Saying HELLO to Rio, and Goodbye to the Group

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MORE PHOTOS FROM DISPOSABLE CAMERA TO COME

Saturday 19th April
Early start, quick breakfast, and we're all ready to go. We expected to be catching the ferry but Lila has a surprise for us - we're back on the schooner (minus the music/capirinhas). Not so nice in the rain but in an hour we've docked and are in a private van. With only one stop we're in Rio de Janeiro by 1130am, and fortunately the hotel lets us check in. Nice hotel and nice room - excepting the smell of cigarettes! We have a meeting to discuss tonight/options in Rio post-tour, then can all do our own thing. I ring Gaynor then join everyone in a trip to the ATM. We all ditch our monies in the hotel safe then wander off (minus cameras) to check out the area/use the internet. Back to the hotel to meet for our final dinner. Lila takes us to a great Churrascario: beautiful salads and meat continually arriving still sizzling on platters, or straight off the poker it's been cooked on. Half the group is heading to Lapa to party, but I'm too tired for that - I'd have gone for half-an-hour to see. Back at the hotel I show Lila where her photos are on the computer, before heading down to Shilpa/Linda's room where Shilpa threads my eyebrows! Back to room to ensure that I'm mostly packed and sleep!

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Photos

Old beauty and new graffiti...
plenty of that!