We took a 4 hour bus journey followed by a 1.5 hour boat trip south of Rio to an Island called Ilha Grande (known as the big island). We missed out on being in rio for the announcement of rio getting the 2016 olympics by acouple of hours!!! Bummer.

Ilha Grande is a beautiful island. There are no ATM's or cars on the island, simplicity!! Our hostel was called Che Lagarto and it was at the end of the beach. It was very romantically set, massive porch area with candle lit dinner tables over looking the whole bay. The staff at the hostel were alot of fun, one jamacan dude was so stoned all the time im sure he had the same IQ as Ozzy Osbourne. We was often baking cakes at 3am because he couldnt sleep. Cool character. In the eve we sat on the beach with music drinking beers bonding with other travellers. I never drank beer or coffee before i came to south america....becoming a fan of both.

Our first day we trekked for 3 hours through the jungle stopping at secluded beaches along the way. We saw monkeys in the jungle...lots of bamboo (i like bamboo) and turtles. I was in my element...days like that are what i came away for. The beaches are amazing, although i cant swim out of my depth (damn cast) i still had a play and felt...very happy. The beach in the picture was the last one of our stop, we lazed in the sun for afew hours. I have never seen waves as big as they were here...even the surfers wouldnt go into the water (shame).

Overall stay rated at....ummmm.....8.5