I woke up early on Sunday morning at 5.30am, packed my bags and jumped straight on the bus to kick start the 9-10 hour journey to Brotas. But that doesn't tell the whole tale of the previous 8 hours... Having gone to bed around 10.00pm the previous night in preparation for the early start, my stomach started doing cartwheels and I didn't feel so good. What followed was 5 hours of vomiting and.. well you know the rest. Faint, weak, cold, dripping with sweat and l...

Wednesday was moving day for me, as it was for the majority of the hostel.. the Varandas do Vidigal gradually emptied throughout the day. The end of Carnival in Rio also brought an abrupt end to some blooming relationships.. for the time being anyway. It was sad to say goodbye to some great people I'd formed genuine bonds with over the past 6 days.. but the show must go on as they say. Before I left I thanked the owner Armando for his hospitality and generosi...

I woke up early on Thursday morning to make my way to the Tiete Bus Terminal in Sao Paolo for my 6 hour long ride to Rio de Janeiro. It was comfortable, quiet and some of the scenery was incredible driving through the lush green hills.. but as we approached the Novo Rio Bus Terminal the scenery couldn't have been more different. Grotty favelas lined either side of the highway, homeless groups of people sought refuge under ongoing road works as the tailbacks began...

I arrived at the Sao Paolo Guarulhos airport early Monday morning after a relaxing 10 hour flight made more comfortable by the added bonus of extra leg room. Passport stamped, bag collected and off I went to find a bus to take me into one of the biggest cities in the world. The public bus was jam-packed with people returning from flights and those who were making their daily commute. I'd read about the huge congestion problems Sao Paolo has before I came out ...

6 months in the planning and I'm finally sat in the departure lounge at Manchester Airport ready to go and waiting for my gate to be called. I've already endured what should be the toughest task I will face over the next year.. saying an emotional goodbye to the parents. Love ya's! I will be shortly jetting off to Brazil via a quick changeover in Lisbon, Portugal and arriving in Sao Paolo tomorrow morning. So here goes then.. let's get this world tour under way...