Rio de Janeiro - final destination

I can´t even begin to describe how much I LOVE Rio de Janeiro!!!!!!!! I felt like I was living a dream or part of a movie set whilst I was there. After our drama in Ilha Grande we wanted to escape the island and constant rain and head for a cidade maravilhosa. We dumped our bags in the hostal and headed straright to Copacabana beach. Just incredible! Everday we went to Ipanema beach which included watching two beautiful sunsets. We partied every night and met some really lovely people. Obviously the trip to the Cristo had to be done and boy did it provide some views!

The trip has given me the best 3 months of my life...I´ve seen so many different things - from landscapes that are out of this world including beaches that make you feel you are in paradise, to places that make you feel you are on another planet. I´ve also seen things that have changed my perspective in many ways - unimaginable poverty where you honestly question why we are not doing more in this world to help and also some of the most humble people imaginable. People that don´t have anything but try to give you everything.
I don´t know which would be my favourite part of the trip but the orphanage was definitly a great start and the children from Cusco will stay in my heart forever. And, Rio, well I´m already planning my return....

The Military Rescue

So on the same day as the not so brilliant walk came an even more entertaining night...
We were back at the hostal after showering and decided to have a bit of relax time as the rain was falling yet again. It wasn´t long before there was a power cut and once again we were sat round in candlelight, unfortunatly minus the caipirinhas. After an hour or so the rain started to pour really quite heavily which concerned the majority of us that had not had dinner and did not want to go outside. We continued to play cards by candlelight when we suddenly looked down and realised that water had started to come into the house as it had risen so much outside. At first it was quite funny that it had risen enoughto enter into the house but as it started to rise more and more we realised that it may end up causing a few problems. As a few other girls and I had a room on the ground floor we went and moved our stuff off the floor and onto the first bed thinking that that would be sufficient...how wrong we were.
As the water continued to rise and the rain didn´t look like it was going to stop anytime soon I became a little bit concerned over the owner´s very relaxed attitute towards the electricity which had come back on, but in my eyes needed to be switched off asap before the water reached the plug sockets. I also started to worry that maybe we needed to move our stuff onto the top bunk as the water was rising quite quickly.
We were all sat in the breakfast room on top of the tables watching the owner praying to the rain to stop but also, at the same time still keeping very calm and saying it would stop in 5 mins. By this point the rain was at our knees and Irene and I thought it would just be easier to take our stuff onto the second floor into another room in case the bunk beds floated and our stuff fell off. We decided to stay on the second floor instead of getting wet again when we would have to move out of the breakfast room if the water got any higher. There was a big group of us upstairs with torches, mattresses, towels and pillows so we knew we would be comfy for the night. Unfortunately we only had 2 apples and a few slices of bread so most of us were hoping the rain would stop in order to go and get dinner but we had heard that the water was as high in the street outside. One guy got so hungry he decided to go out and we were quite worried that it was not a good idea that he was going alone.
After a few hours of being upstairs on the second floor and the rain still pouring, we suddenly heard somebody coming up the stairs shouting to us. It was a soldier who started asking me how many people there were upstairs. I originally thought he was just checking we were all ok and checking out the situation etc. until suddenly he started shouting to us "vamos, vamos embora." At this point I realised that maybe the situation was a little more serious then I had first thought, especially when he started to shout that the river next to the hostal had risen and the bridge that we had to use to get onto the other side was going to break. Well the way this soldier was shouting at us did not instill any calm whatsoever and just made us all panic like crazy.
We walked down the stairs and when we got to the bottom the water was now waist deep. We had to walk in a line in the dark with a few torches to guide us and people shouting out if there was a table floating or a step to go up. We got to the front of the hostal and we could see the army on the other side and that is when I started to freak out a bit. It literally was like a scene from a movie - stood there in the pouring rain, holding all our possessions, water up to our waist with people shouting and trying to work out how they were going to rescue us. They started to get a rope and a harness together which is when I thought that there was no way they would let us cross with all our backpacks (I at this point in tru Claire style was carrying 3). We were all wondering what the hell was taking so long as they were clearly panicking alot and we could see the water gushing over the bridge. At one point they told us we would have to go and leave the backpacks and I honestly felt like crying. I couldn´t bare to lose everything, especially not my camera! Luckily they clearly realised that it would be impossible and completely stupid for us to all head back inside and dump the bags. Eventually they got a rope and one by one we had to walk along the bridge holding the rope and grabbing the soldier´s hands. Oh my God, it was terrifying. I don´t think I have ever been so scared in my life. Also, I was thinking well if this is what it is like here, what the hell is the rest of the isalnd going to be like.
Well, much to my surprise once we had all gotten over the bridge and checked that we were all ok, we looked around and realised that the streets were fine. The soldiers escorted us to a bit of shelter wehere at first they were saying that we could sleep in their barracks but then we were offered room in a hostel. We decided to pick another hostal where there was a bit more room so the soldiers kindly took us there and checked we were all ok.
I literally can´t believe how dramatic the night was and on top of it that we clearly had picked the worst hostal in the world to stay in during a tropical storm. No where else had been effected quite like us!
The next day we went to the hostal to try and get some things that we had left..I currently didn´t have any shoes as I had left them there in the rush. The owner was in the garden trying to brush the mud and water from the entrance of the place. I was thinking what a mess it all was until I looked inside and realised it was just the same as outside. Such a shame. The place is ankle deep in mud, wood, branches and water. They said they will get it fixed by xmas but that day obviously we were eager to get off the island and when we were on the boat the guy said that it would rain again heavily today, so who knows how long it will take for them to recover....

Ilha Grande

Keeping up with the typical tourist trail in Brazil we went next to a small island ironically called Ilha Grande. This place is known for it´s beautiful beaches and surrounding nature. We stayed in a lovely hostal run by a really nice woman who for a cheap price made homeade meals for everyone at dinner time. The first night there we had some much missed homeade food and then headed out to find a bar for a caipirinha to celebrate our new destination. We had just got there and were realaxing in some deck chairs with our feet in the sand when suddenly the rain started to fall. We quickly dived for cover in the beach bar. It wasn´t long before there was a power cut but it really was like one of those typical traveller´s tales of paradise....stuck in a bar, forced to drink caipirinhas sat in the candlelight. It was the best power cut I have ever experinced.

Unfortunately a few days later we were also caught up in another storm which didn´t have quite the same calming affect!
During the day as it was raining and there wasn´t a lot to do we thought we might as well take the opportunity to do another hike aorund the island as it wasn´t so hot. Well I had been told that it was more or less flat and could be done in flip flops, unlike the day before which had been very rocky and I had done in my walking boots. Whilst it started off easily enough my God by the end I just wanted to turn back. It was up and down hill constantly and because I only had my flip flops on and it was all muddy, I literaly could not get up the slopes. I nearly gave up at one point and turned back but part of me was kind of worried that I would probably break my ankle on the way back and be stuck alone.
So we carried on and after a few hours finally got to the waterfall. I would love to say it was amazing but unfortunately it wasn´t. Half the group didn´t even want to swim beacuse the water didnt look that clean. I however, decided I had not done the worst walk of my life to not at least have a swim.
As predicted the walk back - downhill, was even harder than climbing up. Thankfully I found a huge stick which helped me as everybody kept falling down. I thought I would do ok with my stick but lo and behold I managed to fall down right at the point when I was being filmed. I´m told it will be put on youtube...
Managed to make it back in one piece although one girl had a huge bruise from falling.

Brazil

Started off in Brazil in a place called Florianopolis...also known to me as paradise. The place was beautiful. The first two nights we added a bit of luxury to our stay and spent the night in an Ibis hotel as it turned out to be the same price as a hostal. Do not be mistaken - that is not because the hotel was cheap, the hostals are stupidly expensive in this place. Whilst we were in the city we felt it necessary to keep up the tradition of finding a good restaurant and stuffing our faces so we went to a rodizio which is where you sit there and they bring round every type of meat imagainable and carve it onto your plate until you decide to put up the red sign of "nao obrigada" which means you´ve had enough. Delicious!
The next day we headed more into the Island and it really is a beautiful place, the prices however, wern´t. We went to check out a recommended backpacker´s hostal and a room in a crappy dorm with 10 people was going to cost more than our lovely luxury room at the hotel. We couldn´t believe it. Although they gave us a free caipirinha to try and convince us we didn´t back down and went to find other accomodation. We managed to find these really cute cabin / chalet type houses which was our home for the next few days.
As the island has quite a lot to offer and we only had a few days we decided to rent a car for two days. We went to some picture perfect beaches and also tried the typical dish of Moqueca which was another belly buster that consisted of fish and seafood in a coconut sauce with rice and flour and fish sauce on the side.

From Florianopolis I left Miriam to relax on the beach whilst I took a little detour to the Iguazu waterfalls. Well I don´t even know how to describe them...amazing...breathtaking...all these words more or less sum them up. The first day I went to the Brazilian side which is a panormic view. As you start approaching you can hear the roar of the water before you see them which builds up the anticipation of what they will be like. The Brazilian side only takes a few hours to do so from there I headed over to the Argentinian side to find accomodation and rest after such a long bus journey.
The next day bright and early I headed to the Argentinian side of the waterfalls. This side is different to the Brazilian as supposedly in Brazil you see them and in Argentina you feel them. Well I sure did feel them as I took a boat ride which drove me directly underneath one of the falls! The water was so strong that I could hardly open my eyes so unfortuantely there is no photo evidence of this trip. The end of the trip was a train ride to the Garganta del Diablo which was hugeeee. The sound and the sights are unbelievable.
After spending the day there it was on to meet Miriam at the half way point of both our journeys - Sao Paulo. It was an awful bus journey which consisted of being on a normal bus therefore no reclining chair for 18hours (it took longer than it should have done). At one point a woman was asking everybody for money and I didn´t quite understand why. I asked the woman next to me who told me it was because they wanted the money to bribe the police as they were taking more weight and goods underneath then they should have been....welcome to Brazil!

After the grueling bus journey I assumed Miriam would have left without me but luckily we found each other at the bus station and could go to Paraty together. This place was a lovely small ex colonial town that is now a UNESCO sight becauase of it´s history, style and cute cobbled streets. There are 3 churches from colonial times which were for 1. white people, 2. los mulatoes and the 3rd church for black slaves.
On Sunday we decided to take the bus and go to a nearby beach which I can only describe as being like a scene from Lost...I felt like I was on a desert Island. Surrounded by green trees in the background with this beautiful sandy beach in front of me. Bliss.

Extra destination - Uruguay

So I had a fully packed few days in Buenos Aires. Not only did I do the skydive but I also went to see a tango show (it had to be done in BA), a city tour and the markets in San Telmo. Miriam and I also went and stuffed our faces at La Cabrera, a well known restaurant with tourists and Argentinians. It is without a doubt the best steak I have ever tried - kobe beef at a fraction of the price it would cost in England. My mouth is watering just thinking of the huge steaks we had and all the accompaniments that came with it. I also decided during my stay to do a graffiti tour. I thought it would be a bit different to the usual tourist trap tours and I was right. We started on the other side of town and were taken to see lots of examples of street art, which in BA is not illegal. We were told all about the aritists and the crews who paint all the work so it was quite an interesting and unique trip in the end.

Although I hadn´t originally intended to go to Uruguay, a good friend who I used to work with in Madrid has just moved back there so I just couldn´t miss the opportunity for free accomodation and a native showing me round. I started off in Montevideo which was a slightly dissapointing city after BA. It didn´t really have a lot to offer as a city but I was mainly there to see Pati so it didn´t really matter.
After a few days chilling out in Montevideo we went to Punta del Este. That is clearly where the money is at! Lots of high rise, expensive flats with posh restaurants and designer shops all over - not really the kind of place a backpacker like myself can afford but luckily Pati had a flat there. The best thing there was the lovely sandy beaches. The beach part of the trip has definitly begun now! One day we rented bikes and rode all along the coast stopping for a picnic and a sunbathe on the beach and a trip to the port where the fishermen were feeding the humongous sealions.

From Punta del Este I left Pati and went to meet Miriam in Punta del Diablo. This place is a world away from the ritzy Punta del Este. It was a lovely little town full of beach huts and fishing boats. So relaxing and chilled out with huge sandy beaches that were practically desserted. I am also glad that I got to see it in low season as apparently in a few more weeks it will be packed for the summer holidays. I think lots of people there will spoil the place because its charm is the fact that it was so chilled out and quiet. Definitly one of my favourite stops of the journey even if it was only for a few days.

After our few days relaxing there we started the long journey to Florianopolis, Brazil. To get there however, involves crossing the border at a town called Chuy. As our bus wasn´t going to be till the evening we decided to spend a few hours in this place because we heard there was really cheap shopping to be done. Unfortunately when we got there and actually started the shopping it wasn´t quite as cheap as we thought - electrical items and perfume are all the same prices at home. What was cheap though was alcohol so I thought I would give a helping hand to the economy and invested in a bottle of bombay gin which was a bargainous 6 dollars. Not bad eh?
The strange thing about this town, apart from the fact that other than these duty free shops for tourists it has literally nothing else to offer, is the fact that there is a main road that runs through the centre and it is literally a case of on one side of the road you are in Uruguay and everybody is speaking in Spanish, yet if you cross the road you are officially in Brazil and everyone is talking in Portuguese!