OK so after sitting on the tarmac at Heathrow for 2 hours the engines finally started and I was off. Arrived at the hostel in Salvador at midnight and it was hot and sticky making the air conditioned dorm much appreciated. The old historical town of Salvador is what I imagined old south american cities to look like, with churches on every street growing weeds / trees out of the bell towers and buildings having that cute faded look about them whilst being very colorful. It's really nice walking around town.

I was told not to leave the hostel with anything in my posession that I didn't want to 'give away' and so ventured out into the sun with only a few Reias. All seemed well and so the next day I ventured out with an english geeza Dan to risk taking photos and we came back unscathed.

The following day we caught the bus up north of the city for an hour and spent some time on the beach sipping bottomless coconuts, eating fresh mangoes and pineapple and surfing some rubbish waves but having a blast. Unlike aussies the brazilianos seem quite freindly in the surf and it was a very civilised atmosphere on the beach, except for the chaps trying to set us up with ladies of the day.

My first night bus experience was indeed pleasant and after inserting my ear plugs and wearing the eye mask (looking like a total muppet) I slept all the way to the cruisy beach town of Itacare, where you shall have to read the next blog....