Ola peeps, hope you`re all fine and dandy.
I left Rio and Brazil (honesty, for good this time, got my exit stamp and everything :)), and have stopped off a few days in Iguazù falls, Argentina.
Yep those ones like in the books Michelle.
Flew in yesterday after major problems with one of the Brazilian airlines, change flight, delayed flight, no crew, get off at some random airport and wait around for 2 hours why we wait for them.
Well rocked up to my new digs last night, 1st time I`ve had to get my sleeping bag liner out of my bag after I pulled back the sheets and noticed stains on them - nothing but nothing but that silk is touching this skin here baby!
Booked up for my tour and turned in, only to find at 1am I was being woken up by some dude speaking Spanish and trying to tell me I need to get the bus at 9.10 in the morning or I`ll miss it, the girl at the desk already told me this when I booked so I dont quite understand why he felt the need to come to my dorm in the wee hours to share this info, maybe I dont want to know, and he wasn't the kind of guy you want near your bed either....shudder!
Soooo, Iguazù Falls, over 270 waterfalls which is great to look at (anyone thats only done the Brazilian side don't read more as thats all you would have done), but even move fun is to get to it thought the forest in the mother of all 4x4´s - you need a ladder to get up in the back of these bastards- a row boat ride down the river, got to see lizards, turtles, monkeys and stuff... but this is the - as we say where I come from - MUTS NUTS!
I got to go through rapids and waterfalls in a speed boat!!!
It was fantastic fun, got soaked, really bad move to wear jeans but it was so worth it, I am never going back to the ones with ores again!
Well enough of making you envious, tomorrow (after another night at El Cockroach Motel) I get to spend 29 hours on a bus..
Next stop BA.
Adios
Friday 22 June 2007
Tuesday 19 June 2007
Handgliding with a hangover.
Hi there sports fans.
I haven't made it to BA yet, for reasons mainly related to booze and hassle booking flights I have spent the last few days in Rio, but oh how it has been worth it. 1stly, I don't have to do 2 days on a bus, I can fly half way to the Falls for roughly the same price and get the bus to BA from there and save about a day (and get to see a shite load of running water - yippee!!).
2ndly I was part of the Mellow Yellow pub quiz champions, yes we won a T-shirt and found out that Elvis´s middle name was Aaron.
3rdly I got to go handgliding, I tried last time I was here but weather and hangovers got in the way.
This time I managed to get it in, it was fantastic, scary as fuck but fantastic.
I was driven up into the mountains about 520m above sea level, told I needed to sign the usual if you die you cant sue disclaimer (which had me listed as a trainee pilot - how cool) and watch a safety video.
Got to the cliff top, some guy was making me get into a body suit and whacked a helmet on my head and strapped me onto the glider, my response was ´err don't I need to watch a video?!´. No, apparently not, so just run with the pilot off the edge of that cliff, 3, 2, 1 RUN!!
And that was that, no time to chicken out, say a quick pray, nadda, the dude that flew me (I shall call him buck rogers as I cant remember his name) later said the clouds were coming in hence the no time to watch it, flying by the seat of my pants quite literally.
After around ten minutes of my hand death griping this poor Bucks shoulder (how his going to explain nail marks on his back to the wife I don't know), I had to be told how to land,
Landed on the beach, Training complete.
How great is my life right now? ;)
Over and out.
I haven't made it to BA yet, for reasons mainly related to booze and hassle booking flights I have spent the last few days in Rio, but oh how it has been worth it. 1stly, I don't have to do 2 days on a bus, I can fly half way to the Falls for roughly the same price and get the bus to BA from there and save about a day (and get to see a shite load of running water - yippee!!).
2ndly I was part of the Mellow Yellow pub quiz champions, yes we won a T-shirt and found out that Elvis´s middle name was Aaron.
3rdly I got to go handgliding, I tried last time I was here but weather and hangovers got in the way.
This time I managed to get it in, it was fantastic, scary as fuck but fantastic.
I was driven up into the mountains about 520m above sea level, told I needed to sign the usual if you die you cant sue disclaimer (which had me listed as a trainee pilot - how cool) and watch a safety video.
Got to the cliff top, some guy was making me get into a body suit and whacked a helmet on my head and strapped me onto the glider, my response was ´err don't I need to watch a video?!´. No, apparently not, so just run with the pilot off the edge of that cliff, 3, 2, 1 RUN!!
And that was that, no time to chicken out, say a quick pray, nadda, the dude that flew me (I shall call him buck rogers as I cant remember his name) later said the clouds were coming in hence the no time to watch it, flying by the seat of my pants quite literally.
After around ten minutes of my hand death griping this poor Bucks shoulder (how his going to explain nail marks on his back to the wife I don't know), I had to be told how to land,
Landed on the beach, Training complete.
How great is my life right now? ;)
Over and out.
Friday 15 June 2007
Bye, bye Brazil...
After my time in Rio I decided to head North for a few days, two hours in a plane I´m in Salvador, nice little town that the Afro-Brazilian hub on the country.
The Guild book states if you´re going to get mugged its going to be here, woman will get loads of hassle and during carnivals and the like if you walk out the with a skirt on then you will have a hand up it in no time.... after reading the latter it sold me on Salvador and I made sure I had clean knickers and headed on out ;)
I arranged to stay in a hostel in the Barra area which is on the southern part of the coastal town (and doesn't have such a high crime rate, i.e. they prob. wont use a gun, only knives). Nice beaches, blah, blah blah, but the happening part of town when the lights go out is the Northern or Historic half- Pelo has loads of bars and such also has some awesome Churches, shops and houses and I can say even the graffiti is of a good standard.
(will post some pictures on facebook as soon as I get to a pc that has English set up instructions)
lots of dudes hassling you to buy stuff, begging or looking to rob you whenever you got your camera out.... so sort of like home.
So being the good girl I am (Or seeing as I was in tiny Hostel during low season and had no one to play with that could speak English) I did not stay out till the wee hours downing Sugar Cane Rum from coconuts, I just went out and had dinners and stuff, nice break from the drinking or Rio.
I have also had my first Brazilian waxing experience, I was slightly concerned that she didn't understand me and I didn't understand a word she was saying either but we managed to get along with pointing and nodding, in fact I think she was rather pleased with me as when she looked at her target she beamed a huge smile and gave me the thumbs up sign, but there is only so much I am will to risk when using the nodding and smiling technique and my party zone isn't included, sorry girls dispite your requests you´ll have to find out for yourselves.
Next stop - Bueonos Aires where its cold but with a population of 13m and a reputation for great night life I´m hoping it will be worth the 48 hours I am about to spend on the bus getting there.
chau!
The Guild book states if you´re going to get mugged its going to be here, woman will get loads of hassle and during carnivals and the like if you walk out the with a skirt on then you will have a hand up it in no time.... after reading the latter it sold me on Salvador and I made sure I had clean knickers and headed on out ;)
I arranged to stay in a hostel in the Barra area which is on the southern part of the coastal town (and doesn't have such a high crime rate, i.e. they prob. wont use a gun, only knives). Nice beaches, blah, blah blah, but the happening part of town when the lights go out is the Northern or Historic half- Pelo has loads of bars and such also has some awesome Churches, shops and houses and I can say even the graffiti is of a good standard.
(will post some pictures on facebook as soon as I get to a pc that has English set up instructions)
lots of dudes hassling you to buy stuff, begging or looking to rob you whenever you got your camera out.... so sort of like home.
So being the good girl I am (Or seeing as I was in tiny Hostel during low season and had no one to play with that could speak English) I did not stay out till the wee hours downing Sugar Cane Rum from coconuts, I just went out and had dinners and stuff, nice break from the drinking or Rio.
I have also had my first Brazilian waxing experience, I was slightly concerned that she didn't understand me and I didn't understand a word she was saying either but we managed to get along with pointing and nodding, in fact I think she was rather pleased with me as when she looked at her target she beamed a huge smile and gave me the thumbs up sign, but there is only so much I am will to risk when using the nodding and smiling technique and my party zone isn't included, sorry girls dispite your requests you´ll have to find out for yourselves.
Next stop - Bueonos Aires where its cold but with a population of 13m and a reputation for great night life I´m hoping it will be worth the 48 hours I am about to spend on the bus getting there.
chau!
Sunday 10 June 2007
I´ve done a week already?!
I have sooo done Rio now, and most of it on foot, the scary buses dump in the middle of nowhere without the aid of a ´you are here´map at the stop (or time table) and as most of the roads are one way you ain't got a hope in hell of finding out where the return stop is, so with my trusty map I have found myself walking the streets of Centro, Catedral de sáo Sebastiao is the ugliest mother I have ever seen, not that I´d tell the locals, they seem to like it, walked upto the highest point on the main town (in flip flops, I have lost most of the skin from in between my toes, I shit you not at least five layers), the views where cool, shame my main objective remains unfulfilled as the museum was closed, even tho it was within the opening hours, my own fault for trying to get a bit of culture in.
After that failure of a day I decide to hit the bar, met some great guys while I´ve been here, included some dudes just in from South Africa who I did a 4 hour trek around town and the lagoon with this week (4 hours on a bike, I am so good).
Although I have failed miserably to get to see the culture of these beautiful people I think I have got the main points down. These guys love their arse, whether its on the beach in a g-string or in the town at night shaking it!! If you´ve got it flaunt it, if you ain't flaunt it anyway, they dont discriminate on any arse, although oddly enough they dont go topless on the beaches.
I have sampled the local tipple of Sugar Cain Rum, the stuff is lethal, I had a day in bed from it, but oh the fun. Been to my 1st Street party in Lapa, 6 million Rio natives claim back the streets, roads and where ever the hell else they feel like, it doesn't start till around midnight then the men, woman and children (and yes I mean small kids) got out to party, music, dancing and a lot of drinking later you find you´re arse crawling back home with the sun coming up - its a wicked cool way to spend your Friday night.
bye for now
After that failure of a day I decide to hit the bar, met some great guys while I´ve been here, included some dudes just in from South Africa who I did a 4 hour trek around town and the lagoon with this week (4 hours on a bike, I am so good).
Although I have failed miserably to get to see the culture of these beautiful people I think I have got the main points down. These guys love their arse, whether its on the beach in a g-string or in the town at night shaking it!! If you´ve got it flaunt it, if you ain't flaunt it anyway, they dont discriminate on any arse, although oddly enough they dont go topless on the beaches.
I have sampled the local tipple of Sugar Cain Rum, the stuff is lethal, I had a day in bed from it, but oh the fun. Been to my 1st Street party in Lapa, 6 million Rio natives claim back the streets, roads and where ever the hell else they feel like, it doesn't start till around midnight then the men, woman and children (and yes I mean small kids) got out to party, music, dancing and a lot of drinking later you find you´re arse crawling back home with the sun coming up - its a wicked cool way to spend your Friday night.
bye for now
Tuesday 5 June 2007
Goodbyes and hello´s
After much drinking, hugging, kissing and tears I finally find myself in Rio.
The Gill clan came out in full force to ensure I was a blubbering wreak before I got past UK customs (Although one suspects they where just making sure I left).
Laden with good luck charms and a watch James Bond would be proud of, although I still can only tell the time on it :)
Leaving my one and only jacket with them and having to surrender my penknife (speed packing Stacie style resulted with it in my hand luggage), a mere 15 hours latter I´m rocking up to my digs - being my 1st hostel experience I wasn't disappointed with the skankyness, although some of the guys there have commented on how great it is, cant wait to try out one of the bad ones!
So what does one do with no sleep after an over night flight crossing 4 time zones? Hit the beach of course, brought my first pair of ´harvainans´or flip flops to us, I trekked down to Copacabana Beach (pictures do not do it justice, and its all the sweeter knowing I´m doing this on work days),
I have parked my fair skinned behind there for the past 2 days, with a group of kids who have just ´done´ South America. Odd to see them coming to an end when I´m just getting started.
As good as the beach is the vendors come every 30 seconds trying to sell you something and steel your shit, we had one bag be ransacked for 4 reals (about 1 pound) while we where there, no wonder you see guys just rocking up in trucks and a smile (the older they are the smaller their shorts, its disturbing)
Have decided since I cant be arsed with doing anything to taxing, I´m gonna be chilling around town for this week before I figure where I´m headed next.
The good, bad and ugly - Sitting on a beach on a Monday, goodbyes, 80 year olds running along with beach with tiny shorts Pamela Anderson style.
Ta ta for now boys and girls
The Gill clan came out in full force to ensure I was a blubbering wreak before I got past UK customs (Although one suspects they where just making sure I left).
Laden with good luck charms and a watch James Bond would be proud of, although I still can only tell the time on it :)
Leaving my one and only jacket with them and having to surrender my penknife (speed packing Stacie style resulted with it in my hand luggage), a mere 15 hours latter I´m rocking up to my digs - being my 1st hostel experience I wasn't disappointed with the skankyness, although some of the guys there have commented on how great it is, cant wait to try out one of the bad ones!
So what does one do with no sleep after an over night flight crossing 4 time zones? Hit the beach of course, brought my first pair of ´harvainans´or flip flops to us, I trekked down to Copacabana Beach (pictures do not do it justice, and its all the sweeter knowing I´m doing this on work days),
I have parked my fair skinned behind there for the past 2 days, with a group of kids who have just ´done´ South America. Odd to see them coming to an end when I´m just getting started.
As good as the beach is the vendors come every 30 seconds trying to sell you something and steel your shit, we had one bag be ransacked for 4 reals (about 1 pound) while we where there, no wonder you see guys just rocking up in trucks and a smile (the older they are the smaller their shorts, its disturbing)
Have decided since I cant be arsed with doing anything to taxing, I´m gonna be chilling around town for this week before I figure where I´m headed next.
The good, bad and ugly - Sitting on a beach on a Monday, goodbyes, 80 year olds running along with beach with tiny shorts Pamela Anderson style.
Ta ta for now boys and girls
Sunday 3 June 2007
Exit
Greetings, and welcome to the first instalment of my adventure.
As I'm still young and trendy I'm writing a travel 'blogg' to keep you guys back home out of trouble… and one hopes extremely envious, I expect you to view this as I would, i.e. while you should be working.
I'll try to update it as often as possible, I will however spout mindless waffle throughout – this is the girl you know and love after all ;-)
Flight details are as shown on the top right but will no doubt change when I get sick of a place and/or deported from one country or another, if anyone's in the area drop me a mail and we'll hook up and make jokes about all the poor barstards who are still back home working.
Thanks for all the support, advice and most of all for being the friends that you are,
big love to you all.
Next stop Rio…
tchau para agora!
As I'm still young and trendy I'm writing a travel 'blogg' to keep you guys back home out of trouble… and one hopes extremely envious, I expect you to view this as I would, i.e. while you should be working.
I'll try to update it as often as possible, I will however spout mindless waffle throughout – this is the girl you know and love after all ;-)
Flight details are as shown on the top right but will no doubt change when I get sick of a place and/or deported from one country or another, if anyone's in the area drop me a mail and we'll hook up and make jokes about all the poor barstards who are still back home working.
Thanks for all the support, advice and most of all for being the friends that you are,
big love to you all.
Next stop Rio…
tchau para agora!
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