Hello again world, we have left Paraty now and not soon enough, it was a pretty little colonial town that was as it was over 100 years ago from the time of the gold rush where it was abandoned for a long while and now is a tourist trap of a destination.

Our last hotel the Laguna Blue, was a nice little hotel freshly made cakes each day and a nice selection for breakfast. The last night in Paraty we spent at a local family's house for a barbecue style meal which was part of our gap trip. The steak and sausage was good, the sawdust like substance not so good.

On our return to the hotel the mother of all storms set in just as we climbed into bed, sheet lightening and rain was torrential in a true tropic storm. By morning the clouds had rained themselves out but it brought about a rise in the local bees (that looked to us like wasps) so breakfast was short lived and backed to the sanctuary of the room.

Around 12:30pm on the 11th we started a rather long trip to Rio de Janero by coach where we seemed to stop endlessly for other people despite it being a private transfer! Finally arriving at our hotel around 6pm.

We went to a Rodizio restaurant for our final night with the Gap trip which was ok but not great as the waiting staff seemed keen to push further expenses upon the group such as additional wine etc. But I got my steak quota for Brasil that night.

Today we found the beach and it's there where I am writing this sat on a towel and listening to the sea! A small piece of tranquility in the midst of a rather large city that is Rio.

Will try an upload some pictures soon of our travels to date. Mike & Kel