The city of beaches, sunshine, dancing, creative parking and atmosphere! It was pouring the first day we arrived, but the city is amazing with the many mountains/hills and such like. On our way from the island (Ilhe Grande) we stayed on (which was very beautiful) we passed a recently deceased person by the side of the road (don´t know what the go was with that) and ploughed through much water on the road which was... a little terrifying. I just made sure I read my book and didn´t look to see what was happening. This kept me calmer!
On the subject of creative parking... well, if you´ve ever seen Mr Bean park, this is how they do it! Truly! The other day I saw a car trying to reverse park into a park much too small... I could barely dare to watch, it was obvious he wasn´t going to make it, no matter how hard his friend tried to direct him. And so his friend did the only other obvious thing... he pushed the car in front forward so that it was pretty much touching the car ahead of it. They managed to squeeze in but I really wonder how anyone was going to get out of that situation!
As I mentioned... there are beaches here in Rio. I´m sure that´s general knowledge... these are the beaches of Copacabana (and as I´ve since learned, that song is not about Brazil... and if anyone ever sings it again I might get violent, just letting you know...) and Ipanema... (yes, where there are many girls walking).
Although I´ve been here a few days now, I´ve not actually seen any of the usual touristy sites... except the beaches. The weather has fined up now but it is a little cool still for lying around in skimpy bikinis... besides we all know that I´m much to sun smart for that ;P
I have seen though the Aerolinas Argentina office a fair bit though... why? Well... yes.. you guessed it, i´m piking! I´ve absconded from the tour, I´m MIA ... (well, the action is questionable). Basically, while I had a good trip, I´m plenty over it already. Yes, I had about 6 more weeks to go and it is a pity to waste that opportunity travelling north through Brazil and to Venezuela...(a real hot spot that is now, tear gas h - the lot) but I thought it would be more of a waste continuing with something I was no longer enjoying, spending even more money along the way. And yes, I still have my cold... it´s been one month now.
And so, I leave Rio this Friday (the 8th). I will be losing Saturday (somewhere over the Pacific ocean - did you know that it is the largest and deepest ocean? A good place for a Saturday to disappear)and will be arriving home Sundayish I think. Big thanks to Kerry (Travel Agent) and my mum (Travel Agent´s assistant and lifesaver) for helping me sort out my tickets (stolen as they were in Peru) - it would´ve been a long swim and with all the buses I´ve been sitting on of late, I would have been a little puffed. Oh and by the way, I think home is going to be north somewhere... probably Cairns(if they´ll have me, potty as I am and all), will see.
Right now, where was I? I´m afraid to say there will be no pictures of Rio. I´m just not game to take my little camera anywhere... coz I´d really like to keep it. But there are plenty of pictures on the net.. see http://www.riodejaneiro-turismo.com.br/pt/
I have a few more days here and on the top of my list, after the flip flop shop (havaianas are the go) and a can of tuna, is the Botanical Gardens... I know this is not probably the first place people think to visit when in Rio... but really, I think it´ll be good.
Best be off to make some interesting stories for you fine folk to read.
Remember to make some positive energy pollution!
Cheers, Merryn
