Ola from Brazil and the not so sunny-all-the-time Rio de Janeiro! The day I arrived, after yet another 22 hour bus journey (second to last big one), it was raining and it didn´t stop until day three when it was just overcast. Days four and five however were stunning with brilliant sunshine and blue sky; just as I had imagined Rio to be. I am staying just two blocks away from the famous Copacabana Beach - 4.5km of golden sand filled with volleyball courts, football goals, surfers and sunbathers and a promenade lined with palm trees and food and drink kiosks, including a McDonalds!

On the first sunny day I thought it best to venture to the summit of Corcovado where Cristo Redenter (Christ the Redeemer) stands. The famous staue was huge and the views from the top were fantastic.

Day two of sunshine I began with Havaiana flip-flop shopping - they are so cheap here compared to the UK - I loved it! In the afternoon I took a stroll along the Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches. The sea was cold but the sand was buzzing with life. It was nice to people watch and soak up some hot sunshine. In the evening I went to a local football game at one of the largest stadiums in the World - Maracana. Unfortunately, the teams weren´t popular enough for the stadium to reach its full capacity but the atmosphere was great. There was a band of fans with their drums and the seating finishes quite close to the pitch, so anything that needs saying to the referee or team managers is said without any hesitation by running upto the bars and shouting at them! The teams playing were Fluminense and Coritiba. ´Flu´ were the local Rio team and were absolutely appauling, so bad infact that even their own fans laughed at the performance they put on! It was funny!

It is now day six of the eight that I have in Rio, the rain is back so I do hope that the last two days of my stay are sunny and hot. I´d like to remember Rio the way I first imagined it.

Next stop, Uruguay.