Clare writes:
So here we are in Rio - only two more days left of our Big Trip and what a city to choose for the big finish! Crazy place - vibrant and a bit edgy with stunning scenery and an astonishing variety of people - all shapes, sizes and colours!

We arrived on Friday after 23 hours on a bus - which was late arriving, messing up plans for a churrascaria lunch with Sheila's old friends from Manaus... but we caught up with them later and spent Saturday with them - the (very high ...eek!) cable car up Sugarloaf Mountain (pictured) followed by that churrascaria - Brazilian style all-you-can-eat buffet where they also bring huge skewers of different cuts of meat to your table as often as you'll let them! Brazil turns out to be a foodie paradise with loads of tasty treats I've never seen or heard of before!! They even have 'kilogram' restaurants here where you choose anything you want and they weigh your plate and charge you by the kilo!

Yesterday we went up the Corcovado from which the 13 storey high Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue watches over the city. It's a really fabulous spot - tremendous views out across the city, beaches and mountains, between swirling clouds... but I also loved the statue - it has great iconic presence and a beautiful face.

Then today the weather became much warmer and sunnier than it had started out so we spent the day on Copacabana and Ipanema beaches - people watching mostly... it could becme a full-time hobby here!

Sheila writes:

For me it had to be Rio for our last stop before returing home. It's a long time since I was here last (at least 15 years) and I've always said I thought Rio was my favorite city in the world. Mainly because of the massive granite peaks and fabulous white sandy beaches - how could you resist a city like that? I've had a lot of fun rediscovering my Portuguese here. I caught the cold Clare had in Buenos Aires along with all the other inhabitants of our hostal there and I woke yesterday to find that I'd lost my voice (Clare is cheering in the background). However what remains of my rough and gravelly voice doesn't half add authenticity to my Barzilian Portuguese!! Of course we had to sip the odd caipirinha or two on Ipanema beach just for medicinal purposes!

Clare mentioned the foodie side of Rio - but we've just left enough time for the second favourite thing here - shopping! We at least have a generous baggage allowance for our trip home!

We both write:

So, the Flashpacker Diaries are drawing to a close... but watch for the final entry with all those wierd and wonderful stats in a couple of days time!!