Additional lessons learned in South America

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This will be an ongoing post. Should any other travelers seeking South America fall upon it, hopefully it will serve them well.
1. $5 for a lunch for two people in Lima is probably too good to be true. When in Lima, do NOT eat like the locals. Your stomach will thank you.
2. Get money before you ever leave the airport in Rio. See previous comments.
3. English does not work in Rio. Spanish does not work in Rio. A combination of English, Spanish, pointing, hand gestures, and 3 Portuguese words, however, does work in Rio.
4. NEVER accept the first price you are offered in Rio. Even from your hotel. You need a car to drive you around? $100. Don´t want to pay that? How ´bout a 30% discount? And you can always find someone else willing to do it for even less. Don´t want to pay for lunch? 30% discount. Don´t want to pay $250 Reals for hang gliding? Let me go call my uncle, he´ll do it for $200.
5. When in doubt, eat pizza. It is EVERYWHERE.
6. Must be something about being in the opposite hemisphere, but dark beer is NOT better here. It is sweet, and worse.

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