Tim_Days 1-6 (First Part Trip)

Were 5 days into our trip and everything has been great. Ana is adjusting to life on the road very quickly and I´m even remembering all the tricks of the trade as well. The simple things like wearing flip flops in the shower and brushing your teeth without using water. I think we´ll be able to handle this lifestyle for another year. I wasn´t 100% sure we could but I have allot more confidence now. Here are some highlights over the last few days.


Day 1:
My parents dropped me and Ana off at the airport. Always tough to leave the US and my family/friends. I got that weird empty feeling in my stomach. So much ahead of us and so much changing. I was glad to have Ana with me. My parents have dropped me off on so many trips before and I can´t think of one that I´ve had someone with me. I´m really enjoying being married and having someone with me. Makes life feel more complete and easy.

I hugged my mom at the airport and told her "we had to go the world was waiting". I said it joking but was some truth in it. We hit the plane and did the 12.5 hour ride to Rio. Always fun. I ate some peanuts and drank some orange juice. I slept a little on and off. Dreaming of all the hot Brazillian women in thongs I would be seeing.

Day 2:
Arrived in Rio and stepped outside into the oven. Hot as hell but I was expecting that. Humidy was high as well. We fumbled around and eventually took 2 buses to get to our first hostle. Ana did great navigating us around the city using her spanish and cute smile to communicate with people. She was kind of shy at first but she´s over that now and talking away with complete strangers with ease. The hostel was really nice. We settled in and went up the hill to eat. The city is massive which was suprising to me. Tons of people and buildings. We ate at a little place. I had rice and beans with a little meat. I´m sure that will be one of my staples on this trip. We sleep the night in the hot room with no sheets. I slept pretty good but Ana didn´nt sleep great.

Day 3:
Woke up took a shower to cool down and ate some breckfast. We headed out to see the women... I mean the bitches... no the beaches in Rio. We did the bus thing again. Usually 3 world buses. Not to bad but they drive like crazy. You need to hold on for your life as they take those buses into a 3G turn to make the light. It´s fun though.

We made it to Epanema beach which the locals said was cooler than Copacapana and hung out there for 4 hours under and umbrella. Both me and Ana ended up with seriously burned feet and Ana burned her shoulder as well. I was too busy watching all the hot thongs walk by to care about my feet. Man do the women have nice butts in Rio. Sorry mom but it´s true. Don´t take dad there.

The beaches were crazy and venders would pass you about every 10 seconds selling things from shrimp to fried cheese. They would carry a little metal stove with coles in it down the beach and cook the cheese right there for you. The beaches were really nice and backdropped by the beautiful mountains you see in the images of Rio. Really round and tall. Very nice. The water was very cold and no one really swims in it unless you are a good swimmer or surfer/boogie border. The waves were actually really intimidating. Large sets were brecking right on shore and the faces were about 10 feet. Some guys were getting worked.


After burning out feet in the sun at Empanema we went and caught the bus to see the large christ figure on the hill. That was really cool and the statue was actually bigger than I expected. I usually expect the things in real life to be about 50% the size you think they should be. But this sculpture was really large. The tram that takes you to the to of the hill is interesting as well and the jungle on the hillside is very dense and green. The view on the top of the hill is amazing. You are really high up and can see all of the massive city of Rio.

In the evening we rested a little and drank a couple caipirhna´s. Then headed out on the town. We went to a local area next to the old aqueduct. Basically it was a huge area where people party. Was a little schechy. People drunk all over and the streets and the buildings were rough and filled with graffeti. But somehow I felt at ease. Although everyone was drinking they seemed really laid back and not bothered by having us there. There was different kinds of music in different areas and we wandered around for a while drinking some more and enjoying the people, the parties
and the music. There are moments were I wonder how I can feel so connected to a atmosphere so foreign to me. Was a good night. We walked back to the hostle which was about 20 miles straight uphill. Ana was feeling a little nervous in the dark streets so here 20 mph pace had me sweating like a donkey by the time we got to our room. We sleep till 11:00 the next day.

Day 4
We woke up late and missed the free breckfast. We pretty much chilled out the whole day. We walked up the hill and got food from the market to cook dinner. Was a really good meal and helped my stomach fell a little better. Since getting to Rio my stomach has been off. The plumming is working fine I just feel like I want to throw up off an on during the day. Not sure what it is but it kind of sucks.

During the evening we went down to the city to see a samba concert Ana wanted to see. We ended up hanging out with a couple really cool older guys that were traveling in Brazil also from the US. The concert didn´t really happen and we walked home around 12:00 since we had to wake up early the next day to catch a bus. Ana again ran all the way back to the hostle. When she doesn´t feel safe on the dark streets she thinks she´s Carl Luis. Again by the time we got to the room I was sweating like a TJ Zebra.

Day 5
We woke up early and showered with cold water to cool off. The shower is the only time of day I feel at peace with the atmosphere. Otherwise I´m too hot. We took a taxi to the bus station to go to see the Iguacio Falls. I´m glad we got to the bus station early. We only had to wait 4.5 hours at the station for out 22 hour bus ride to leave. Man that was fun. Ana did great and was very patient. We met some really nice people at the station. Finally we got aboard our shinny new air conditioned bus and took off.

Day 6
Considering it´s a bus me and Ana sleep really well. I was a little cold but not bad. We took some dramamine and that helped the sleeping. Also late in the night on one of the stops I ate a large bag of fried onion rings. Similar to the "Funions" in the US. I´m not sure if it was that or the pills or maybe just time but my stomach is starting to feel better. Maybe that large meet on a stick thing I ate that one night we were parting in Rio passed through? I was a little worried about that one. Not a smart eating choice but damn it looks good all sizzling on the little cart.

Anyways after a total of 24 hours on the bus we made it to the city were in now. Tomorrow we will take a boat in the morning to see the falls. Should be really amazing and I´m looking forward to it.

Me and Ana just ate dinner and a large flock of about 500 small birds started flying over. Right as I was saying "We better move or were going to get shit on" a bird hit me. Nice timing that little sucker. Wasn´t bad but was pretty funny. Ana alergies were acting up so bad she didn´t even see it hit me. She must have sneezed about 600,000 times at dinner. Was funny because she had to wipe here nose on these napkins they have down here. They look like normal napkins but feel like wax paper. They pretty much suck also. Ana was blowing here nose in wax paper while I was getting crapped on. What great stuff. Well I´m signing out for now from the little internet cafe across the street from where we ate. It just stopped raining and the air outside smells like plans and a red clay earthy smell. Really nice.

t*