19th Feb 2012.

After a good nights sleep we decided to head out. A slight change of plan as we were headed to the Christo Redentor statue which is the iconic symbol of Rio. Seasoned sight seers will know that some things are easy and some aren't. At the metro we bought an 'interface express' ticket. This allows you on the bus and tube. So on to the tube for a few stops, then on to the bus to the base of the mountain.....easy.

We spotted the cable train station and went to get a ticket. "4.30 next train" said the man in his broken English. It was 9.30am so we took that to mean 4.30 was the last train. Nope. Seems there are 2 trains a day.

Ok what next? We tracked down the 'taxi' rank and found a driver. Now we just needed another 3 people to fill the car. Wait and wait. Eventually he found some people and put us in his car. Then began a slow, hot drive in a long queue of taxis and mini buses ferrying people to the top. No air con so hot or what?

Eventually we got to the top. Apparently there is a system and it goes like this. Get out of the taxi and walk back down the road to join the queue to buy a ticket. That took half an hour. Then join the queue to get in another mini bus to take you to the statue another 20 minutes.At the statue join the crowds and take tourist pictures. Then join the queue to get a bus back to the bus park. Get off bus and join another queue to get a taxi back to the start.It was a long hot trip but worth it for the amazing views of Rio. Oh and so you can say you've been to the Christo Redentor in Rio.

Back at the bottom and we hopped back on the bus to Flamengobeach. We sat and had a cold beer in the shade of some trees looking across the beach at Sugar Loaf mountain (probably go there tomorrow).