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[sheeptribe1]

I'm getting ready to take a trip to Argentina next week but on the way I've got a friday night layover in Sao Paulo Brazil. Any suggestions on good places to waste a few hours?

[whereshegoes]

Just how long have you got?

[kevandsian]

We also had a one day stopover in Sao Paulo and we decided the best way to get the most out of one day / night was to get in touch with someone who lived there. So that's what we did - through Hospitality Club (www.hospitalityclub.com) - and we had a great time. We were shown around in the evening and had a great meal with the family.

We did wander in the centre during the day and enjoyed the views from some of the higher buildings. It's definitely something to see - the third largest metropolis in the world I think. One word of caution though - arriving in a main street in the middle of the day within minutes a teenage boy caught sight of Kev, thought 'tourist', yelled at the top of his voice and a minute later we were surrounded by dozens of kids tugging our clothes, in our pockets, everywhere. We just dived into the nearest shop and they only got away with a bottle of Fanta but not before trying for everything else! Having travelled in many supposedly not so safe places, I guess all I'm trying to say is really be on your guard and if you get mobbed then diving into the nearest shop / restaurant works a treat! I dont think it was dangerous but you dont want to lose you camera if you take it with you!

Have a great time, we enjoyed the experience of being there and it was one of those places where you benefit if you know someone or can get in touch with someone who lives there.

Sian

[andrea]

We've got 23 hours in Sao Paula a well (in two weeks! Wow - it's coming fast!) From what I am reading, it sounds so dodgy! Any other safety tips Kev and Sian?

Andrea

[kevandsian]

Hi Andrea,

Only 2 weeks, I bet you're so excited! Sao Paulo would never be my favourite place but we still had a good time. What struck me about what happened to us though was that we had never experienced anything else quite like it. We were often 'mobbed' by kids whilst travelling but they were just curious to see us and always fun. In Sao Paulo it was different. Despite trying our best not to look like tourists, having no obvious displays of wealth, not flashing cameras or guidebooks, speaking Portuguese to them and trying our best to look as though we knew exactly where we were going, we obviously failed big time! Honestly, within seconds of arriving in the main street, one kid spotted Kev and just gave some sort of a cry and that was it, mobbed. Nobody tried to help either so we just ran into a shop, no harm done but a bit unnerving!

Maybe we were just unlucky, the wrong place at the wrong time. Other than doing what we already did I cant think of anything else we could have done. We were quite relaxed but very aware of what was going on around us but we just got spotted. Maybe you could try and contact someone who lives there as I suggested (Globalfreeloaders / Hospitality Club?) and then you could make the most of your stopover if you're a bit nervous. We met some lovely people there and that one incident didn't spoil it for us. Try and go up the Italia building if you can, the views give you an idea of just how massive the place is.

All the best and have a fab trip!

Sian

We've got 23 hours in Sao Paula a well (in two weeks! Wow - it's coming fast!) From what I am reading, it sounds so dodgy! Any other safety tips Kev and Sian?

Andrea