Goodbye Brazil

My month in Brazil has come to its end. I have appreciate the help and hospitality all my hosts have shown to me as well as enjoyed living and seeing the sights of a small part of Brazil during my stay.

If you are considering travelling in Brazil here are some tips:

1. Brazil is more expensive than you think so budget accordingly. If you live in Canada or the US be prepared to pay similar prices for goods, though services such as haircuts or manis and pedis are dirt cheap.

2. Always be careful of your possessions and smart about where you choose to go especially if you are travelling alone.

3. Book your flights with Gol or Tam at least one mont in advance to save more than 50% of the last minute flight cost.

4. Try CouchSurfing to meet locals, stay safe and save some money while travelling.

5. Be sure to visit a mix of interior and coastal cities so you can enjoy Brazilian beaches as well as some more industrial parts.

And here are some last minute 'weird facts' about Brazil:

Motorcylce drivers are crazy in this country. I am shocked at how little motorcyclists and their passengers wear and at how recklessly they drive. I was even more shocked to learn in Rio that there are 'moto boys', people that not only at as in town courriers but also as motorcylce taxis! The 'moto boys' are identified by a blue lightweight vests. I can't even imagine who would agree et alone pay to zig zag through traffic on the back of one of the motorcylces.

In Rio on the subway there are carts that are specifically reserved for female only passengers. This is to prevent men using the crowded rush hour time as an excuse to grope women in the carts.

In many of the apartment buildings I visited there are two entrances, and sometimes even two elevators to access the appartments. This is because one door is the main entrance and the other door is the service entrance. The service entrance usually leads into the kitchen or laundry room for maids to use or to be used when you are bringing in groceries so as not to drag a mess through your home.

When we were in the streets at carnaval, a little boy not so shyly came up to my buddy to ask him some questions and then started feeling his pockets to see if there was anything in them. My friend told the boy he had already been robbed so he wouldn't find anything at which point the little boy returned to his father. The father then told us and the boy that it is important he tell his victims that he is a cop looking for guns so they don't think he is a thief.

In Brazil, kids don't eat at school every. Instead in elementary school they either go to school in the morning or in the afternoon so that they can be home for lunch. In highschool, the school buses bring them home and then collect them after lunch.

That's it! Off to Paraguay and Argentina. Tchau