Well we made it, after an 11.30 hr flight!

A taxi picked us up from the airport, dont think it has been MOT´ed for a decade!
There must have been a mix up because they had to squeeze 5 of us in, all with luggage - mental mental chicken oriental! We were all papping it a little but we made it to the El Misti Hostel.
First impressions were not great but it was late and we were tired. We shared a 9 bed dorm with 5 other foreign men but we live to tell the tale.
The hostel was very friendly and the staff very accomodating as we had so many questions.
We got talking to 2 other girls from Southampton and 3 guys from NZ.

Day 1 was spent at the Copacabana beach - we caught our first bus, not that traumatic!
Char and Me got sun burnt through the clouds and factor 50, while Kat bronzed it up. Whats even more funny is that its winter - you what!!!

BBQ evening of day 1. Chilled with Bramha and capriana (local cocktail) with the other people at the hostel.

Day 2 was a slight panic in the morning as needed to find alternative accomodation as we only booked 2 nights and the hostels were full due to the Brazilian independance on Monday.
After trauling the web we found a hostel in Gloria, Cidade Maravilhosa Hostel - HI approved.
We booked for 2 nights in the hostel and booked the Christ Redeemer tour that afternoon.

Tour was great and easy. Christ looked great on that mountain! The tour also took us to the largest Cathedral in Rio, pretty ugly to be honest. Then onto the Maracana Stadium to stand in the footprints of the Brazilian players - crap though because we couldn´t go in. Final stop was the carnival strip, where the Schools of Samba compete during the Rio Carnival in Feb. Luckily we saw one of the Samba schools in practice.

Kat wanted to see the Salt Loaf Mountain (actually Sugar Loaf) but was on a different and more expensive tour.

Got back from tour and moved to next hostel, which was suprisingly nice.

Day 3 Took a walk into Gloria, Lapa and the surrounding area. Coast was nice but city was dodgy. We stick out because we are white and blonde - not safe for us and we look forward to moving to Salvador.

Went to check out prices of flights in the
airport to Salvador and i got locked in the toilet!! I was saved by 2 Brazilian cleaners - only me!!

Visited a great food market and plan an early night tonight to get ready for the epic 28 hour bus journey to Salvador.....wish us luck!