Week 3: We arrived in Rio at night. The bus station was manic and figuring out a way to get to the hostel we had the address for wasn't going to plan, on the internet it said taxis would be £7 but they turn out to be more on the lines of £20 which isn't in are budget. So heavy back packs and all we dodge crazy traffic to the other bus station, to get a bus to the tube.

Helped on our way by friendly locals wanting to try out their English, which seemed an enjoyable theme of Rio. The bus was packed, two fat ladies made our job of leaving the bus a little more taxing but we found the tube with its big spacious carriages waiting for us, to what was round the corner from the hostel.

We booked into the hostel, the only room left was the mixed small dorm! The size close to a shoe box with four bunkbeds shoehorned in, with just enough space for the stratigcly placed lockers, and space to get off the beds and out the room.

We spent 3 lovely nights in this sweat pool, one of those had a live sex show going on on the lower part of Carols bunk, got to love the French!

Rio was great, busy with tall high rises, and beaches (I enjoyed that the local sea birds not only had Pigeons as company but Vultures! What you really want to see on a beach.) We unfortunately came when the weather wasn't too great so we saw no men in thongs! and Meatloaf (Sugar Loaf) was covered in cloud. We did get to see Christ the redeemer , with the amazing views of the city (inbetween the clouds) and we went to the Modern Art Gallery which was exhibiting a Giacometti exhibition and a Brazilian sculptor called Angelo Vaneosa.

 Spot the difference? I can't.

 Small Typo and excellent amendment!

Meat Loaf in the clouds!

 

One evening whilst on Ipanema beach watching the sun set a local oldish gentleman came up to us gave us some beach tennis bats and got us rallying with him which was fun and a little odd at the same time.

 

On our final night we met up the students for a final time to give them some things to take back for Liverpool Hope Uni and bid them farewell.

The following morning we were off for an island just off the Costa Verde, Ilha Grande. We got a ferry there which had beautiful views of the Costa Verde and the island. Over the next two days we walked through rainforest to get to lovely tropical beaches and relaxed. It was very stunning, and we were sad to leave.

Praia Lopez Mendez!

Back to the main land and another colonial gold town called Parati.

Bye Bye