.... still got it
    In Adrian part of the house he has a huge projector with surround sound and we spend the evening watching a couple of movies and chilling with a pizza, but no beer.
    We will leave in the morning for a 20 hour bus journey to Rosario so we head to bed at midnight to get a decent nights sleep.    Read more

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    Another day in Paraguay

    March 1, 2016 in Paraguay ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We awake in the morning and head to the market, Mark is on a mission to buy some vest tops. The temperature is once again in the 40s and at this rate I don't think I'm going to make it there . The market (mercardo quattro) lines whole blocks of streets, up and down with little alleyways shooting off in all directions. As we are walking we meet the 2 girls who were on our bus from hell and as we stand in the street talking we are all literally dripping. Evntually we find what Mark is after, although im not happy having walked round in circles for the past 2 hour to buy 2 poxy vest tops. On the 40 minute route back we call into a shop where the security guatd practically wrestles my bag off me... am i really going to be had over for thebfirst time in South America by a man in uniform? The answer is no, it is the shops policy to take your bag and put it in a secured bag so you cant shoplift... i really must practice my Spanish more.
    We leave the shop (a jumpsiit heavier) and continue back to the hostel.
    Once agin we have met some really cool people here, the owner Adrian has invited us to share a bbq tonight, so we have agreed to buy the beers. In paraguay you cannot buy a beer without taking an empty bottle(well if you do it will cost you a fortune) so laden with 50 empty bottles we make the 2 block trek to get the empties replaced with full ones. This is one of the nights I will be drinking beer because I've earn it.
    The bbq starts at around 9 o clock and Mark wakes me as I've had to take a siesta to recover. Adrian has about 12 people at the bbq and serves beautiful med rare steak served solely with boiled yam. You take a piece of steak and a piece of steak dip them in the mound of salt that is on the board and eat, absolutely delicious . When the food and beer is gone a couple of the guys dissapeared and the rest of us opt to head to a bar called la cachamba. Its supposed to be the first rail line in Paraguay and is set out as a railway station with a carriage and seating areas and an old steam train. They have an extensive cocktail menu , and whilst the guys drink more beer I indulge in a coffee tequila.
    There is a rin in the air and we make a hasty exit to find an indoor bar but as we walk the streets the heavens open . We take cover but the rain is relentless so we call a cab and head back to the hostel , the boys stopping to grab a few more beers, but once again my bed calls me... it is 3 in the morning and I'm exhausted and pretty drunk and even though it's rained and cooled a little, I thank God for the mercy we are in an air conditioned room.    Read more

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    Hot Hot Hot

    February 27, 2016 in Paraguay ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    So we arrive in Asuncion at 7 in the morning and I'm more than grateful we are in one piece with all our luggage. We get a taxi to the hostel amd we're shown our dorm. The hostel is set in a working factory which is great for people who are travelling because they can stay here and work at the same time. A Russian girl called Evgeniia works here and shows us to our room. The room even though a dorm just has me and Mark in it and is set in the prettiest garden. We have a quick chat then head out to explore the city. There are so many beautiful colonial buildings here and we walk towards the river. There is a warship here that I think is still in operation, however I'm informed later in the day that it's actually a museum. There is masses of poverty here , with whole families living under tarpaulin, washing there clothes in the river and literally just behind the are all the big presidential buildings.
    After an hour or so we head back to the hostel , the heat here is crazy ,easily in the 40s and walking around in it feels like I,ve just done a marathon. When we arrive back Evgeniia is packing, the Russian Embassy have told her she must leave today and go to Buenos Aires (I hope someone else here speaks English) we quickly say our goodbyes and there is only one thing for it in this heat.....Siesta.
    We sleep for 5 hours and awake to find Adrian the owner of the hostel outside , we are invited to join him for a couple of beers and we're more than relieved to find he speaks good English. There are a couple of Columbians a French guy and a guy called Eric fom Chile. We all sit and share a few beers , I discuss with Mark there is no way we can sleep without air con tonight, I honestly don't think I'll get out alive if I stayed in this room so we pack our stuff and move to the room with air con. Its like being in a luxury hotel . After a few hours I leave the boys to chat manly things and retire to my bed, today has drained me physically and mentally.    Read more

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    Three Countries In Two Days

    February 26, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ 🌫 24 °C

    So today we visited the Brazilian side of the falls. They are renowned for not being as spectacular as the Argentinian side but the are still awe inspiring. I'd read in Lonely Planet to make sure you put on your swimmers so as we walked up the trail I took off my dry clothes and proceeded to make our way down the route. It's quite crazy how you get a totally different perspective of the falls from this side and it's difficult to try and place where you were when we walked the trail yesterday. The size of this work of mother nature is beyond description and photography and was a very emotional experience for me, it's really made me realise the grandeur of how we need to protect these jewels of nature. We head towards the Brazilian side of Devils Throat and everyone is buying plastic macs to protect themselves from the spray this giant emulates. People comment on what a good idea I have wearing my bikini, and this also allows me to enjoy the experience to the full.
    After the park we walk five minutes to the bird and butterfly park which is once again something to behold. The park was designed by a man to save the animals that had been caught up in animal trafficking, ranging from toucans to owls to many endangered species of parrot, and we spend over two hours here exploring the beauty of the birds, homed in huge cages but free to fly around, although some are unable to fly due to having their wings clipped by traffickers. The reality is tragic and knowing some of these birds that I'm seeing will probably be extinct before I die is heartbreaking. Travelling has really put me back in touch with nature being in a forest hearing the birds and animals instead of cars and the hustle and bustle of the city you appreciate how special our planet is.
    We catch a bus back to our hotel and prepare for the journey to another country, considering we have spent 6 weeks in one state of Brazil it seems crazy that yesterday and today we have been in Argentina Brazil and later will be heading for Paraguay.
    So we are not caught out again I book the tickets for the journey online and I'm very pleased with myself as this is all in Spanish , although it takes some time we are successful and our bus is booked for midnight. We book a transfer from the hotel to the terminal, and after a couple of hours catching up we are enroute.
    We arrive over an hour early and settle ourselves in speaking with a couple of English girls who are making the same journey.
    The bus arrives but when we go to take our seat there is someone sat in one of them, and short while later another lady gets on claiming my seat. Apparently our bus left an hour ago and because the clocks went back (that was 4 days ago) they still haven't updated there website. A guy from Paraguay is on the bus and speaks broken English tells us the driver can take us to the Paraguay border where the buses are more regular as the next bus from here is at midnight tomorrow. We are still very confused as to what is going to happen but go with the flow and trust the guy that this is the best option. We get off the bus at Brazilian passport control and get our passports stamped, back on the bus for a short time and then off again to stamp into Paraguay. A short while later we arrive at the terminal in Paraguay and to say I will not be staying here for 6 hours to wait for a bus is and understatement. The bus driver tells us if we pay him he will purchase our tickets for our journey later and as we still have no Paraguayan currency we head to the atm. Handing over the money we are ecstatic when he tells us we can get back on the bus and make the journey with them, it's 6 hours to Asuncion and even though I was sure I would sleep the reality is my head is doing over time and sleep is the last thing I will be doing on the bus that is air conditioned to 0 degree's.    Read more

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    Iguazu falls

    February 24, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    The bus journey yesterday took 12 hours so by the time we arrived we went straight to bed and arose early this morning to make the journey to Iguazu falls. You can see the falls from both sides but today we will do the Argentinian side. We head to the bus terminal and ask a lady if the bus from here will stop at the border, she is adamant it doesn't and this is an issue as if you don't get a stamp the fines are huge, luckily a Brazilian couple are also heading over there and for 4 people it is just as cheap to do it by taxi. We pass through passport control, arrive at the park and arrange to meet the couple back at the entrance at 4pm. There are various treks to do and we head for the superior one first as this is the longest. The trek takes around 3 hrs and as you walk through there are butterflies everywhere as well as hundreds of Coites (similar to a racoon) this trail takes you through the middle of the waterfalls , and brings you back to the beginning of the inferior trail. Although called the inferior trail this trail seems harder even though shorter and gives you the opportunity to look up at the waterfalls. The trail once again brings you back to the start and the finale is heading up on a little steam train to Devils Throat. As we arrive on the train you can hear the waterfall from the distance and we put on our Macs as we know we are going to get very wet. There is a small trek of 20 mins before we arrive at the most breathtaking thing I have ever seen. The noise of thousands of litres of water crashing into the abyss below the spray and the view is something that will stay with me all my life. This spectacle of mother nature easily earns it spot as one of the new seven wonders of the world.Read more

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    Unexpected Luxury

    February 22, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    I woke the next morning with a headache from hell and had forgotten the clocks had gone back an hour so took a walk along the beach to blow the cobwebs away. It really hits me at how little we actually need to live and we are so excessive in what we have, my way of thinking has changed so much in these past 6 weeks I wonder where it will be at by the time I get home. We have also met some truly special people who have helped us an shown us things that we would never have expected. Its very easy when you travel to just tuck in with the English speaking travellers but I have made a huge effort to learn as much Brazilian as I can , and being with Brazilians has helped this process too. (A big thank you to these people you know who you are)
    I head back to 'camp' and wake mark as we have to check out at 11 we pack up and take breakfast and head over to the cove again with Rafael . It is even more beautiful during the day , but there are quite a lot of people here so we take a few photos and head back along a different trek.
    We spend the rest of the day chilling and discussing various places we should go and must sees along the way. We take notes and Morrella has made a delicious lunch which the five of us share. Rafael is catching the 15.30boat and we are catching the 1630 . We all say our goodbyes and the boat is so full our rucksacks have to go on top, whilst making the 2 hour journey back the heavens open and it literally pours for the next 2 hours.
    We collect our bags and make a hasty walk in the rain to the bus station, we need to catch a 1 hr bus to curitiba to get our overnight bus to igazu falls. With dripping backpack and another 12 hrs of buses ahead of us we are broken the bad news that the next 2 buses to Curitiba are full and we will need to wait till 11 pm. There is nothing else for us to do so we head to a bar and down a couple of beers and watch the football. The time passes quite quickly and before to long we are back at the terminal to catch our bus. We arrive in Curitiba to find the last bus has left for Iguazu falls and we need to wait until 8am to catch the next one. Its not safe to say at the bus station, so with a ibis hotel in view we decide to head there and have an unexpected night of luxury. Its now 1am and we'll need to be up at 630 so we get straight into bed and we're asleep within minutes.    Read more

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    The Death Train

    February 21, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We wake early and grab a bit of brekkie before catching the early train. The station is mental and I can't believe we are going to get on the train, but after a long wait we board and before we know it the train is chugging out of Curitiba. The journey will take 3-4 hours but we are in Brazil so it will be at least 4. As we are leaving the city there are people on the side of the track waving and probably taking the mickey out of the gringos but I am more than happy to wave back and as I hang my head out of the window an older guy spits straight in my face... I swear that if I hadn't been so shocked I would have spat back at him. Sarah and Marseille are also on the train and a short while in join us. We are handed out a small picnic and then happily join the guys with a flask of vodka and orange, really .....???? Its 9 oclock in the morning and i am drinking vodka. What has happened to me? The train journey is not as good as i had expected it to be , there are a couple of really great views along the way, but with good company everything is ok. We attempt to have a cigarette on the train but the conducter tells us it is dangerous to do this because of the snakes and monkeys lol. We all laugh togetheer about the anti smoking snakes that might get us, but on numerous occasions we attemp to have a sneaky one but always getting caught. We finally arrive at morretes and have an hour to kill before our bus to parangua. We grab some more beers and sit under a tree in the shade. A guy has told us that our bus leaves at 2.40 so we take it easy and head back to the station at 2.30 just as we arrive the bus is pulling out. I don't panic as nothing leaves on time here let alone early, but when I go to the kiosk and ask , yes that was our bus -the guy had told us the wrong time . I turn into a complete stress head and Mark laughs that the guy who told us the wrong time has a boat that he's now going to charge the earth for lol. Another hour later and the bus pulls in, mark and I have to stand with our rucksacks and they have a turnstile as more people get the bus were literally knocking people over or standing on their feet, yet again the locals hate the gringos. We arrive to the boat where I find out we now have a 2 hour journey to the island. (EITHER THIS BOAT GOES BLOODY SLOW OR THE ISLAND IS MILES AWAY) There is a huge storm above us and we're in for a bumpy ride but as we get dropped off on the pontoon I realise the effort was worth it. Ihla de mel has no cars or bikes and you can even smell the tranquility in the air. I love it and decide we will alter our plans and stay here a few days (will we ever leave Brasil ?We arrive to the hostel at about 6 and literally grab a shower change and head out to the communal area. We get chatting to some really nice Brazilian people and they invite us to head out to the cove with them .Its a 20 min walk and they are well equipped with a torch , walking along the beach at night listening to the waves crash in gives me such a feeling of calmness, and when we arrive to the cove it is still quite light. This place is huge and inside a candle flickers at something similar to a shrine. A little creepy but also breathtaking. After a while here and several photos we make the walk back , one of the guys says look and before we blink mark has stood on the crab they were trying to show us, marks new name is now the crab killer, stopping at the local bar, literally only having one as we have been invited back to party here later. Arriving back at the hostel Diego and Morrella invite us to join them in a drink. They get a saucepan from the kitchen slice the pineapple throw in some sugar chop in some limes , give it a smash about top up with rum ad we play pass the saucepan. There is something quite strange about drinking from a saucepan but I quite like it!!!! Well the process was repeated until we'd got through a bottle of cacacha a bottle of vodka and half a bottle of rum. I am afraid to say at 2am I did my little shuffle to the toilet and never came back.Read more

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    Passing Through

    February 21, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    After a 12 hour bus journey we arrive in Curitiba. It is a much more industrial areathani expected, but we are literally only here for one night so after we drop our bags in the hostel we head back to the station as unknown to us this is where we buy our tickets for The Serra Verde Express. Tickets purchased and back to the hostel. The hostel is also a coffee bar, and when in Rome...... Mark orders an expreaso and i have one of their special lattes, who needs Starbucks anyway?.. The coffee is delicious and the best we've had since we've been here. Just down the street we find a little bar and grab a bite to eat and arrive back to the hostel early. After the 12 hour bus and an early start tomorrow I am more than ready for my bed. In the communal area are a couple of people and we chat with a couple Sarah and Marseille. Sarah is from Canada and Marseille is from Germany, they are really nice people and give us good advice for our onward journey. Not a lot I can really say about Curitiba as we don't have more time to explore. The problem with travelling is you never have enough time and there are some places that you just have to miss, but im sure there is not a million things we are missing here so onwards it isRead more

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    Off The Beaten Track

    February 19, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ 🌙 1 °C

    Today we head out to a place called Penha, another local bus trip that takes a 20 minutes to get to. We get off the bus and take a short 5 minute walk to a stunning waterfall. There is a huge boulder that has formed part ot the waterfall and people are queueing to slide down it into the pool below. It looks really dangerous so Mark and I climb a little further up and just watch as the young ones compete with each other for who can stay on their feet the longest . There is a young guy who is fantastic and as much as anyone tries , noone is beating him. We decide we ar going to give it a go aand climb down to point where the queue is. My heart is pounding and my knees knocking together( does my insurance cover me for this?) and i take my position on the rock. I am going for the easy route and going down on my backside , the young guy gives me a heling hand (not that i wanted it) and before i know it im in the pool at the bottom. It gave me a good adrenalin rush, but i wont be repeating it. there is a bar at the waterfall and we head over to take a small refreshment. The prices here are quite high so we opt to share a beer and grab a bite to eat later. There is a guy laying acoustic and the waterfalls in the backdro make this jungle setting perfect, but as the day goes on it becomes very busy. Mark and I take a brasilians advise and walk a little further down the road where there is just a random gate he tells us to go to. We enter and make a 10 minute trek down the path. We cant see a way through and I shout through to the family on the rock to ask how we get there. Im sure theyre dead chuffed (not)at the fact the gringos have found the hidden secret but we erch on the rock and start a very broken Portuguese chat. The Brazilians are such kind people and we joke about Mark drinking too much Cerveja, within seconds she returns with a can of ice cold beer for us both, absolutely perfect. We stay here for quite a few hours as you can just sit and watch and listen to the surrroundings. I then get some eye candy (this is allowed if we are wearing sun glasses) , and i just lie on my rock sunbathing (sunglasses on ) admiring the view and of course the waterfall. I knew how beautiful Brazil was from when I visited 8yrs ago but the best part is it never stops surprising me . They're are hidden treasures around every corner and it just keeps getting better and better.Read more

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    Another Day in Paradise

    February 16, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ 🌙 1 °C

    one of the girls in the hostel has advised us to take a 40 minute bus ride to Trinidade. They have a natural pool here and very beautiful beaches and we are keen to explore the local area. After a late breafast(Mark sleeps in for a change) we head to catch the 11 o'clock bus . We arrive at the station which is packed with people still trying to get out of here. The bus pulls in on time and the orderly queue turns to chaos. Even though we are well in time people push and shove and if you haven't got a seat the bus driver won't take you. So we return to the said queue (much closer to the front this time) and stay there for an hour awaiting the next bus. We are able to board this bus and make our way to Trinidade. There is a guy on a disability scooter who asks me to pull the cord to ask the driver to stop , we pull up on the side of the hill but the ramp has stopped working so they spend ages pushing butttons trying to get it to work, I honestly think at this rate it would be quicer to just lift him off, however noone in Brasil is in a rush and eventually the ramp comes to life . we eject the nice gentleman off the bus and we're on our way again.
    The bus drops us off and whne we arrive on the first beach its not as beautiful as I was expaecting,( I know I really need to be more grateful) but as we make our way around the coast of beaches , It becomes very apparent why people rave about it. It was so beautiful and really reminded me of Thailand 10 years ago we slowly head towards the Natural pool , dipping in and out of the sea as we dip in and out of the sea. We trek through the first part of the forest and once again take in the awe inspiring views. I really can't tell you how much you must come here to South America, the people the nature and the amazing views and beaches are all unspoilt and this is how it should be. The second part of the trek to the "piscina Natural" is a little heavier , climbing through the root straddled muddy paths that took a hammering from last nights storm, its very slippy but we push on and the practice is standing us in good stead for Macchu Pichu. We arrive and i honestly cant beleive the beauty, it really is breathtaking. I take a moment to breath it in and head straight for the pool in the midddle. We chiil here for about an hour then enquire about taking the boat. Its 15 reals each so we decide to hike back and pick up a Caiphirina on the beach on the way back. They are so expensive at the first bar so we opt for an ice cold beer and I pick up a pineapple caiprinha on the beach before we head for the bus. Yet again we miss the 5 oclock bus because of the amount of people but were in the front to catch the next one. We take it in turns to fetch the refreshments and cannot believe our eyes when a bus pulls up at !17:15 we jump aboard and within minutes the bus is full, What a stroke of luck (or so we think ) because as we drive out of the town locals are unable to get on. We have to stop to let a woman off and as we do so a whole group of locals storm the bus refusing to get off. The driver turns off the engine and says every one must get off and he's calling the Police !!!! Mark and I stay put as at least we have a seat, but I am very aware of the disgruntlement surrounding us. I can understand that if these people don't benefit from the tourism that floods Paraty then why should it affect their lives. Eventually another empty bus pulls up and the standing people all make a run for it. The driver starts the engine and within 20 minutes we are back in Paraty. We eat a quick kofte at a Turkish Restaurant(the first international restaurant we,ve found since being here) and head back to the hostel ....Another day in paradise xx    Read more

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    Stormy Weather

    February 16, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    First point of call this morning is the Fort and with this being such a beautiful place I expect it to be impressive, instead there are a few cannons strewn at the top of the hill . There is an option to walk down , with a warning sign "beware of the oyters" ? so we head down the hill and the views of the bay are really pretty , we cant walk around the bay so a small walk back to the top and we follow the road down to the beach. We have been told the beach isn't very nice so when we arrive we think we are in the wrong place . There are a few shells scattering the shore but there are no beach venders trying to out shout each other(one in Rio actually had a megaphone) and there are just a handful of people.
    We get chatting to a couple from Italy who got married at xmas after 20 years together and are here to renew there vows as they only had a 10 minute registry office wedding. The sad part is her mother of 90 has taken ill and it looks like they will have to head home before the ceremony on Sat .
    We spend quite a few hours on the beach, which i love , (they haven't been to Rhyl or Blackpool if they think this is a bad beach) and grabbing a bite to eat before taking a swim in the really warm water .
    Arriving back to the hostel we decide to try and plan our journey out of here. This is one of the main places people come affter carnival but now everyone is trying to get out of here at the same time . The buses are fully booked till Thurs (today is Monday ) so we book on the 23.30 bus and head back to the hostel as the sky has sussenly turned very grey.
    Keen to watch the storm we head to the upstairs balcony and watch as the thunder and lightning fill the sky. It starts to rain , and within minutes is terrential, the rain floods the street outside within minutes and before long is also pouring tthroug the roof of the hostel . We all take our place on the balcony watching the comical siights below us aa people attemptbto get through the "puddle" which is knee deep within half an hour . Flip flops and bumpers are now floating about and in the said puddle and this continues for nearly 2 hours, the fork lightning illuminating the sky purple. Nearly as soon as the rain has stopped the puddle disappears leaving the street as if nothing has happened, but its entertained us for a few hours at least.    Read more

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    Much Rest Needed

    February 15, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    So after a rest day yetserday even from blogging (well i did have a rucksack to pack and a bus and hostel to book) we are now on our way to Paraty. The plan was to do Ilha Grande first, but there are literally no hostels left there as its one of the favourite places to head to after carnival, so weve moved onto the next best thing. The bus journey is at 11 and we leave the hostel at 9 to catch a local bus to Rio's main bus terminal we wait 20 mins for a bus and eventually get to the station. I leave Mark with the bags and head over to find the ticket office that goes to Paraty. As i scour the upstairs I eventually ask a security guard .. he doesnt have a clue . He parades the bus terminal all day with a gun strapped to him and i dont know what hes looking at but he certainly isn't paying attention. I eventually find the ticket office ...DOWNSTAIRS !!! Mark must have me on the missing list by now (maybe not) and when i go to pay for the tickets the internet has gone down so i can't buy my ticket ... I run across to the other side of the station and join the orderly (sort of ) queue to withdraw cash to pay for them. The time is now 10.50 and our bus is at 11 oclock and Mark is over the other side of the station, this should be fun lol . I run as fast as i can across the station fly over grab my bag and tell Mark to follow . We arrive at the terminal just in time and as we join the queue (yess another one) we wait to board .. haha its 11.05 and our bus is still to arrive which is a good thing as we have ttime to get some water. The bus takes about 4 hrs the journey is not to bad as the scenery is beuatiful along the coastal route and i have a book to finish. The bus station is not in a nice area when we arrive and because the hostel is only 5 mins walk away we opt out of a taxi. We find the hostel relatatively easily and after dropping our bags in our lockers we head out to familiarize ourselves with the local area. We find all our local conveniences before heading back and grabbing a shower to explore the historic area tonight. After a quick shower and change we head out and were more than pleasantly surprised by the old town. It really is a beautiful place with street entertainers littering the streets , sing dancing and making things disappear and i dont mean the same way as in Rio (pickpockets) Its valentines day so i see a lady selling baloons with spongebob (Marks favourite ) and sneakily buy one , then make him walk round with it until we arrrive in a square where he passes it on to a to a little girl whos also delighted with it. Cant wait to explore more of this picturesque town?Read more

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    Botanical Gardens and Park Lage

    February 13, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Today we must continue with the site seeing if we are going to get it done. Theyre is so much to see here in Rio and feel we need to do a bit more today as we will be leaving before we know it. We get off the bus at Park Lage and start the walk around the Park. This Park has free entry but is so beautiful. We have had to leave buddy in bed today as he has a hangover and we think the walking will kill him off. The gardens have waterfalls castles and caves all man made , but it makes the park really interesting to walk around. As we descend from the waterfall we spot a monkey in the trees (our first viewing) and we sit and watch him as he swings through the trees. The wildlife in the park is endless, and its so good to see things in the wild.
    We leave the park and walk 20 minutes to Jardin Botanical(botanical gardens) They have various ections here from Japanes Gardens to Rose Gardens , areas of medicinal plants, and endaangered species plants. Much of Brazils rainforest has been cut down, and when you see the naturelness of this place it puts things into perspective. We wander aimlessly around the huge park trying to follow the not so clear map and eventually after 3hours have managed to see mostly everything.
    Pepe meets us at the hostel and we arrange to meet him later as he will be leaving Rio for a few days and when he returns we will be gone. Lapa is the place to be tonight and after a few drinks in the early evening I am a little worse for wear as we head for the metro. I am actually drunker than i think and can barely walk in a straight line. Over the past few days i have seen people literally being carried home, and must admit the Caipirinhas come up and hit you with a big sledge hammer when you least expect it. There is quite a group of us and after half an hour trying to keep up I persuade Mark to enter a bar and sit and have something to eat. On the table next to us is a Brazilian man with his daughter and with broken English and a little Portuguese we enjoy a lovely evening. We arrive back at the hostel at 4am and i am drunk as a lord, and thank the lord for the bottle of water that was left over from the night before that i drink throughout the whole night ... tomorrow is going to have to be an easy day !!!!!!!!    Read more

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    We All Smell The Same

    February 13, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Its a really strange concept, but its weird how noone really smells of BO out here (well not that ive smelt) and yet everyone is constantly sweating. Its been a nightmare the past few days as with it being Carnival everything shuts, and I mean everything. There are no washing facilities in the hostel and the Laundrettes have been closed for nearly a week and having ony packed 5/6 days of clothes is slight issue when you do your calculations. We eventually managed to put our clothes in yesterday and the girl said they would be ready at 1800 ....TOMORROW!!!! So today is the day we get fresh linen and I am really excited. Travelling really makes you appreciate the smallest things. Even the banks are out of money as they havent been filled for over 4 days and every one has come to Rio for Carnival so all atms have out of action stickers on them. Luckily Mark and I kept $100 as an emergency fund and the exchange places are offering the shittest rates as they know they can make money
    Mark is in a bad way today with his feet, he can barely walk so he has been to the chiropodist and even though they are better than they were, a day of rest is whats needed. We sit around the hostel catching up on loading photos etc clock watching for 1800 to arrive. I have an idea that maybe the lady in the laundrette meant they close at 6 so hedging my bets head down there at 1530 to be told come back at 6
    I really have loved our time here in Rio de Janeiro but I can honestly say i am partied out and in need of just getting by a beach and chilling for a few days . I would recommened anyone to come here its a city that never sleeps, but i am certainly feeling my age.
    Dinner tonight is Dominos and its one of the first western dishes we have eaten although i wouldnt actully say it tastes like pizza from home, another thing is they have sweet pizza filled with chocolate or "doce de leite"(basically evaporated milk boiled in a can to make butterscotch) they cover the pizza base in sugar and cinnamon and it really is delicious. So after feeding the wounded soldier we have an early night.    Read more

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    Christ The Redeemer

    February 11, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    So today we are heading to Christ the Redeemer, one of the New seven wonders of the world, and I'm really excited . There is a place in the park that you can buy a ticket and they transport you there and back and it costs 60reals (10 quid) including your entrance fee. 20 mins after buying our ticket we ar on our way. They only allow so many people up there at a time and you get an allocated time for your accent. The bus takes us directly to the top and there are just thousands of people lying on the floodr just trying to get the best selfie. If i'm honest i was a little dissapointed, noone actually stood and respected the feat of how this enormous mound of concrete was placed here it was just a sybolic piece of architechture that they could have their picture taken with and post to facebook(ok i am following the sheep) but realyy the views from here were mesmerising and once again you could actually see the whole city looking very small from the view points. Twenty minutes here was enough and we were going to catch the train down to the bottom. One way was 22 reals each ( 5 quid ) not a lot i know but the budget has to last.
    I hadn't done a sunset here yet , and we've been here a week so after a bite to eat we headed down to Ipanema. It was 6.30 pm and the beach was still packed. A 20 minute walk took us to a rock that seperates Ipanema beach from Copacabana it was packed and once again we joined a queue to get a photograph of the beautiful sunset. Grabbing a beer each we continued to watch as the sun dropped from the skyline and as it eventually set the crowd cheered and clapped. Ona rriving back at the hostel , Pepe , lee and Emma were here and as they are due to leave tomorrow we exchanged details and will hopefully catch up soon as they live very close to Portsmouth and it will be good to share our travel dits with them. We have just been informed the hostel is out of water???? apparently this is quite a common occurence in Brazil so before we head to bed we purchase some bottled water . Just as i think im getting adjusted to the cold water showers using chilled water to shower with is a shock to the system , but its 31 degrees and its midnight so needs must. Mark and I shower together dispensing the freezing cold water between us having hysterics about how exceedingly cold it is , but needs must and after Another wonderful day spent, now to catch some much needed sleep.    Read more

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    Lapa

    February 11, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Lapa is an area of the city that is popular for its swanky bars and international restaurants although the diversity is crazy as the poverty here is immense. The arches that stretch the length of the area are filled with homeless people sleeping under them , and as another bloco starts the police prescence grows. We have been told we should go to the Lapa steps so i ask directions and get told to follow the road to the left of the Arch
    With a lot of anticipation we head that way but we're very aware that we stick out like a sore thumb, and for one of the first times since being here i feel slighly anxious. The road takes us down a little cobbled street , once again smothered in poverty , but we push on as the sun will soon be setting and i dont want to be here with tourist tatooed on my head when it gets dark.
    We stumble across the steps and make our accent up them. They are so beautiful , all individual tiles from all over the world accumalated with big blocks of mosaics . truly beautiful. Ok so ive done that now lets get out of here!!!
    We decide to try and find some international food, im really missing spicy as all i seem to be eating is rice beans and meat, i know i shouldnt complain but i could kill for a chinese or Thai food. we cross the square and stumble across a parade that is mainly children and teenagers , the costumes and the atmosphere is once again brilliant and even though the parade is actually finishing we take a seat on the steps of an old building and embrace it, opting for a bbqd sausage of a street seller. The results are announced of this local competition and everything goes wild fireworks are literally set of in the middle of the crowds and the music plays on.
    Still feeling the effects of yesterday we stroll back towards the metro when we are surrounded by a huge group of these people who just want us to dance and as we try to leave they surround us more. I am very aware at this point that we could be getting targeted and its a shame as really i should be enjoying every minute but the warnings of people along the way make you paranoid.... they actually only wanted to dance with the 'gringos" and we both came out with all our belongings and no knife wounds. To be honest we have heard a couple of bad stories , but theses are of people who have let there guards down and have been sitting on beaches late at night, so i think if you keep your wits about you , you generally are fine. We head back towards the hostel stopping off for a slice of pizza and fruit juice before another early night to catch up on my beauty sleep.    Read more

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    The Beatles

    February 11, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    So today is the Beatles bloco and its at 9 in the morning , so yes after just 3 hrs sleep I am up again as this is the one Bloco I really wanted to see . Feeling a little more than tender we once agin take a tube to a place called Cinemalandia. Another packed Metro and we arrive at a huge square. This Bloco is actually stationary so we stay back and allow all the crowd surfers to do theyre thing while we dance around in the space we have. I honestly can't believe i'm doing this after last night/this morning and feel like i have a second wind. Although when i stop i really feel it , so the only way forward is to dance.
    I am in my element here although hearing the beatles sends little pangs of homesickness through my mind I'm glad that I know the words for once. We sing and dance as the old tunes with a twist of samba play out, the temperature today is 40 degrees and i keep buying bottles of iced water, not to drink , but to pour over myself.
    The bloco has speakers all over the park, and at 2pm i suggest we start heading to the back of the park so at least we have a chance of catching the metro back before it finishes
    We are directed from one metro entrance to another as they are already closed (brazilian crowd control at its best) , and on our 4th attemp we are finally on our way back to the hostel.
    My age has finally caught up with me and i head to bed for a much needed siesta, waking a few hours later i still feel knackered so a couple of beers and an early night it is........    Read more

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    Sugar Loaf Mountain and Sambadro

    February 11, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    We wake up early, as it is still Carnival we want to tray and hit the tourist spots early so that we can try and avoid the queues as much as possible . We are really trying to do everything ourselves and catching tube and buses is pretty easy here. WE arrive at Sugar loaf and even from the bottom its breathtaking. I am a little dissapointed as today is one of the first cloudy days and concerned we won't be able to see the views, but we have all day so lets see.
    We join the orderly queue(or as orderly as it can be in Brazil) and before too long were heading up to the first peak in the cable car. I suggest to Mark that maybe we should head straight up to the second peak and then work i way down. Yet again another great idea(even if i say so myself), the second peak is still quite busy and there are quite a few cruise liners in, shipping people in groups of 30's to all the popular attractions.
    The view from the top is truly amazing and as you circle the mountain you get a full 360 degree view of Rio De Janeiro there are quite a few trails around the peak so we head away from the crowds and explore a little more . Making the effort to get off the beaten track really pays off as not only do you get away from the crowds , but the views are taken to a whole new level. After a good look around we take the cable car down and opt to take the "green trail" thinking this would just be around the 1st peak but 20 mins into the trek we realise that this is going to be much more . Theyre are people coming in the opposite direction that look like they have just run a marathon (they also look a lot fitter than Mark and I ) and i begin to wonder whether this is a good idea, but nothing ventured nothing gained. We trek all the way down the mountain and when we reach the bottom we're relieved to find an exit road (thank god i havent got to go back up) that leads to a beach. The beach is very small and packed with mostly Brazilians so we grab a beer and people watch.
    In Brazil the current is really strong and the waaves break litterally on the beach. It is a game with the children as the wave approaches they try and out run it screaming and laughing as they go. Peple quite happily sit on the beach with theyre belongings scattered around them , when from nowhere a huge wave hits and the sea is strewn with flip flops and towels , the scene is comical and Mark and I stay for a while longer just to laugh at everyone rescuing theyre bits and pieces.
    Mark and i were advised by Zee to wait till late to purchase our Sambadrome tickets and as we are sitting in the hostel we get chatting to Emma , Lee and Pepe. Pepe is a local guy who used to work in the hostel and still helps out so he tells us he can get us tickets for 80 reals, this is about 1 quid each so we agree , and i feel safer going with him as he knows the ropes. A couple of caipirinhas later and i am more than in the mood to party so we all head over to the sambadrome . It is now nearly midnight and as we get closer to the drome i am glad we have come with Pepe as i wouldnt have had a clue. The Sambadrome must be about 2 miles long and we are in the far end but the atmosphere is truly electric. Along the street all the floats are lined up behind miles of mesh fences , preparing to make the grand entrance.
    We eventually head into the stadium and it really is like nothing ive seen or heard before the colours the noise the atmosphere, and we havent even seen a school yet.The funny thing is ive pessurised Mark into getting dressed up and he makes the effort by putting on a sombrero, but the stadium is that packed hes taking everyones head off with it and eventually gets told to take it off (whoops) Pepe Lee and Emma ar good company and we all share beers etc as the parade begins again. Lots of schools take part in the parade and the prize is equivalent to 1 million reals so everything is up for stakes.
    I really couldnt post pictures, videos or tell you how good this is as just the atmosphere is more than i can describe. I have waited for this moment for 20 odd years and too actually be sat here is my dream come true.
    We leave the arena at 5.30am (i know im a party animal) and i dread to think how many people are trying to leave at the same time , the busses cant even shut theyre doors theyre are that many people trying to get home. As people have finished doing theyre parades they discard theyre costumes in the street , but even i'm too tired to make the effort to bring them home... after all i only have a 35 litre rucksack.    Read more

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    Sunburn and blocos

    February 8, 2016 in Brazil ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    When we arrived at Bils this morning he had had to go to hospital, he had stayed down the beach with Mark yesterday and hadnt used sunblock , his back was a mass of oozing blisters, i felt so sorry for him as carnivalmis really in full swing and as everybody else is dressing up to head out he is covering himself with calomine lotion and taking pain killers.
    During carnival it is the norm to dress up and that can be anything from a pair of mickey mouse ears to a full blown fancy dress costume . The streets are littered with men dressed as women, women dressed as men, it really is anything goes , basically if you arent dressed you arent here for carnival.After along wait for every one to get ready we eventually head out. So we are accompanied by Mario, Spiderman , a captain, and multiple other characters.
    Its 9am in the morning and i,m drinking straight cacacha thismis going to get messy. The bloco is 10 blocks away from our hostel so we catch the tube and get off at the stop before. There are 200,000 people here and as you can imagine the tubes and buses are packed to the brim. The place is mental, i thought the beatles festival was crazy but this on another level . People dance drink and follow ths bus . My love for Brazil grows daily, but the heat here is relentless. Within an hour i have lost Mark , but the strangest thing I meet the guy off the bus who first helped us when we arrived here. Mark hasnt quite got the knack of being able to barge through people , who are quite used to it. The blocos generally last 3 to 4 hours , and aa we go to head back they have shut the metro, i guess this is a safety measure, but is an absolute pain in the arse. The walk back is arduous and as i arribe back at the hostel Mark is at there ber in hand !!! (Wasnt really his type of music anyway) A quick shower amd were ready to go again, nut first ww must eat. The guys take us to a local place where we eat chicken steak sosej rice chips and noodles for 20 reals , which is about 2 quid each, bargain.Now we are ready for heading out to catch amother bus(bloco)
    I swear the amount of people is mesmerising and as the days go on here the costumes get more eccentric. Mornings roll into days, days roll into nights and before you know it your back in your bed ready to do it all again.    Read more

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