Around the world in 367 days: Last but not least

Rio. It has been a great little end to our year away. Ignoring the incident on the beach on day one we have enjoyed our stay here. The apartment we have rented is just off Copocabana beach and a short walk to Ipanema beach. With a stunning backdrop of lush mountains, Christ the Redeemer and a favela or three.

The first couple of days we just spent chilling around the beach getting a little bit of colour before we head back. Mine of course will fade on the flight home (who said wash off?) but Deborah should keep hers for a while yet. We did not take my camera to the beach, luckily, so no nice shots with blue skies as evidence - just the burnt scalp. Day three saw the weather changing, picture perfect skies swapped for low cloud and mist. Luckily today we managed to get up to see Christ the Redeemer at close quarters before the rain and cloud really came in and got a couple of, albeit misty, shots.

Tomorrow is our last night so do we have a lovely romantic final night planned? A nice meal and some wine perhaps? Not a chance, I am afraid that yours truly has decided he is going to go and see Flamengo play Vasco de Gama at the Maracana instead. Me coming home covered in bits of dead chicken and worse might not qualify as romantic. However I figure this is a once in a lifetime chance to go and see one of the biggest derbies in the world at one of the most famous stadiums in the world. Besides, there will be at least 2 or 3 romantic dinners over the course of the next 40 years or so!

Then Monday is the day, 362 days after we left the UK, that we will be heading back. I will not be depressed at that point though as I will still have 4 films or so to get through on the flight. I actually regard flying as a rather expensive trip to the cinema with a freebie of finding yourself magically transported to some other place.

Some time early on Tuesday morning we land and I am really looking forward to being met at the airport be the family. If nothing else they can take my rucksack - I am sick of the bloody thing now!!

*** UPDATE 20 October 2008 ***

So I may not have had romance in my final night but I certainly had passion!! The game I went to see in Buenos Aires was really good but going to the Maracana was something special. OK, it may have been less than half full but the atmosphere was incredible. The songs might not have had the musical quality of the Argentines but they made up for it with the samba drums and the level of noise. Throw in some flag waving, flares and a win for my new team and it set me up for a great final night of travels and one I will remember for a long time!

Posted by Alexander on Saturday, 18 October 2008 at 22:35 | Permalink