After Iguazu Falls from the Brasilian side, we then hopped over the border back into Argentina again to catch another overnight bus from Puerto Iguazu to take us to Uruguay. This bus was even nicer than the last 15hr one - they even provided food and a glass of vino! We watched a couple of videos (and I pity the spanish speakers trying to follow the subtitles to Hot Fuzz which just did not translate) and had a fair sleep. Trouble was that the bus was so hot and we couldn't open any windows - it was so hot that the [View Full Entry]

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From Ilhe Grande we made a brief ovenight stop in Parati, a beautiful old Portuguese colonial port and then we headed for Foz do Iguazu which is on the border of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. The initial plan was to take a six hour bus ride to Sao Paulo then catch a flight to Foz. However, due to the plane crash in Sao Paulo we had to take an additional 15 (yes, fifteen!) hour bus to Foz. I thought it was going to be my worst nightmare, but no! The buses were great - loads of legroom, reclining seats, dvds etc. [View Full Entry]

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I've just left what can only be described as a paradise island - Ilha Grande. It was only a 2hr bus ride from Rio and then an hour or so on a ferry across to the main port of Vila do Abraao. There are no cars allowed on the island, no ATMs, no mobile phones and the pace of life is very relaxed. On the night we arrived there was a local fiesta (done during the winter months to attract people to the island) with live bands and food and drink stalls. I have now found my new favourite cocktail - [View Full Entry]

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After a long journey from Manchester, via London, via Sao Paulo we are completing our approach into Rio when the pilot in his very calm, perfect english pilot-voice announces that there may be a fire in the hold and we need to make an emergency landing. As he is so perfectly calm, with his perfect english pilot-voice we just don't quite understand what is going on. It is only when the cabin crew (now elevated from trolly-dolly status) are donning hi-vis vests and checking us individually to make sure that we know what the brace position is, that it starts to [View Full Entry]

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OK, OK, so I've not gone just yet. But I thought I'd better give this blog thing a trial run before I'm off for real. So it was off to Paris for the night to surprise my Mum for her birthday. Arrived safely at Paris airport and left complete with all luggage so I think I've now beaten the CDG demons - I still kept a look out for a lonely suit carrier but I think I have to accept that it's gone forever! We met up with my parents in the hotel lounge - not quite the 'knock on [View Full Entry]

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