Day 6 - Rio to Paraty

Today we say Goodbye to Rio and make a journey along the Southern Brazilian coast to the small colonial town of Paraty. Taking a taxi to Novo Rio – the bus terminal – we buy our tickets for the next available bus to Paraty. We’d researched the buses online – and seen that they departed every hour – however, Tip - pre-booking buses online (or going to the station) at least the night before will ensure your seats, as the buses are surprisingly very busy. We board our bus – with assigned seating – and someone is sitting in our seats. It’s always awkward telling people to move – even more so when you don’t speak the language and they’re convinced it’s their seat! We eventually get seated, and revel in the deep, soft, well cushioned seats. The buses here put Greyhound and Megabus to shame!

Our ride is around 6 hours (with stops and traffic) to Paraty. Arriving in the early afternoon, we saunter around the old cobbled streets and search for our accommodation. We have a quaint hostel (more like 2* hotel) located 2 minutes from the bus station and about 30 seconds from the old quarter. In our room was a brochure for a local tour operator, offering city tours that night. We hop on over (it’s a small town) and book our tickets for the evening, as well as a jeep jungle tour for tomorrow. As the jungle tour takes you to waterfalls to swim under – it was time for me to find a bathing suit. Intriguingly all the shops sold swim trunks with no mesh lining! It wasn’t until I realised the shorts are essentially male sarongs (modesty converings) and I’d have to take the plunge and buy some swimming booty shorts. To be quite honest – I look rad in my new trunks.

With new swimming gear in hand, it was time to do the city tour. We arrive back at the tourist shop and are greeted by an elderly man who informs us the tour will take place in both English and Portuguese. We begin our tour of the old quarter with 3 Portuguese tourists – and as we wander the labyrinthine streets, certain spots are pointed out in English then in Portuguese – with seemingly more conversation in the latter than the former. It was an enjoyable tour – highlighting the origins of the town [Paraty was a port town founded on the gold and diamond trades, controlled by wealthy ‘Masons’ and was heavily stratified by class and race. Thousands of slaves passed through the town – and lived in certain districts away from the rich and whites]. Overall it was an informative tour and Paraty turned out to be a lovely, quirky little town. We finish our tour tasting some local cachaca (sugar cane liquor) – which an overly jubilant Portuguese man spilled over my leg in excitement at showing off a local delicacy. We end our night at a beautiful, candle-lit restaurant in old town and conclude with a lovely, warm walk back to our room for a nice, quiet, relaxing sleep. Or so we thought. 

Day 5 - Rio, Copacabana, Ipanema, & Jardim Botanico

Good morning Rio! What shall we do today? Well, it’s been a very busy few days – so why not have a more relaxing day – wandering through Rio’s botanical gardens. We begin our trek down the lengthy Copacabana beach – crossing over to Ipanema beach, a thinner but oddly busier beach. Gently strolling down the soft sands and warm sidewalks we decided to ‘take our first coconut’. For the small sum of R$5 (about £1 at time of writing), the vendor chops open a fresh, green, coconut with a machete, sticking in a straw for your oral enjoyment. Very refreshing, and oddly satisfying – green coconut water/juice is gently flavoured and about half as sweet as a soft drink. Lolling along the sandy causeway, sipping on coconut, you couldn’t help but feel at peace. Rio is a very clean (very little litter) but very dirty (soot/sand/?) city – I often found myself rubbing mystery particles out of my eyes – so the gentle breeze, hot sun, and clean coconut combination, alongside the crystal clear water, was a nice change.

Passing by Ipanema beach on to Leblon beach (much quieter), we grew closer to the gardens. The botanical gardens (about 8km from where we started) was immediately a place of solace from the bustle of the Rio streets. Lush, green plants from all over the world encapsulate quite a large park – playing host to hundreds of flower and bird species. We enjoyed a walk through an Orchid nursery – as well as an area flaunting dozens of cactus species of every shape and size. The highlight of the gardens was watching tiny little humming birds darting around, presumably looking for their next meal.

We finished our walk in the gardens through a section on worldly medicinal plants (all signs in Portuguese unfortunately) and began our long trek home. Stopping for dinner in a little local pub(?) eating our last Rio meal – refreshing our weary feet – we reflect on our days in Rio. We both thoroughly enjoyed Rio – though – we both expected more colour. It’s a very grey city – which just didn’t gel with our preconceptions of what Rio (and our first taste of Latin America) would be like. We must have gone in expecting 24/7 Carnivale – and although we didn’t get it, still enjoyed the city. Next on the docket – is the small colonial town of Paraty (pronounced Pa-ra-chee). Stay tuned!

Day 4 - Rio, Christ the Redeemer & Sugar Loaf Mountains

Rio day 3. After another night of semi-disquietude, we embarked on our journey to the 2 most famous landmarks in Rio – Christo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) and the Sugar Loaf Mountains. We plan our journey to Corcovado (meaning Humpback Mountain, upon which Christo can be found) first, as we were told it can get very busy and hot in the afternoon – and that Sugar Loaf boasts an epic sunset not to be missed. The internets told us there was a bus company that would drive you up Corcovado for a very reasonable price – sounds great right? We arrive at the designated spot and lo-and-behold, there’s a salesman selling tickets for tours. In broken conversation – he tells us that for Corcovado, it is R$26 (reais, Brazilian dollars – pronounced ‘ray-uh’ or ‘hey-eye’ depending on who says it, and pluralisation). Of course we get on his bus, and immediately after driving down the road, the driver asks for R$80 each. Fortunately, when we declined, he let us out without hassle (phew) – and we hopped into a taxi to Cosme velho ($R70), the tourist train station where you take a small train up Corcovado. Traveller tip – there is also a metro station a few minutes walk from Cosme velho as well as a regular bus (more time), so it’s worth taking public transport!

Taking the tourist train (R$52 each, including admission [R$26]) we had a slow but enjoyable 20 minute journey through the jungle on Corcovado. Emerging from the lush jungle we arrive atop Corcovado, with the omnipresent Jesus looming overhead. Surrounding the foot of the statue was perhaps 100 people – crowded, but not off putting – all taking pictures and of course, Jesus-selfies. The statue itself was recently renovated (within 20 years) making it look immaculate and ominous. Even on a non-believer the presence of such a large, powerful symbol is not lost. A modern wonder definitely not to be missed if journeying to Rio. Statue aside, Corcovado also offers stunning views of Rio and the surrounding bays and is well worth taking in the beautiful vista.

After our striking stint with Jesus, we took the bus back to Copacabana and decided to walk to the Sugar loaf. The walk was enjoyable (maybe 30-60 minutes), strolling through various streets and neighborhoods of Rio. Arriving at Sugar loaf at around 4pm, we were there in perfect time to take in the sunset at around 5:30pm. Riding the cable cars up the 2 small mountains offers more stunning views of Rio – admittedly in very hot, cramped quarters. Arriving on the first of the two mountains, you are surrounded by food and drink shops, as well as benches and lounge chairs to relax and take in the views. Journeying to the second (taller) mountain, gives you the opportunity to wander through some native Rio flora in their ‘nature park’. We were lucky to spot some lizards crawling around rocks before we came across what everyone wants to see – wild marmosets! The cute little creatures were swinging and jumping around trees, having a great time – until the crowds started to gather around us, clearly interested in what I was filming! After the encounter with the little primates – we observed, the best we could, the famous sunset. Unfortunately much of the tall sugar loaf mountain was under construction (surprise) so we could not capture the best shots.

We headed back down the mountains and decided once again to walk back to Copacabana. At this point we have an hour long journey through the darkening streets of Rio – and we felt completely safe. Most anecdotal stories everyone seems to hear about muggings are just that – anecdotes. Rio has for many years been a safe place to travel, and as long as you’re not flaunting cash from your open front pockets, you’ll be alright. We arrived in Copacabana – and suddenly decided, even though exhausted, to go to Lapa. Lapa is a very famous district for food and frivolity. We take the metro north toward Carioca and emerge from the underground into live music and drunken revelry. We choose a restaurant with live music and grab some drinks – chilling out to the sweet, sharp sounds of the band. In front of the band were couples swinging, twirling, and dancing around, having a gay old time. We decided – it’s in our best interest to leave the dancing to these seemingly professional dancers. We eventually call it a night as our eyelids began to droop, after a long fulfilling day, and hike back up those darn 10 flights of stairs. 

Day 3 - Tour of Rio de Janeiro

Bom dia a todos! As we pull our groggy, jet lagged bodies down 10 flights of stairs – we emerge into the noisy, hot streets of Rio. What guidebooks – and people – never told us, is that Rio is in a constant state of repair. The buildings, the roads, the sidewalks, random blocks of concrete – all broken and being mended in a continuous cycle of noise. Needless to say, wherever we went in Rio, there was always noise. Beach noise, construction noise, people shouting (Agua de doiche! Agua de doiche! or something to that effect), and cars honking. Be prepared. 

We exited our apartment and picked up some local baked goods that were ubiquitous in all the shops – cheesy, breaded meats and seafood. Cheap, satisfying, and salty. We hop on the metro – which consists of 2 lines – and head North to Carioca station. There, I grab a coffee (very nice – strong), and meet up with other travelers going on the Rio free walking tour (Rio - Free walker tours) [Which we highly recommend!]

Our tour was led by a well spoken Carioca (Rio local), who guided us along many of Rio’s most famous locations. The walk was a gentle 3 hours and was very informative. We walked through old cobbled streets, observing historical buildings – each told with their unique histories. One building was a restaurant for the aristocracy and presidents. Another, the palace of the first King of Brazil. Next, the home of famous entertainer Carmen Miranda. The House of Justice, the Municipal building for politicians, and the National Theatre. The aqueduct – now tourist train – and the Principal Cathedral. Finally, we finish on Rio’s famous steps – created from tiles donated from over 60 countries.

The group – consisting of German, Swiss, Austrian, Canadian, and British tourists, all stop for lunch together after the tour – dining in a local restaurant, eating typical meat and bean dishes. The group says their goodbyes and we stick with a Swiss couple, and a German tourist, all of whom have been touring South America for the past few months. We visit the large Cathedral – which was very pretty inside in a stark, unusual way. The building was designed in a way as to draw everyone together – looking up to the heavens.

We jump on to the little tourist train and ride up into Santa Theresa – which supposedly boasts a stunning 360° view. We couldn’t find this place. We did however, find a lookout point which proffered a beautiful view over the surrounding bay.

After a trek down from Santa Theresa (the train stops at 4pm) – we decided to watch the famous sunset of Ipanema and Leblon beaches at Arpoador. A gentle climb atop some well-worn rocks, on a small peninsula off Ipanema, we relax and watch as the sun strikingly sets before us.

We say Goodbye to our German traveler friend (his 2^nd last day of travels) and grab some nightcaps on Copacabana. The famous Rio drink – Caipirinha (lime, cachaça [sugar cane liquor], ice, and sugar) soothes our weary feet and we say goodnight to Rio once more.

Day 2 - Rio, in the beggining

Rio. After 10-and-a-half groggy hours on the red-eye from YYZ to XX, we arrive. Slowly awaking from the long haul, we step off the plane in to glorious sunshine. Rio. Hot, and already humid – the 10am Sun is unforgiving. We pass through security with nary a glance at our documents – two quick stamps and we’re in. The airport is modern and clean, however, as soon as we step through the gate – ‘taxi drivers’ and other men of unknown intent approach and offer their services. We politely ignore them and move through the crowd toward HSBC. Travellers tip – HSBC, so far, has been the only bank that does not charge fees for withdrawing money.

There are a few options to get into downtown (we stayed in Copacabana) – local bus, tour bus, or taxi. We chose taxi as we were exhausted, disorientated, and well – it’s easy. At the airport you go to the certified taxi counters as they give you a price before you depart and then you’re away with no hassle. We ride for maybe 40 minutes into town, weaving and dodging through traffic as if there were no designated lanes. This is normal. Traffic is – as it is in much of the world – very fluid. Where there is room to move – like water flowing through cracks – a car will find its way.

We pass through green hills, grey concrete tower blocks, and by the notorious ‘favelas’ – or slums of Rio. Men work topless – doing unknown jobs on broken slabs of concrete. A boy rides by on an emaciated, brown horse, cantering through the dusty passages. Colourful aluminium sheets cover shacks made of patchwork cements. We keep driving – past the poverty and into the downtown sector of Rio. The ‘Sugar Loaf’ mountains rise up on our left as we pass through a brightly lit tunnel and Copacabana sprawls out before us. Our quaint studio apartment was on the 10^th floor on Av. Prado Junior, guarded 24/7 by security – though we never felt it warranted. Rio, from our brief encounter, felt very safe. Most streets were well lit, with life flowing through at all hours. 

Our apartment, 1 block from Copacabana beach, was in a great location surrounded by small markets and restaurants. As we took the elevator from our 10^th floor for the first time, excited to explore the city, our first travelling disaster struck. 

The elevator lights flickered ominously on the 9^th floor, until complete darkness enveloped our metal cage. The elevator, devoid of electricity, drops unhindered for what felt like 20 feet. In reality it was probably 20 inches. The emergency brakes screeched into life and we stop – trapped, alone, in the dark, in a building where no one spoke English. My Wife, terrified at the realisation of her worst nightmare, grabs my arm as I fumble for my phone – our only source of illumination. My light flashes into life – highlighting our desolate situation. “Hello?” I scream. “Ola? Hello? Is there anyone there?” Nothing could be heard but the creaks of the metal cables – our only lifeline. I decide to slide open the elevator doors to assess our situation. Luckily, we’d fallen about 3 feet shy of the 8^th floor. “Ola? Can anyone help us?” No reply. Bang, Bang, Bang, as I rap my hand on the outer security door. 10 minutes go by as we stand in the scorching, gloomy cage. “Well, we were told not to freak out when things went wrong” I said to reassure my Wife in vain. “Ola!” a voice cried on the other side of the metal. “Ola… followed by long, incomprehensible sentences of Portuguese”. “Um.. There’s 2 of us trapped in here… Can you open the door?”. BANG. BANG. The man was apparently trying to open the door with brute force. Eventually, the door released its hateful entrapment with a rusted sounding groan. All we had to do was pull ourselves up 3 feet and we were free. I’d seen enough horror movies to be slightly apprehensive of - if, and when, the elevator car would free fall again – slicing my recently liberated body in half. Of course, this didn’t happen and we were both whole and entirely undamaged. We walked up those 10 flights thereafter.

After ‘the event’, our day and night was relaxing. We had a very warm, tranquil walk along Copacabana beach – watching the children play in the small, calm waves, and the adults play ‘foot volleyball’ in the sand. We stopped for dinner in one of the many beach restaurants where I enjoyed a burger in the local fashion (mixed meats, loads of cheese, and a ‘homemade’ garlic mayonnaise), and Rach had a local-styled hotdog. Those, mixed with a Pina Colada and a few beers made for a sleepy evening walk home, and a deep, blissful sleep. Sonhos doces todos!

Day 1 - Heathrow to Toronto

The day is finally here! I’ve completed my PhD, and my Wife has left her job. We’ve sold the house, cars, and given most of our possessions to charity. The only things weighing us down now are our packs!

We begin our journey in the North of England, travelling for 3 hours down the motorways toward London, and our destination, Heathrow Airport. Arriving at Heathrow with little difficulty, we say our Goodbyes and head toward Departures. We separate our packs and check the larger, luggage portion, and use the day packs for ‘carry-on’ – containing all the usuals: tablet, phone, headphone splitter…

After a pleasant coffee in the spotless terminal, our gate is finally called and we head through security – a zone of angst and stress, even though no one has anything to hide. Luckily, and for a change, I was not pulled out of line and man-handled – I went smoothly through the barriers without a second glance. Finally. As we move through the terminal toward our boarding area, we notice how quiet and empty the airport seems. Indeed, our plane, once loaded, could not have been at even one third of capacity. This meant we had a nice, empty seat between us – giving that little bit of extra room for the 7-and-a-half hour flight to Toronto.

The flight was, for the most part, smooth. However, for around 10 minutes, we hit significant turbulence, bouncing up and down in our seats like a carnival ride. My wife, who is not a fan of flying, was not amused. In the end, of course, we landed safe and sound and were greeted jubilantly by my Parents, who had not seen my Wife for a year-and-a-half. We had a 26-hour stopover, which meant we could have a nice catch-up with my Parents, and my Brother and his Girlfriend. Of course we had the obligatory Tim Horton’s fix, and before we knew it – we were back at the airport.

Finally – as we board our 10-and-a-half hour flight to Rio, it hits us. We’re on our adventure.

Preparations. Backpacking South America

And so it begins. Travelling for 4 months through almost every known climate – how does one begin to pack for such an adventure?

Our journey will begin in scorching hot Rio De Janeiro, Brazil (36°C) – where we’ll enjoy the sun, sand, and sights. As we move across the continent, South-West through Argentina over to Santiago, Chile – we’ll transition through warm, wet, and eventually into cooler climes. With several trips planned along the Andean range, we can expect cooler temperatures, though we’ll be able to relax in the warm, rich climate of the Argentinean wine valleys. As we move North from Santiago, we’ll travel through the driest place on the planet – the Atacama Desert.

Travelling North through Lauca National Park, Chile, Eastward into Bolivia – we’ll enter the highest capital city in the world, La Paz. As such, we expect much cooler (to cold) temperatures. Heading further North into Peru, we’ll be staying at altitude again, in Cuzco – and trekking the Aztec trail to Macchu Pichu. Shortly after we fly into Iquitos – the Peruvian Amazon – where we can assuredly expect warm and wet weather.

Flying further North, into Ecuador, we can expect a range of temperatures – though hopefully have warm, sunny days for our week in the Galapagos Islands. Oppositely, our 2-day trek on the Andes, up Mount Cayambe – the highest volcano on the equator - we can expect cold weather atop the snow-covered peak.

Finally, flying North-East into Colombia, we can expect warm, and hot, weather in Medellin, Cartagena, and Santa Marta, respectively. Concluding our South American adventure, we have a 5-day warm and wet trek through the Northern Colombian Jungle – to Ciudad Perdida, ‘the Lost City’.

Capping off our backpacking adventure is a week in Hawaii – where we’ll hopefully be met with clear blue skies.

To pack for such diverse changes in weather – we’ve set ourselves a challenge of limiting our gear to 45L (Osprey Farpoint 2-in-1 backpacks) and around 25lbs (11kg) each.

For the highest amount of adaptability (and weight efficiency) – we’ve purchased primarily technical clothing. Light, adaptable, breathable, anti-microbial clothing covers all of our needs. We are bringing the following with us:

·       5x Uniqlo Airism T-shirt

·       1x Stretch (zip pocket) shorts

·       1x Cotton shorts

·       2x Ankle socks

·       5x Hiking socks

·       5x Underwear

·       4x Long sleeve tops (1 heat compression, 1 cold compression, 1 breathable, 1 thermal)

·       1x Waterproof softshell jacket

·       2x Technical trousers (1 stretch, water repellent, 1 fleece lined)

·       1x Microsoft Surface Pro 4 computer

·       1x Battery Pack (optional)

·       1x Mirrorless Camera (+accessories)

·       1x Action Videocamera (+waterproof case)

·       1x MiFit fitness tracker

·       2x Sunglasses

·       1x Hat

·       1x UV water purifier (+batteries)

·       1x Cell phone

·       1x Hiking Shoes

·       1x Flipflops

·       1x Microfiber towel

·       1x Sleeping bag liner

·       1x Lock

·       Various toiletries (Shampoo/Bodywash 2in1, Bug spray, Sun cream, First aid kit, etc…)

·       2x Passport photocopies (+various reservations)

The above items (plus a few more bits and bobs) add to 25lbs, which in the Osprey backpacks is a very manageable amount. Furthermore, the detachable day pack allows you to travel around with only the essentials on your back (in a secure container). As I’m writing this (1-week into travels), I definitely don’t feel without. Most places have laundry facilities, and you can always pick up essentials on your way – so less, is definitely more! Of course - pre-planning a rough route is a great idea to get your head around where, how, and what you might see. Just remember, things can, and will, go wrong - so just keep your cool and enjoy the moment! Lastly, make sure you look into health related issues for each and every country/area you'll be visiting - some countries require vaccinations + certificates, but above all - it's not worth taking the risk! We had yellow fever, typhoid, hepatitis A, and a tetanus booster for these travels - as well as malaria tablets for our time spent in jungles.

Stay tuned for the beginning of our adventure - it's going to be great!