Una Pequeña Actualización
We know, we have been spectacularly bad with our blog and travel updates. Between the hikes, the beaches, the restaurants and the football matches, we’ve somehow not found the time or energy to create any content. In all seriousness though, most of our free time currently is spent planning the next leg of the journey. So far we have accommodation up until Christmas. Which, unintentionally, we will be spending in the city of Christmas, Natal.
So a little update. Since our last post we’ve explored the cities of Paraty and Rio, and the tropical paradises of Ilha Grande and Arraial do Cabo. We’ve sadly taken the rain, or at least the clouds, along with us most of the way. Yet with true British resolve, we have not let the weather hinder our itineraries too much. We’ve hiked through many tropical forests, swam in warm turquoise seas and refreshingly icy waterfalls. Relaxed on dozens of golden beaches, and have been both sunburnt and soaked through, frequently on the same day.
We’ve followed trails leading to the most breath-taking of views, and got stuck on others swarming with mosquitoes, covered in so many ticks we thought we’d never be able to pick them all off again. We’ve jumped off cliffs, attached to hang gliders and abseiled down rockfaces.
We’ve now encountered so many monkeys they’ve almost lost their magical allure, almost. I still light up with childish glee wherever we see a monkey, Aiden is far more ambivalent, though he still always reaches for his camera. Aiden also became acquainted with one of our Favela’s gun toting, machete wielding gangs, and in the other Favela, propositioned for drugs. We’ve met several wonderful, interesting people along the way, even managing to have a board game evening. And we hiked a 500+metre rock at night to watch the sunrise over Rio, and set again from a rock in the sea behind Mount Corcovado.
It’s fair to say, we’ve had our ups and downs. Several misadventures, hiking trails and entire beaches that simply don’t exist. Hours of relentless uphill hikes, as the weather slowly turned on us, so our reward at the top has been nothing but a sea of clouds. So many mosquito bites we’ve lost count. And nowhere so far has managed to brew an even half decent cuppa.
Yet honestly, we are loving it. The constant adventure both planned and unexpected. For instance, last night, walking back from a day at the beach, we happened upon a cosy Christmas decked coffee shop that wouldn’t have been out of place back home. And later on a free winter wonderland, where almost the fairy-lit trees, we heard a Portuguese rendition of Silent Night.
Today is the first official day of Summer in Brazil, the temperature is in the 30’s, and we are currently blogging from our long-haul coach to Lençóis. Having left the colonial city of Salvador earlier this morning. We are on our way to our first multiday tour in Chapada Diamantina National Park, and are beyond ecstatic. 5 days of no planning, just being picked up in the mornings and dropped off again in the evenings. Bliss!
