7th – 8th February 2013

I must confess. I didn’t really do much the first few days I was in Rio. Or rather I didn’t take much photos. It was because after reading horror stories from people and guidebooks, I didn’t want to risk my camera, let alone my iphone to get stolen through either a mugging or a robbery. I would be tutting at Dave who kept insisting that he’ll be fine as he took out his iphone in the middle of the busy street. Are we asking to get mugged? Actually, no. To be honest, I never felt UNSAFE in Rio. Maybe it was because we were being more viligent about our valuables but as the week went on when we were there, I grew relaxed and decided to take my iphone out with me. In my sexy fanny pack of course. But again, I didn’t really do much in the first couple of days to warrant taking photos.

So going back to my posts, I left you when I was getting on the bus from Parati to Rio de Janiero! It was now Carnaval time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow! That’s a huge tick off my bucket list! But if we could get there. After a day of drinking Caipirinhas in Parati, we were, shall we say, ‘worse for wear’ the next morning and the last we needed was a bus ride. I spent most of my time sleeping. But we did stop half way as the downpours were getting worse and worse until we found outselves aquaplaning along the highway. Maybe the lightning and thunder directly overhead put paid to it!

But we were happy. It was to be our last long bus journey especially for Auston and Dave as their travelling round the world was coming to an end. Look how happy they are!

We soon realised that maybe we should have arrived later. It seemed like everyone arrived for the Carnaval at this Central Bus Station of Novo Rio Bus Station. This was further compounded when we had to queue for our taxi for the best of an hour being pushed around violently by very old Brazilian women who liked to walk in front of cars doing 30mph. Oh, and we were introduced to Bacon Popcorn. You’ll find these stands everywhere. We were so tempted by the smell of this popcorn and bacon that we decided to have them together. Bacon pieces in Popcorn. It’s the future, I’m telling you!

Finally, hopping into a taxi, we were transported to Santa Teresa, a district within Rio, to our hostel. Hercus Santa Teresa Hostel. When we got there, the street was dark and quiet. Uh-oh. Have we come to a bad area? We clutched our valuables even more tightly. You see, we have another confession. We don’t know anything about this hostel. All we knew that this hostel was the cheapest accommodation we could find during Carnaval and this was very new and had no reviews anywhere. We could be walking into a crack whore den.

But imagine our delight, that this hostel was actually in fact FANTASTIC! Very modern, very secure, attentive staff and many more. Check out this very cute dog that came with it. Her name? Teresa…

Awww, and you know that I love dogs 🙂

Despite a mix up with payment that got resolved amicably at the hostel, we were glad to say that we settled in to relax. So let’s PARTY! We’re in Rio and it’s about to start Carnaval! Wooo! Err, no. We went to bed early. Think those Caipirinhas and that bus journey took it out of us…

So the next day, we slept in and got ready to do some work. I mean, we aren’t travel bloggers for nothing. Haha, I mean, you thought we did this for free?! Haha, of course not. We were ready to continue to monetise our blogs and yet I definitely needed to catch up on my blog. Officially, it said I was still in Mendoza and yet we had gone through all the rest of Argentina and lots on Brazil and I hadn’t even had that steak at Mendoza yet.

So off we went to a business centre with passes kinda supplied by Auston and his shady network of contacts, and we settled in our plush chairs and ‘think pods’ as Dave insisted on sitting in. Aw, bless him. I think he needs something to boost his only brain cell…

But we did have to try and high an unpleasant smell coming from our bags. What were they? Dirty washing. Now, you may ask why we brought some dirty washing to an exclusive business centre. Well, obviously, we wanted to find a laundry…it’s been 2 weeks without any washing and I was down to my last underpants. Given directions to a laundry from a hostel, before we jump into a taxi to the business centre, we found that it was full of washing and no, they couldn’t take any more in. This was the same with 2 other laundries we could find. It seems like everyone had to same idea and we were just too late. Dang. Not to worry, I went shopping later and bought some more clothes 🙂 (How enjoyable for my mum who was to do my washing on my return….)

Chasing up sponsors and advertisers that took all morning and afternoon, I also uploaded all my photos to DropBox and Facebook. Soon, it was over. I did do some posts but I hadn’t published them so sorry guys, I was still in Mendoza…

That evening, we headed on our to a Lapa Street Party with some friends of Auston and Dave’s. I’ll tell you more about them in the next post.

The next day, we were ready to do some Carnaval time and meet some crazy and flamboyant people like this one?!

Well, watch this space…