Greetings from Rio !!

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  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Friday, March 7, 2008

Hello everyone, sorry its taking me so long to finally get this started. So here we are!

Getting here!
The flight back from Dublin was awful on Monday. It was probably a mix of tiredness and a fair few drinks had the night before which didnt help my cause one bit. The turbulance was mighty and I desperatley held on to my seat almost adapting the brace postion to prepare myself for a crash landing. The two ladies next to me were in deep conversation and I almost felt they were getting louder to distract themselves from the bumpy ride. At one stage I felt like telling them to be quiet, cant you see Im struggling here! So in all I guess I was just suffering from a hangover. Finally made it out to meet Mark in wimbledon and had a few healthy shakes to try and rivive myself. Seemed to work. Then the packing began and the realisation of the trip started to hit home and just how bloody heavy my rucksack was going to be. I was like a kid before Christmas and as a result I couldnt really sleep the night before. After a wee trek to the bus stop we made it onto the train to the airport and the check in was so so quiet. The security man informed me that there was only one hundred or so on the plane to Atlanta, which was music to my ears and meant I could have 2-3 seats to myself. Expected it to be a wee bit sad saying goodbye, which it was, but the sadness soon turned to laughter as I entered my departure gate area. The lady announcing my flight details was in fits of laughter every time she held the mike, it became very infectious and everyone in the lounge started laughing along with her, one of those moments you had to be there.

Rio

Rio!
I arrived in Rio on Wednesday morning after an 18 hour flight in total pretty wrecked, although I did manage to get some sleep on both flights which was great. The heat hit me immediately as I left the plane which is always a nice surprise. I think then it really hit me, shit, this is it!! I managed to sort a taxi out from inside to save all the hassles of taxi men jumping on you as you came through the gates and sure enough there were loads, ready to pounce like vultures! The taxi ride was an F1 style race into town, weaving busses, other cars, taxi men gesturing to each other and bikes beeping their horns for fear of been knocked over by another crazy driver. I then realised that I hadnt printed off my hostel details, such an eijit! So I spent the journey into town, speaking in my pigeon portuguese which Alex had taught me, so you can imagine the conversation we had, very funny. We managed to find a hostel in Ipanema were I was staying and asked the lady on reception to look up the mango tree and she kindly did and told the taxi man. Off we went and finally got there.
The hostel is great, clean, friendly, secure and very chilled, so not me, ha ha ! I spent the 1st day just chilling on the beach trying to fight off the tiredness as much as I could. The hostel is in a great location, only a 2 min walk to the beach. I lay on the beach with my umbrella and chair taking in the sights and sounds. I drifted in and out of sleep, rudely awoken by all the guys selling things on the beach, anything you want you can buy, cigs, weed, towels, drinks, hot corn, shrimps, the lot, mini market on the beach. I honestly dont know how those guys do it in the heat! I was in bed by 8 that night and had a good 13 hour stint which was really needed.
Yesterday I hopped on a city tour with a group of guys from the hostel and picked up others on the way. In our group there was 4 Germans, 2 Americans, I Korean girl and 2 Aussies, it was a great laugh! Our tour guide was really good, a brazilian with a very strong American accent, spent 8 years there. He was very informative and good fun to be around. We took in the city park, a 40 min trek into the forest, which was exhausting for everyone in the heat, but so worth it in the end with the veiws which were amazing. We then drove to Chirst the Redeemer over looking the whole of Rio, which was truely spectacular. The sheer size of the statue blew me away and I just stood at the top taking it all in for ages. There is even a little catholic chapel inside. We then headed to a place called Santa Theresa, beautiful little suburb on the outskirts of Rio, cobblestone streets, trams, locals outside on the streets playing chess. We had lunch in what the call a kilo restuarant, basically have as much as you want from the amazing buffet and the weigh your plate at the end and pay the price. Awesome food, think we were all so hungry we kept going back for more. When we finished lunch some of us went up the Sugar loaf mountain, caught the cabel car up, the only blemish was it was cloudy up on top, but it was still beautiful on the way up by cable car.
After a full day of sight seeing myself and my 2 German buddies caught a bus back to Ipanema. The journey was hilarous if somehwat scary again, you really have to laugh at the driving! Back to the hostel, shower and straight down for some welcome iced cold caiphrinas and a beer or two. Set me off nicely for the night. Today I going to head down to Copacabana beach and have a wander round. Tonight were all heading to the Lapa district which is alive on Friday nights, street parties, samba etc. I´m planning to stay on Rio till Sunday and then down the coast to Ilha Grande and Parati which is a 2 hour bus ride. The Aussie sharing with me at the moment is going down on Saturday so were planning to hook up down there.
Thats it for now, sorry theres no photos as yet, I will put some on here eventually. Keep the emails coming, its great to hear from you all my Amigos :~)

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