11th Feb – Samba Samba Samba Samba Samba

I know a few Brazilians would look down upon me for saying this, but I think I am almost all samba’d out. Carnaval here in Rio has been hectic awesome fun, but I am allllmost had my fill of samba.

Righto, lets back up a few days first. We slogged through a 6 hour layover in Santiago by heading into the city and having a quick peak around: pretty cool city, very tired, didn’t see much, back to airport.

Trundled over to Buenos Aires for only 2 short nights. Well, one short night and a very long second night for me. Our first full day we did the classic hop on hop off bus tour around the city; always good value. And saw the worlds largest necropolis/crypt things in one spot. All the stonework and decorations/statues were just cool.

Thursday night Buenos Aires: For dinner I met up with Mim (Ola Mim!) whom I went to school with and new lives in BA. We had great catch ups and a great meal, very handy that she speaks spanish. When I found out that only a few blocks away there was a Pub Crawl, I had to do it. I had an outrageously awesome night meeting all sorts of tourists from around the world on the organised pub crawl. That was the long one, I didn’t quite see the sunrise so I suppose I returned back to our hotel at a respectable time. (I would like to think my jet-lag somewhat assisted in powering through, but I think it was just how much fun it was meeting people)

RIIIIOOOOOO

DE JANEIRO was the next day. I was excited. I was not let down. Rio rocks. Had the best weekend before a change of style that the rally beginning will bring. Christ the Redeemer was epic. Pretty surreal that they built the giant 38meter statue in 1931 overlooking the monstrous city of Rio. Most of our Rio weekend was a pre-organised tour package thing which made it easy. Morgan (Sup Morgan!) spent her birthday in Rio and after we got chatting a bit more I learnt she was from Perth (other side of the country to Brisbane) and has more or less a heap of mutual friends as me from Cottesloe and Mosman Park. Small world! A shout out to Max and Dan and the perth girls is in order in that case, “Hiooo guys!”

Sambadromo is where the actual competition parade of the samba schools go through and it started at 9pm, still didnt get back to sleep till 5:35 this morning and it wouldn’t have finished at 6:30am anyway, I piked early! I can only describe the sambadromo in single words; EPIC, samba, MONSTROUS, awesome, samba,people, samba, people, floats, dancing, colours, flamboyant, extravagant production, samba, FUN! I will never forget how great it was, meeting brazilians speaking little english.

;

85,000 spectators is all I can really say as well.

p.s. beers were $2 in the stadium and vodka smirnoff mixers were $3, and staff wandered the stands selling them from eskies (chilly bins/coolers for non-aussies). Just thought I would rub that in to my mates at home paying 3-4 times that price.

Penny has been confirmed to by in Rio! Good news. Wednesday we re-locate to rally hotel and will progress from there. T-minus 2 more sleeps now.
Much love amigos!!!

Talk soon

James

p.p.s Sorry mum, I think I got a little sunburnt, Not as burnt as everyone else though. And the spongebob (bobbysponge in portuges) makes it look worse =)