This is the life!

Really. This is what I'm doing at the moment - nothing. And I'm loving it!!! Well apart form beating myself up for 2 days because I haven't done nothing in a while. Its strange not to be rushing form place to place trying to fit god knows what into a unrealistic amount of time... I still haven't decided when I'm going to leave Rio yet either. I was going to leave yesterday with a Swedish guy to a Island 2 hours south of Rio but decided not to :) So I'm still here. I spose I have done a few things of note... That I should write down but I left my pocket diary at the hostel so don't know how to spell any of the places that I've been too :)

Monday (23/05) - Actually got off my rear end & did a day tour of Rio. It started at 9.30am & finished at about 5pm so it was quite a full day. We started off by going to the national park that is pretty much bang smack in the middle of Rio & hiked up one of the mountains for about 40min & had a great view form the top. It was really pretty. Then we went to another park & looked at a waterfall that was about 40meters high. I think it supplies some of the drinking water for Rio. I cant wait to see Igazu falls. Then we made our way up to the statue of Christ. The view of Rio up there is truly amazing. I got some fantastic photos. After that we went to one of the oldest suburbs in Rio Santa Teresa & had lunch then went on a tram ride into centro. After the tram ride we went & saw the steps of Lapa which are pretty cool. This Chilean guy basically got tiles form all over the world & tiled the steps, it looks really good. I think that was about it for the tour. Trying to remember Monday night... Oh we were tired so ended up eating at a restaurant where you pay by the kilo. Nick & I ate there on Sunday too. The food was really good. Then we played cards with the English girls & a aussie boy called Jason. Then a few of us sat out in the court yard & tried our best at the Brazilian fighting / dance thing...

Tuesday (24/05) - Honestly don't remember today... Ok, its coming back to me :) well bits of it anyway... Spent the afternoon wondering around centro with Nick, Jen & a Swedish boy. Centro didn't really appeal to me. We did walk through some cool markets & sat in the park & ate lunch. Although security did make us move to a different area cause the one we were in wasn't safe. I saw the weridest animals too. They kinda look like squirrels but with no tail & walk on all 4s - very strange! Tuesday night I met some very cool Scandinavian girls. Louisa form Denmark who I get along with fantasticly! & Lina & Hega from Norway, they are all so much fun! Nick, Jen the girls & I all went out for dinner & a few drinks. It was a pretty early night.

Wednesday (25/05) - the weather wasn't the greatest, I had planned on spending time on the beach but that wasn't going to happen so instead Louise, Jen & I went for a walk along Impanina beach & Copocabana beach then stopped in at the Copocabana Grand Palace Hotel for refreshments. Must have looked quite funny really these 3 backpackers in this flash hotel but it was really nice to go in and have a look. It cost me R$13 for a Caprivodka (usually between R$3-7 depending on where you go) but it was the best one I've ever tasted!!! I had it made with fresh pineapple, its a lovely drink, not bad at 12.30 in the afternoon :) I also ordered some chips & it was so cool, they brought them out on a silver tray with one of the silver domes over top - SO FLASH! I basically spent the rest of the afternoon at the hostel reading a magazines. IN ENGLISH!!! I was so excited, Marie Claire in English! It was really nice just to sit & chil. Then Louise & I decided to cook dinner for the 5 of us girls so we went & did some shopping. We made a excellent stirfry & our own caprivodkas with fresh pineapple. It was really good & it only cost R$9 each (including the vodka). I've been spending about R$15-20 on dinner not including drinks so I think Ill be making more food at the hostel. I cooked fried rice for lunch today which was really really nice.
We were supposed to go to Lapa last night but decided to leave it for another night & went to a local Irish pub instead.

Thursday (26/05) - I had the best sleep ever! The last 2 nights I haven't slept that well cause 2 other girls in the room insisted on having the fan on, they left yesterday :) I woke up very refreshed this morning. Wed arranged to met Lina & Hega at the beach at 11am but they weren't there so Louisa & I went to area 9 on the beach (where all the hot bodies hang out). Louisa went to met Jen at 12pm & found the other 2 too. Its true when they say people form Rio are beautiful. They really take care of their bodies so its very pleasant to lie on the beach & people watch :)
I spent about 3 hours at the beach before it started to get cold, then called in to the supermarket & went back to the hostel to cook lunch. I think were going to head up to sugar loaf (mountain) soon its supposed to be some of the best views of Rio. I'm such a sheep at the moment & I've very much enjoying just going with the flow & if I feel like doing what the others are doing Ill go along with it, if not I just chil out. This really is the life! Ill probably end up leaving on Sunday... And go to this place called Paraty that looks good then on to Iguza falls then to Argentina... I need to make some decisions but Ill just wait & see what happens :)

The hostel is R$40 (approx $20au) a night so its not to bad. If I eat at the hostel its pretty cheap too. Plus its just so nice to relax :)

Rio - Brazil, Thursday, 26th May 2004