So i realise alot of my blogging seems to have involved my bus journeys. As hilarious as they are, I know they aren´t the main reason that people visit south america. So with this in mind and with some feedback i´ve recieved, that the mutterings in my videos about 1 way streets in santa cruz are not sufficiently gripping, I will try and get you up to date on life in Brazil.

I arrived in Rio yesterday, and even though i can hear your cries of protest, I came ... on a bus. I´ll leave out my detailed description of that journey except to mention that i was sat next to a rather large (mildly obese) brazilian lady, who (although very sweet) either farted almost continuously throughout the journey, or had a very pungent body odour. Im told with fat people it´s usually the latter. (i apologise for any offence this may cause to any fat followers i have)

However, the journey was a mere 5 and a half hours, the south american equivalent of popping down the road to tescos. Before getting to Rio, I had spent the last 3 nights in Paraty. A small, old town on the coast around halfway between Sao Paolo and Rio. I got there pretty late at night with no map or any real clue as to where the hell anything was. Luckily the town was still very much awake and I managed to find a nice hostel. The next morning over a breakfast of cake and melon I bonded with a couple from new zealand (although not an actual couple), a brazilian girl and finally a canadian girl who i mistakenly took as good company. This inaccurate assumption did not stand the test of time.

With the sun out, if not blazing, we all planned a day out to the beach. We headed off to a `of the beaten track´ beach and after a 40 minute local bus, and a 40 minute walk down through the rainforest we got there. It turned out to be well worth the journey, with a backdrop of mountains covered in rainforest and a wide long golden beach, fringed with trees that hid 1 or 2 wooden shacks where we got a beer. The water was pretty warm and there were a few surfers out. There was even a vollyball pitch and ball, so we had a few `poms´ vs kiwi battles.

As we went back into town the canadian started grating heavily on all concerned (except the brazilian who seemed oblivious to her insessant self absorbed chatter). In town we went to eat at a local per kg restaurant, which are quite common over here, and then went for a few caipiranas. The poor canadian ended up drinking quite alot, getting to know a few locals rather intimately and then lost her wallet. It made for an entertaining evening though.

The next day, feeling a little under the weather we all had a bit of a quiet day, going down to the local beach for a few hours and then just relaxing for the rest of the afternoon. Then early the next morning i caught the bus here to Rio.

I think thats enough writing for now, will fill you in on sao paolo and rio in a few days.