I left Mexico and travelled for approximately a total of 24 hours with the weirdest connection you may think of...Here is the summary of my mad trip: Cancun to Miami, Miami to Rio and Rio to Salvador. Knowing that I had to run on arrival at Miami to catch my connection after passing the border and picking my luggage (stupid US rules...) So I arrived to Salvador absolutely tired and hungry but I had still to get to my hostel and this was another hour and a half journey (due to traffic). Anyway as for Mexico I received plenty of warnings about being extremely careful in Brazil not doing this and that. I do take all this very seriously and I am not trying to say that it is wrong to receive all these warnings, but to a certain extent it is only creating paranoia into people´s heads. So I need to take everything with a pinch of salt and make my own opinion after a few days otherwise I can just stay at the hostel all day long...
What I didnt realise too well when I left Mexico is that by flying over to a whole new country I would have to do everything all over again... I mean, getting used to new ways, a new language and customs, culture... In a way this is what is interesting for a traveller but beginnings always aks for more efforts and I must have gotten very confortable in Mexico so it felt a little bit like a kick in the butt when I arrived to Brazil and didnt know anyone and going around Salvador by myself. But I had made contacts in couchsurfing again before going so it was only a matter of time.
On arrival in Bahia I stayed in lovely little hostel by the beach, unfortunately it rained quite a few times so didnt get to notice beautiful sunsets there, but it was really nice and relaxed. Then I started meeting a few people from CS and it changed my perception of the city finally! I met a super interesting person who is just curious about almost everything cultural so learning a lot of stuff!
The only little thing I still need to get used to is how to get around in cities and between cities. Oh and also somehow I also need to remeber that here in South America it is winter or almost the end of it so I must be careful with temperatures (I got a little sick in the past two days but it is really hot here, I think it is only due to the rain periods refreshing the climate for a few minutes a day). And also of course I got used to it now but the sun is getting down so early (5:30pm!)
So it has been a bit mixed so far to get Brazil into my system after I had such an easy time adapting in Mexico. But I am starting to enjoy and learning along the way that maybe it is best to land into a smaller place next time for my first days in a country. I do still feel very, extremely lucky that I am able to travel this way and discover so much, meet so many great people! however long it takes to meet them!!
And the maybe good news is to meet a known face in Rio!! this will be for another story if it does happen!! First thing is to get out of Salvador for the weekend if possible, maybe Morro De Sao Paulo if I feel better for a beach weekend (although there is the beach already in Salvador! but probably more relaxed!)
Ciao for now!
