Rio - where it begins and ends

So the journey ends where it started, in Rio de Janeiro. At the same hotel and almost the same room number, differed one floor.

Getting here was no exception in not so nice people. We got our transfer back for free from the company we booked with before due to our problems when arriving. This time in a shared shuttle. I feel both angry and upset thinking about the way you were treated if you had any question, doubts etc. A man from the staff even smashed a girls buttom when she asked him something thinking he, the twice her age scum bag, was funny. She didn't agree. After getting angry answers from this man we hesitated to ask anything more. The organisation of the tour was also so bad, people going into town or Copacobana etc had to first go to the airport with other passengers. Instead of arranging the different vans from peoples destinations. So inefficient.

Anyhows let's not waste more time on this other than me saying stay out of Top Transfer at ihla Grande, the one next to the Haivannas shop.

Once in Rio we strolled around mostly in Ipanema and Copacobana. Day time. We spent way too many hours at a hair dressers place since I wanted to try balayage. I didn't get that and the hair wasn't as described with pictures but hey you gotta live a little. One can always throw in something else back home. We watched a glorious sunset and thought about finding massage places and going to the big shopping malls.

Rooftop sunset

Wait a minute? We haven't seen Cristo Redentor have we? No tours? Really? Yes dear readers we did see Cristo when landing and from a distance before and didn't feel like spending more time with tour agency's here. We just wanted some relaxed days where we could make up our own schedule. What was unfortunate though was that we had dinner at a japanese mexican fusion place the day before leaving. It seemed fresh, the owner spoke English and we had had a lot of raw meat before without any problem. Although mostly in Chile. J tried some hot dish, also mix japanese and mexican. While I had a fusion sushi roll. We ate this around 5 pm after being at the hairdresser and such so we were hungry. Usually we try each other dishes but J though my seemed too small to share so we didn't. And gosh am I glad he didn't try it! Because this resulted in food poisoning from hell. We had a late flight for our last day and some plans but they ended with me in a supine position most of the time. I remember the horror when getting food poisoning in Lima but this lasted so much longer. Why o why did I eat something raw the day before traveling? Don't repeat my mistake. I was so very happy that J could handle everything since I was a wreck for the whole time. He was quite stubborn also, I hadn't had a real meal since breakfast the day before (except the sushi) so he forced me to take small bites of fruit and to drink water. My hero. One never feels so good as when recovering from something like this huh? Being grateful to not have a constant nausea and such.

Well although things didn't end that well it has been a magic trip with J. We are probably not going back to Brazil in the future but we like to see other things in South America. Thank you for joining us on our trip.

Abrazos,
S