Day 7. I feel very ropey. Up at 7.30 for boat and bus to Paraty, a town which describes itself as "a treasure between the sea and the mountains. We arrive about lunch time into a cobbled street maze of prettiness. Our hotel is lovely with old wooden features and overhanging flowers dotted throughout. We go for lunch to a local restaurant after which we head down to the beach. Cloudy day but perfect for kayaking. Crabs were everywhere - vivid red crabs on the rocks under the bridge. Dinner that evening was in the worst restaurant I have ever been to. An hour after arriving, after sharing three menus between the sixteen of us and after asking for them to take our order we all ordered. An hour and a half passed between the first of us got our order and the last. Three hours later we emerged tired and bed beckoned.

Day 8. Free day. Stacey finally managed to get to a bank and get money after her card was swallowed in Rio. It was a perfect day for the beach where we witnessed a guy crab fishing and mingled with fellow travellers with guitars. We had volunteered to buy all the ingredients for Frazers home cooked meal. Seems an easy task. But you try looking for nutmeg and beef stock in a Brazilian supermarket where you don't speak Portuguese and no one speaks English!! After buying all the ingredients to feed 16 hungry people including a vegetarian we realised there was no way we could carry it all home. Only thing for it was to rob the shopping trolley. Managed to sneak it past security. #';alive. The eggs weren't so lucky. Frazer cooked the most amazing lasagne. From Scratch. Making the tomato sauce and béchamel sauce. After four hours slaving to cook for all of us, the most amazing lasagne ever. Well done Frazer. Lots of wine in the hostel before bed.

Day 9. 24 hour bus journey to Iguacu Falls. Not fun. We stopped off in Sao Paulo for a while. Nothing I saw would make me want to return for more. Sleeping on the bus with a screaming child will be an achievement. What was interesting was a staff member working in truckers pit stop where we stopped for dinner. A man. With long black Hair. And boobs. And a Bra. Wearing skinny jeans and pumps. Outside flexing his muscles as he chopped firewood. Different zones. Different cultures!! On to the falls.

Day 10: Arrive at Iguacu falls (Brazilian side) early morning. After a quick wash in the toilet as our rooms weren't ready we headed straight to see the Brazilian side of the falls. Sali, Mhairi and Kunal decided to take a helicopter ride over the falls to start. It was while watching the helicopter take off that I realised I forgot my camera. I come to the falls and forget my camera!! So pics are courtesy of other members of the group. A short treck brought us up to the "panoramic view" of the falls. Words can't describe my awe at the breadth width and awesomeness of the falls. The closer we got to the falls the more spectacular it was. Gushing volumes of water thundering into an abyss. Amazing. I think the pictures speak for themselves. Sali from Wales summed it up by saying the falls "were lush!". Afternoon spent topping up the tan with drinks by the pool. Myself and Mark decided to invest in an alcoholic half wine/half beer drink. Odd. But a nice introduction to beer! Cider hasn't crossed the seas this far yet so feeling a little lost at beer time.

Day 11: Argentinian side of the falls. We took a train and also hiked though the national park to the falls. This time I took my camera. The wildlife was amazing. The highlight was a tucan with its yellow and orange beak. If possible todays views of the falls was even more spectacular that the previous days. Up close and personal. We were right in the "devils throat" of the falls. Views again amazing. Pictures and videos as evidence. Back to base and a change of clothes before heading out to a local Brazilian guy's house for a local steak BBQ with caipirinhas to mark our last night in Brazil. Christian also turned a year older at 12am so would be rude not to celebrate. Very enjoyable and civil evening up to 11.58pm. Then there was the little matter of throwing Christian fully clothed into the back yard pool. Birthday treat. Only problem was the lightning and thunder storm which was going strong all night. Christian would obv be lonely in the pool alone so a few more guys had to be thrown in. With and without clothes. Poor Mark was thrown in fully clothed. Iphone and all. Iphone didn't survive. Marks survival is questionable. Guys were missing the ladies. Mam and Gordon can now stop reading! Tina started the party of stripping down to bra and knickers and joining her husband in the pool. It would be rude for the rest of us not to join her. So down to bra and knickers and in I get. Amazing pool party with the lightening lighting up the sky. My body is punishing me today not only with hangover but also with sore throat and sniffly nose.

Day 12. Up early for a quick visit to Paraguay. Would be lying if I said I had explored the country in detail. We visited Ciudad Del Este the second largest city in Paraguay and a shopping haven. We crossed the border and most importantly got a stamp on our passport!! Given the lack of taxes in the country a lot of Argentinian and Brazillians take frequent shopping trips to Paraguay as well. The borders were thronged with busses full of shoppers with massive bags full of electronic goods, fake bags, runners, sunglasses, cheap make up, perfume, football jerseys etc. The city we went to, Ciudad Del Este wouldn't exactly be called a pretty town. But given my love of markets I was in my element. Market stalls crowded the streets. Each one cheaper than the next. Night bus to Uraguay tonight. And what a nightbus. Luxurious reclining chairs that would give the recliners in our apartment a run for their money. Then there was the free dinner. (Inedible but it's the thought that counts!) Finished off before a movie before bedtime. Unknown with Liam Neeson.

My 12 days in Brazil were amazing. I know I only scratched the surface, but what a surface. Although the majority of cities are surrounded by people living in poverty in the flavelas, all people I met both in the flavelas and in suburban bliss were very proud, friendly people. English pop music blasts from every radio station. Portuguese is the official language with very few people able to speak Spanish (which I was surprised at) or English. Drivers are mental. I think they are all training for the Formula One in Sao Paulo. Local delicacies of acai, caipirinhas and fried chicken, cheese and ham snacks kept me fed and watered. Clothes, shoes, bags etc are extraordinarily expensive. Much more so than Ireland. But food transport and drink cheap. Although I believe Brazil is one of the most expensive countries in South America. Rio and the rest of Brazil are gearing themselves up for the world cup and Olympic games and you can see the prosperity growing in the country. Will def be back.