RIO DE JANEIRO

6/08/09

It was a sad good bye at the airport, but a great day for an adventure. On our way to
Travel to 17 countries, 3 continents for 16 months!! Landed after a 12 hour flight from Heathrow to Rio de Janeiro where Danielle was worrying about declaring everything she could think of because of the program “nothing to declare” where you get fined for bringing a pack of nuts into Aus!!! But luckily enough they didn’t search our bags.

In the taxi first impression was wow this is a big city, we didn’t think it was going to be as big as this. While looking out the taxi window it was dark so we didn’t see much but we did see “Christ the Redeemer” light up on top of the mountain, amazing sight.

Got to our hostel didn’t expect any more, it was the basics but everyone spoke English which was helpful. It was 4am Irish time 12am Rio time so we were knackered so we hit the sack for an early start the next morning because we were visiting “Christ the Redeemer".

Day 2- 07/08/09
We were up early to visit the Sugar Loaf. We got to the top of Urca Mountain and had a reasonably good view of the beaches and town below us. Unfortunately the weather was pretty bad, and there was fog and clouds everywhere. Once we reached the top of the sugar loaf we hoped to see the Christ the Redeemer…. But no!! Fog everywhere!! It was really well laid out up there with winding pathways in and around the forest, but we literally couldn’t see anything below us!

We headed back to the hostel and went on a city tour, hoping that the weather would clear! We headed through the town and up through the forest to get to the Christ the Redeemer Statue. I couldn’t get over the growth; there were vines and plants everywhere!! The city and the forest merging as one! When we got to the top we couldn’t see the statue, but we waited and the fog did clear. So we at least got a few good pics of it. We also got a glimpse of the lagoon and Copacabana beach!! That’s where we’re heading for tomorrow.

Day 3 - 08/08/09

Rob’s Birthday! Happy birthday to me happy………........................!!!!!
On this very special day we got up early again to go to Favela. This is a slum dog version of Rio where all the drug gangs come from and unfortunately lots of other innocent people live here too. When we got to Favela da Rocinha there was a long widing road all the way up to the top and the only way up was to get onto the back of a local guys motorbike!! If you like playing chicken with buses, weaving in and out of cars, taking corners at a high speed, you would have loved the journey! Danielle made to the top first and had to wait there in the middle of the favela on her own for a few minutes!!!

While at the top NO photos were aloud to be taken just in case someone took a picture of a gang member with a gun or with missiles! (No joke) we made our way to the highest point in the Favela where you could take photos (pic below) you could see thousands of little man made hunts. From here we made our way down a widing narrow pathway which brought us back to our bus, Thank God!! Made it back alive!

From the favela we made our way to the Famous Cococabaña beach, which is 5km of golden white sand, Speedos, thongs and volley ball lots of volley ball!
Seeming that is was a special day we decided to go to a pay per kilo restaurant!! it turns out is was pay per shit restaurant!!! Not great!
So went ended up heading back to the hostel for a few drinkies instead!


Day 4 - 09/08/09

We headed off to Cocacabaña Beach with friends from the hostel, Charlotte, Carly and Tom. We got there before the crowds, thank god! The beach is amazing! Perfect white sand, clear water, just the right temperature and big to waves!! Rob and Tom went got thrown about in the tumble drier a few times, so did I when rob brought me with him!! I ended up with a bikini full of sand and the best wave swept hair do ever!

That afternoon we headed off to the Maracanã Stadium to watch the Flamingos versus the Corinthians! My first football match! Wohoo! Pretty crazi atmosphere, the supporters go all out! Flags, flares, drums, chants and a serious amount of jumping causing the whole upper tier to vibrate!

We got a fairly good bit of sun which knocked us out, so we headed back to the hostel and had an easy night in! All in preparation for tomorrows trip to Iguaçu Falls!!