Hey everyone,

We are in Rio! Have been here for a week. It is carnival so everything is crazy!

We are having a great time, except for the crapness of losing our phone and camera.

On sunday we went to the sambadrome for the big Samba Parade compeition. Its like a football stadium, but a street. There were 6 schools, each lasting about 1 1/2 hours with thousands of people and spectacular floats and costumes. It went on until 6am.

We are staying in Lapa, and there are constant street parties. Everyone dances in the road, and cars drive around with massive sound systems. Shops either shut or turn into bars, we went to a furniture shop/bar, crammed with chairs and sofas with a bar in the corner! Random. The men are really lecherous here. Yuk! But we made friends with some crazy old ladies and a drag queen who taught us samba!

There are lots of cool people in our hotel, been spening lots of time with some Australian girls. Yesterday we went to the statue of the christ which was good, but a little cloudy. Its raining today. Rubbish!

Will get some photos up when the camera is sorted.

H and V.

xxxx