After a somewhat alcohol fuelled day and night on Isla Grande the boat ride back to the mainland was a little hairy for many people. There were a lot of green faces as we seemed to be on the slowest boat and the roughest water in the world, but fortunately I wasn't feeling too bad and quite enjoyed the leisurely cruise over!

But unfortunately for those feeling a little delicate once we arrived on the mainland the ordeal wasn't over yet as we had at least a 2 hour drive before we reached Rio de Janeiro. The road was windy but the view fantastic along the coast and eventually we reached the outskirts of Rio, passing through some of the shanty towns as we headed for the coast. We also caught our first glimpse of the statue of Christ the Redeemer way up on the hill - we'd finally arrived!

By the time we got to the hotel in Copacabana it was almost 5pm so that only left a few hours for a quick wander around before it got dark. We'd been warned not to walk anywhere after dark, not even 'oh it's just one block away', it was taxis everywhere. So before darkness descended my first stop was the beach. Whenever you think of Rio there are a few major landmarks that spring to mind - Sugar Loaf Mountain, the statue of Christ and of course Copacabana beach. It is a massive beach, lined with big expensive hotels, and it's full of people - sunbathers, posers, families, runners, volleyball players - anyone and everyone is there making some sort of statement. Our statement was of course typically English as we hit the beach fully clothed, not having time to dig out a bikini first. We just went for a walk along the beach and had the compulsory paddle, seeking out our spot for the next few days…

There was no beach time the next day though as I embarked on an action-packed tour of the city's major sites. First stop was Sugar Loaf Mountain, where you take two cable cars to reach the top. Unfortunately it was a bit cloudy and misty, which wasn't too much of a problem from the first viewing point, but once we got a bit higher and onto Sugar Loaf itself it was impossible to see over towards Copacabana beach. You could see over to the other side of the city though, so made for some good photos.

Then it was off to downtown Rio, and to the strangest cathedral I have ever seen in my life. It's a huge 1970's concrete tower, with no doors (presumably to cope with the heat), and it holds 12,000 people. It's massive, but is a pretty overwhelming experience as we arrived during mass and although it wasn't full, just to see all those people gathered in one place was amazing.

We also went to see the stadium where the carnival takes place - had it been January/February of course!

And then it was off up Cordova Mountain for the statue of Christ the Redeemer. As you wind your way up the mountain road you start to realise just how immense this statue is. But unfortunately as we reached the top the cloud cover came over again and he disappeared completely from view. But not deterred we waited…and waited along with all the other hoards of tourists and eventually you hear someone shout out "He's coming…look"…and through the clouds, quite eerily, appears the statue of Christ. First the head, then an outstretched arm, then the body, all accompanied by big cheers and the frantic clicking of cameras as people scramble over others to get that perfect shot! Quite comical but still I was one of them, standing there ready with the camera at the perfect angle to click at the right time!

After that I had to move hotels, or more move from a hotel to a hostel as our tour had finished and the group was splitting up. However, there was more activity planned for the evening so I had less than an hour to get back to the hotel, pick up my bags, get across Copacabana and check in at the new place then back to the original hotel for the next bundle of fun. Still with me?!?!?!

The evening's activity involved a Brazilian football league match as we went to the Maracana stadium to watch Botafoga (Rio team) play Internacionales. The stadium was just like one of our premiership stadiums - very big and modern, but surprisingly not full. Despite Botafoga being second in the league the match still didn't attract the masses. It was a good game and ended in a 1-1 draw, so we were able to get out safely with no major fights!

So then to my day on the beach…but instead of Copacabana I decided to try Ipanema which I'd been told was a bit nicer and slightly quieter. And so it was. It was a perfect day, the sun shone brightly throughout and I finally had some time to relax and soak up the rays, determined not to return to England pale and pasty after so long away. The beach was soft white sand, the sea lovely and warm and the walk there and back helped make up for the fact that I did nothing for the rest of the day!

Unfortunately on my last day the weather wasn't so kind and it was cloudy all day. I took that as a sign to explore the city a bit further, so I set off on foot armed with my map. I wandered the streets of Copacabana and Ipanema, through the shopping area, along the beach front and out to the lagoon. It was a nice enough day but despite all my hoping the sun didn't manage to break through.

So I packed my bags for one final time, and threw most of my clothing away…I can't say I was sorry to say goodbye to most of it! It had served me well but it was definitely time to return home to a wardrobe full of clean clothes, a comfy sofa to fall onto and my own bed to enjoy an undisturbed night's sleep…no more earplugs…no more eye masks…no more irritating alarms at all times of the day and night…

The next morning I awoke to rain, definitely a sign that the end was here. There was to be no more sunbathing, no more lazy days of exploration, no, just a trip to the airport and the long flight home. The flight from Rio had to set down in Sao Paulo on the way home, and I was a little dubious after the recent crash there, but as many people kept pointing out…it should now be the safest airport in the world! And everything was fine, we landed without a problem, although the pilot was definitely more than a little cautious in his braking. I have never been on a plane that braked so hard and so soon after touching down. As the plane was not yet full there were blankets and pillows still on the empty seats and all of them flew off all over the place as the pilot slammed on the brakes to bring to plane to a holt, along with many other people's belongings that everyone then scrambled to gather up! Thankfully Heathrow was much less dramatic…and of course I arrived back in England to the customary cloud cover!