Hi all,

Having a fantastic time and can´t believe the days are going so quickly. It doesn´t help that the sun sets around 5.30pm as well. Friday was national Sweethearts Day here in Rio which I think is our Valentines Day. I was awoken by AJ with a basket of 24 red roses and a card which was a total surprise and so sweet. I got breakfast in bed then we headed into the centre to a lovely coffee shop. We had to queue for about 30 minutes for a table but it was worth it... the cakes and coffee were superb (not to mention the glass of ´national´wine we had to accompany our cakes). It was pouring of rain - so much in fact, that we bought an umbrella which we somehow need to get into our backpacks!

We spent a day in a place called Gloria and walked along Flamengo park and the beach. We visited the sites around Gloria and the coloured steps which someone had created for nothing - a kind of hobby - and still works on it to this day. You will see in the photos I have just uploaded.

We spent the rest of the weekend local, around Copacabana and Ipanema. AJ took me on a walk through a tunnel to see where the homeless people live (really it was just to get to Ipanema beach)... what can I say... certainly and eye-opener! And there were homeless people in there when we walked through which we literally had to jump over.

Today we spent the day at the beach which was fun. My swimming in the sea is improving and I am getting all set for snorkelling and surfing lessons which we will probably do in Australia.

Anyway, better go and help AJ book a car. We decided to hire a car to get us to Igussu Falls then take a bus from there to Beaunos Aires. It will probably put us over budget but AJ assures me we can manage it (and he is the professional after all!)

Speak again soon,

Lee-Ann and AJ