Ok people, the moment you`ve all been waiting for (other than the pics of course...yes we know, we`re sorry, the pc`s in s.america are rubbish, we`ll put them on as soon as we can). The very first proper postcard from our travels so far around the globe. It`s been a hectic first 3 weeks or so but we`ve both loved every second of it! Now, there`s too much too write about in sentence form so we`re just gonna do bullet points of the main happenings!! Check it out!! • 22/02/06 - Land in Rio De Janeiro at approx 8am, quick kip at our hostel (10 beds per room), tooked stroll through Ipanema, watched Chelsea get stuffed by Barcelona at lord Jims pub and then went to the largest capacity stadium in the world, The Maracaña, which once held over 200,000 people. Amazing atmosphere for such a small crowd of only 10,000. Final score Botafogo 5 - 1 Opererio. • 23/02/06 - Met the lovely Vicky and Joe for first time and went with them up to see the Christ Redemer (Christo Redentor - famous huge statue of Jesus on mountain). Amazing views, beautiful hot sunny day. Had superb all you can eat meat feast at posh restaurant for about a tenner!! Bargain! • 24/02/06 - OFFICAL START OF RIO CARNIVAL! Went and sunbathed all day on Copacabana beach with Vicky, Joe, Matt, Renee, Sarah, Panda and Alice (all from our hostel). Lots of beautiful women not wearing much (marvelous) and great body boarding on the huge waves. Moved to Lapa to our first hotel (Hotel Granada). Steve leaves wallet (probably the first of many) in taxi on way there. Street party in evening, got plastered and danced night away. • 26/02/06 - FIRST DAY OF CARNIVAL PARADE. Slept a lot in preperation for the parade. Got to the Sambadrome at 9.30pm and didn't leave till around 5am. Steve ended up with huge swollen feet but was an incredible atmosphere. 40,000 people danced all night long even though it rained heavily most of the way through. Fun had by all!!! • 01/03/06 - START OF TUCAN TOUR. Met 30 new people on the big yellow bus. 6 hour drive to Paraty (lovely little fishing town). Met the lovely Camilla and Kiwi Vicky for first time (from another tour group). Used tent for first time! • 02/03/06 - 60 of us from 2 tour groups went out on boat around 4 different bays around Paraty. Had an amazing day snorkeling and larking about in the gorgeous turquoise waters and chilled out on the beautiful beaches. Drank ice cold beer till the early hours with Vicky, Joe, Camilla and Kiwi Vicky. Steve`s favourite day so far!! • 05/03/06 - Long drive day (10 hours) to Foz Do Iguaçu. Nice campsite (with swimming pool). 30 of us played drinking games in bar all night. Steve gets stupidly wasted on vodka and doesn`t get back to tent until 5am. He had a MARE with the "ahem" lovely Tracey ;-) • 06/03/06 - Up at 7am to go to the Brazilian side of the Iguaçu falls, Itaipu damn and bird park.......yes that's 2 hours sleep for Steve and he began to regret the night before as the boys proceeded to give him the ribbing of his life for pulling a rotter!! An amazing day though (hangover and all day ribbing in tow for Steve), the falls were superb and we got close up to some beautiful Tucans and other crazy birds. Cracking buffet meal and crazy south American show (including fire jugglers and some mental dude with yo-yos) in the evening followed by bowling and back on the beer......by the kilo (yes by the kilo) marvelous!!. • 07/03/06 - Went to the Argentinian side of the Iguaçu falls and took an all day treck through the national park. Got absolutely soaked on the boat as they drove us into the waterfall....was 41 degrees that day though so was well refreshing. Incredible views all day. More drinking games with Danielle, Francesa, Louise (Dave) and Annabel, etc in the eve and our tour leader Rod got drunk on some rum we had bought him. Swiftly followed by a bag of ice to the back for his last day on tour. New leader Alan comes to the fray!!