More gap adventures in Brasil!

---

So carnaval ended and everything went weirdly quiet in Rio. We had a bit of rain and chilled out. Did the usual drinking with everyone at the hostel at night, booze is cheeeap here! Thought we´d make ourselves useful in the day and went to the botanical gardens, was lovely, peaceful away from the busy streets of Rio with stunning flowers and that and we ate a nice strawberry icecream. Another trip was to the biggest favella in Rio one of 2000 in the city called Rocinha. We got motorbikes up to the top of the favella and worked our way down. The favella was nothing like we expected. It was made of narrow streets and there was obvious poverty with rubbish piled in corners and tiny rooms as houses built high on top of each other. But it was also a working community which we didn´t expect. The people we met seemed happy and welcome to tourists, and there was little shops, hairdressers, washers even a bank and post office, all around the favella. We even saw a few laptops and flat screen tvs. But obviously there´s the side you dont see with all the drugs, 10 million pounds being made a month on drugs in the favellas by the ruling gangs! Apparantly ADA, amigos do amigos, the gang of the favella we looked around, took over about 4 years ago, made up of people who were kicked out of other gangs for being too badass. We didn´t see one gun when we were walking around though, pretty disappointed..
Friday night was our last night at Samba Villa and the weekly street party in Lapa. Everyone was together for drinks in the hostel as most people were leaving on the saturday too. Had a few caipirinhas and headed outside to the music and samba. Everyone was together and merry and had a great last night at the hostel! Will miss Samba Villa and our little family. After a morning collapsed on the hostel couches we headed to Copacabana to check into the hotel and meet our Gap Adventure people. Everyones a bit older and are mainly couples but they´re all lovely and should be a swell 2 weeks! That night we met a Brasilian guy we knew from the hostel and went to the beach. Met a fnny gay guy called Lucas, showering us with compliments and he showed us his Lady Gaga impression and Beyonce booty shake, that guy got rhythme! Then there was the owner of the beach bar, who had a particular liking for Sophie but at 5ft5 was a wee bit small. Wouldn´t worry Sam! So we had more caipirinhas on Copacabana beach and watched the sunrise. Perfect way to say goodbye to Rio!
So now it´s the the start of our Gap Adventure tour, after our last night in Rio, a three hour bus ride and an hour boat ride later we got to Ihla Grande. It was simply lush! Apart from our little money situation, we didn´t take enough cash and there isn´t an atm on the island, it was amazing! The hotel had little huts with hammocks and our own room and bathroom, a luxery for us! Relaxed by the pool on the first day and went for an explore and lunch at the beach. Went out for dinner with the gap buddies and got to know everyone a bit more. The next day we got a boat ride to the other side of the island to Lopez Mendes, the 10th most beautiful beach in the world. It was frickin stunning! The water was perfect blue with gold sand and fish and amazing views! Swimming in the sea we had the whole ohhh my god were on our travels finally and in Brasil eeeee moment. Did a bit of sunbathing and stayed all day just relaxing. Zonked out that night and had an early start the next morning with another boat and bus ride to Paraty. It´s the oldest town in Brasil, with very pretty buildings and beaches, some up to 300 years old. It raaaained yesterday but we cheered ourselves up with carbonara(they have MASSIVE portions here) and icecream.
Day two and we underestimated how much it can rain in Brazil! We´d booked a kayaking trip for the morning and woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed after our first breakfastsince being here! Cake and fruit and bread etc, we went wild. So we set off for our kayaking and it was driselling..then it was raining..then it was raining baaad..then it was pouring down! Being mancs we thought we could handle a bit of rain but after 20 minutes of walking to the place we were soooaking wet. But after seeing the hot guide and him persuading us that it would be an ´adventure´ we set off on our kayaks. It was bloody tiring but amazing! Visited a tiny beach called Valentines beach on an island and had a swim around the island. The water was still really warm and we were so wet anyway we just jumped right in. Then we went to a beach in the mangroves, was a bit soggy for us but we had fun floating around in our life jackets(simple minds). Got back to the hotel grabbed some money and set off to the supermarket to get food supplies for our 24hour bus ride tomorrow. The streets were full of water when we got to the supermarket, but when we left 15 minutes later it was crazy flooded and we had to wade back through water knee high. Sophie had a little trip and nearly bailed, but before barely looking up saw Alex, head and arms flayling about, up to her neck in water! The road suddenly dipped down..a lot! Mother Bee´s first aid kit sorted it out though.
Next stop is the Iguassu Falls and then to Uruguay, so probably won´t write a blog for a while now. Miss you! Ciao, ciao xxx

---

Comments

[Ailsa]

Haha amazing mental image of alex up to her neck in water!! Sounds absoloutely beautiful and the pictures prove it!! I guess the rain cooled you down a bit though!? Sounds amazing and glad your keeping in touch! :) lots of love xxxx p.s. hope the 'fave de fuca' is working!!!!! haha

[andy smith]

sounds wonderful - well done for such a lovely descriptive blog, continue to ahve a great time girls - love you, andy (daddy)

[Unc]

Old Mother Bee's First Aid Kit !
Good stuff girls but we wanna see piccies. Old ma Bee's 1st aid kit made me chuckle and don't put your bags down near them little furry pickpocketing critters at Iguassu. The little bleeders will rob you !