The boys managed to fit some perspex onto the truck as a temporary windscreen (doesn't look like we're getting the real thing until Buenos Aires!!) so on Thursday we set off for the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park where we were due to camp for 4 nights. We had the opportunity to upgrade to little cabins (with private bathrooms) so at GBP10 a night, we did! Thank goodness as it pissed it down and was apparently freezing all night while we were tucked up in our huts with our fan blasting and pushing off the covers as it was far too hot. On Saturday we went off on a 10km trek to a waterfall where we all piled into the natural swimming pool (which was freezing but wonderful after the stifling heat and long walk). Had our pasta salad picnic lunch and then set off to the next viewpoint. It started to spot with rain and that's when we spotted a snake (thank god - finally some bloody wildlife!!). Well, I say 'we'. Apparently I walked straight past the thing at about a foot away and it then slithered up the tree. I can't remember the name of it but it was apparently Brazil's most aggressive and venomous snake. As we left the snake area, the rain got heavier and then it was just a joke. It rained nonstop for well over an hour and we ended up wading through a stream that used to be the pathway. I don't think I get that wet even in the shower. The rain was also painful. It was like hailstones bashing our bare skin. Not nice! Got back on the truck and they opened the roof hatches so I sat up on the roof seat which was great fun (was obviously dry and sunny again by this point!). Felt like I was on safari or something. Got back to our pousada where it was my group's turn to cook dinner so no rest for the wicked.

On Saturday we had a great day. In the morning we did a canopy activity which involved climbing to the top of a 1r5 metre high tree and then doing 12 challenges across the tops of the trees. There were wobbly stirrup things, wooden horizontal ladders and very little to hold onto. It was all down to concentration and balance (we obviously had harnesses on!). The end of the trail was a short zipline which was good fun. We then walked a couple of kms to a waterfall and some pools where we had lunch a swim or two. Some of the boys climbed up the cliffs and jumped off (there's far too much testosterone in our group!). I just managed to jump off a small rock at which point my bikini bottoms fell off and my top wrapped itself around my neck. Luckily the only person who noticed (or admitted he'd noticed) was the gay guy so no worries there! The next activity was abseiling down a 45 metre waterfall. Bloody hell, looking down from the top was scary as it was vertical and the water was just gushing down. I did the waterfall thing in the caves in NZ but they were shorter and it was in the dark so you couldn't actually see how high up you were. About 10 of us did it and I went 3rd (to get it out of the way). Leaning back at that height was scary but once I got going it was great fun. The water was lovely and refreshing and then I plopped into the pool at the bottom and had to swim to the shoreline. At that point I realised what all the yelling had been about that I could hear. A few of the boys were jumping off a cliff into the pool from about 20m. Crazy idiots! My stomach was in my mouth just watching it. They had taken my camera to video it all so I'll try and post a few on my blog. I'm honestly surprised that nobody got seriously injured (a few bruises seems to be all that happened!). The final activity was a zipline which was 1.8km long and ridiculously high up. I did it in about 1 minute 20 seconds so pretty fast but it was so much fun. We were all knackered on Saturday night and I think virtually the whole group was in bed before 11pm.

On Sunday we had a really typical lazy day. Late breakfast, sitting around not doing a lot in the morning and then half of the group drove an hour or so to a waterfall with a little beach. We were the only people there so it was nice although as I was tentatively sticking my toes in the freezing water to decide if I wanted to go in or not, Esteban came running down and pushed me in - took my breath away! I was then chilling out chatting to Jade back in the warmth of the beach when Daniel came and launched himself on top of me and was soaking. He was closely followed by Michel on top of him so I was almost crushed to death (well, maybe not quite to death but....). I only had 2 beers but everyone else was on a mission and at the point that half of them started to get naked, I followed a few of the others back to the truck. They finally emerged 2 hours later, half of their clothes missing and absolutely wasted. The least said about the shenanigans later that night, the better. I went to bed at 9pm as I was feeling a bit old so I just kept getting half hourly reports of the latest gossip!

On Monday we set off for the 2 day drive to Ouro Preto. Not much to report as the scenery was a bit boring but we stopped at about 7pm to bush camp. My group was on cooking duty and it went down a storm! We did bangers and mash with an onion and garlic gravy and veggies. The general verdict was that it was the best meal ever - result! Of course, it might just have been because everyone was so hungry! Still, nice to be appreciated. Even better result on Tuesday morning as the cook group got up at sparrow's fart and cooked everyone bacon and eggs.