We're Home!

Well we’ve arrived back home safely from our intense and unforgettable 7-week journey across South America. It has been an adjustment returning to work and routine back here in Canada but we are happy to be home. You really don’t realize how good life is in Canada until you travel abroad. All the little things that we take for granted can sometimes be non-existent or hard to find overseas. We both have a new respect for the clearly posted speed limits and no-passing lines on our highways, our accessible sidewalks and buildings, and the general safety of our towns and cities. This last point is especially poignant after our experiences traveling from Florianopolis, Brazil to Iguaçu Falls, Brazil during the 6^th week of our trip. This particular episode was omitted from our blog posts while we were traveling so as to not alarm family members at home and leave them more worried than they already were. But now that we are safely home it is important that we share this particular tale so as to warn other travelers about the dangers of overnight bus travel in Brazil and because the story sounds straight out of a movie.

We boarded an overnight bus in Florianopolis, Brazil to take us to the spectacular Iguaçu Falls, 18 hours west near the tri-border region of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. The journey started out well enough on-board the comfortable luxury bus. It was ¾ full and we had seats near the back where Carolyn had the aisle seat and Tom the window. We had our laptop and kindle out but our time on the electronic devices was short-lived as the batteries died on both machines about a few hours later. Tom immediately went to sleep but Carolyn decided to stay awake as she had an unnerving feeling about the ride and the passengers that kept coming to the back of the bus for no apparent reason. We were the only foreigners on the bus of 60+ passengers. The rest was a collection of families with small children, independent young travelers, couples, and businessman. After stopping in Curitiba, Brazil to pick up the remaining passengers Carolyn finally drifted off to sleep.

Thirty minutes later, just after midnight she was roused from sleep by people shouting in Portuguese at the front of the bus. The bus was pulled off on the side of a busy highway with all of the interior lights on and peeking past the edge of her seat to see what was happening she looked straight at the barrel of a gun! It was held by a tall Brazilian man and pointed directly at the driver of the bus! Horrified she ducked back into her seat and woke Tom up who was wearing ear plugs and had no idea what was going on in the bus. He awoke to find the bus driver running up and down the aisles yelling “Rapido, rapido ... (fast, fast) while he placed the passenger's wallets into a white plastic bag. Dazed by sleep, Tom initially thought he was simply collecting garbage from the bus and was ready to offer his collection when he spotted the gunmen across the top of the seat and then slunk down so as to not be seen. We had been told to carry a wad of small bills in our pockets while traveling in South America in case of muggings or robberies so as the bus driver approached our seat we happily handed over a wad of American bills we had rolled together and he continued back to the front of the bus.

Unfortunately, the gunmen was still not satisfied by the bag of wallets so he ordered the driver back up the aisle at gun point for cell phones, watches and jewellery. We were not prepared to part with our full wallets, credit cards and valuables so as he was making his way towards the back we secretly removed our personal belongings and hid them in the edges of the seat. Tom kept his wallet accessible in case we were threatened but everything else of value was removed. Fortunately the terrified bus driver turned back to the front before reaching our seat and handed the loot to the gunmen who promptly fled off the bus into the darkness.

Our immediate reaction was of disbelief – did this really just happen? This was followed closely by a flood of emotions. We were extremely lucky not to have been seriously hurt and to only have lost a few dollars in the armed robbery. As the driver somehow regained his wits and composure he guided the bus back down the road until the nearest gas station where he pulled in to await for the authorities. About half a dozen police officers arrived 20 minutes later to take an inventory of what was stolen from each passenger but did not seem particularly intent on apprehending the gunmen who was no doubt hiding somewhere in the dark wilderness a few kilometres back. It was during this time that we learned the full details of the night as the other passengers filled us in with their best English or let us speak to their English-speaking relatives on cell phone.  

The first realization was that the gunmen was a passenger on the bus and had obviously boarded the bus a few hours earlier with a gun concealed under his jacket (there are minimal security checks when boarding a bus in Brazil so it is not surprising that he was able to board). He waited until we were in a dark rural area and then moved to the front of the bus and down the half-flight of stairs to the unsuspecting driver where he no doubt put a gun to his head and ordered him back up the stairs to the passenger area. The second shocking point that we learned is that when he came back up to the passenger area with the driver he fired his gun into the ceiling of the bus to show that it was loaded and that he was serious. When we exited the bus later that night we could clearly see the bullet hole in the upholstered ceiling.

The third detail that emerged was that he aimed the loaded gun at the passengers sitting in the front of the bus after he had fired it into the air. Fortunately we were sitting at the back of the bus away from this terror as those front passengers lost all of their valuables and had their lives flash before their eyes (fortunately no one was injured or hurt by the armed assilant). The final realization occurred after we left the gas station and police interrogation when we discovered that the seat directly across the aisle from us was now empty except for a men’s suit jacket that was left in the chair. The gunmen prior to robbing the bus had been sitting directly beside us with gun in hand and we had no idea! Fortunately both of our electronic devices had stopped working before the gunmen boarded the bus otherwise he would have seen us and known that we were carrying a considerable amount of electronics and valuables: laptop, 2 cameras, 2 kindles, iPod and wallets. We would have been a prime target for sure!

Looking back we were incredibly lucky to have been sitting where we were. Every subsequent bus ride that we took after this incident we sat in the same rear seats and there were no more overnight bus rides. We later learned that this particular bus route is prone to armed robberies as wealthy Brazilian businessman with a considerable amount of cash in hand travel to Iguaçu Falls to purchase merchandise half-price in the adjacent Paraguayan border town before shipping it back to the coast. One gentleman on our bus later confided that this was the third time in his life that he had been robbed at gun point. The fact that these incidents continue with little or no police crackdown is bewildering and really leaves a bad impression about traveling through Brazil.

However, since our trip was generally amazing and a time that we will both treasure forever it is only fitting that we look past the negative experiences and end this last blog posting on a positive note. So in the spirit of traveling - in discovering a new part of the world, in learning new languages and cultures, trying new foods, and seeing your own life back home with a fresh set of eyes, here is a list of our South American favourites and some interesting facts from our 7-week trip.

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Number of kilometres traveled: 12,286km

Number of countries visited: 6

Favourite country: Chile

Favourite city: Bariloche, Argentina

Favourite town: Pucon, Chile

Number of photographs taken: 2,492

Favourite moment: Trick photography session – Salt flat desert, Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Favourite thing: Chilean hospitality

Average trip expenses: See pie chart

Number of bus rides: 45

Scariest moments on land: Armed robbery – Curitiba, Brazil &
   Bus veering off edge of cliff – Tupiza, Bolivia

Number of flights: 8

Best airline: TACA Airlines, Peru

Number of ferry rides: 8

Scariest moment on water: Ferry in danger of capsizing – Ilha Grande, Brazil

Most adventurous moment: Climbing the most active volcano in Chile while covered in glaciated
   ice – Volcan Villarrica, Chile

Favourite beach: Lopes Mendes – Ilha Grande, Brazil

Number of hostels/hotels stayed in: 26

Favourite accommodation: Campeche resort, Ilha de Santa Catarina, Brazil

Average weight of backpack: 17kg

Gear we packed but didn’t use: 2-man tent & hair straightener

Gear we should’ve packed more of: warm clothing

Favourite gear: Laptop

Coldest temperature: Below freezing – Salar de Uyuni, Bolvia

Warmest temperature: Above 30 degrees Celsius – Ilha Grande, Brazil

Favourite meal: Carolyn – Pesto dish – Huacachina, Peru
  Tom – Seafood medley on rice – Huacachina, Peru

Funniest moment: Attempting to order a Pisco sour drink with no ice via charades and Pictionary –
  Puno, Peru

Favourite animal experience: Discovering miniature wild monkeys in a tree outside
   our room balcony – Campeche resort, Ilha de Santa Catarina, Brazil

Favourite place: Salt flat desert, Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

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Thank you for being a part of our journey with us!

Carolyn & Tom

Brazil Travel Tips

With our travels through Brazil now behind us we thought it would be fun to share some tips we learned along the way. Once we return home to Canada there will be one final blog post – a summary of our South American travels. Stay tuned!

Tip #1:

“Buses with Wi-Fi internet connections are a great option for booking your hotel for that same night that you are arriving.” (Buses to Florianopolis)

Tip #2:

“If you are on a bus for close to 24 hours bring ingredients to make pickle, cheese and mustard sandwiches. It works - you just have to be creative.” (Buses to Florianopolis)

Tip #3:

“If your hotel wants to charge you a small fortune for laundry services, just use the private Laundromat down the road for a fraction the price.” (Campeche)

Tip #4:

“When your buffet breakfast is included in your hotel stay, make sure you set your alarm clock to the PROPER time so you don’t miss it.” (Campeche)

Tip #5:

“When you have a feeling that the neighbourhood that you’re staying in is a bit sketchy, go and get take-out pizza to bring back to your room before nightfall.” (Iguaçu Falls)

Tip #6:

“When paying for your dinner try not to drop your wallet in front of everyone so that the wad of cash doesn’t litter the ground.” (Iguaçu Falls)

Tip #7:

“If you are visiting the Brazilian side of Iguaçu Falls make sure to bring a rain jacket as the mist will get you very wet (it is completely worth it though).” (Iguaçu Falls)

Tip #8:

“Visit the Pargue das Aves (Bird Sanctuary) as it is spectacular. You are even able to enter the bird cages.” (Iguaçu Falls)

Tip #9:

“To be safe, back up your photos online with a program like Hotmail SkyDrive in case you lose your camera and/ or computer (we did this just as a precaution).” (Iguaçu Falls)

Tip #10:

“If you can find a cheap flight that takes 2 hours instead of a bus that takes 22 hours – take the plane.” (Iguaçu Falls to Rio de Janeiro)

Tip #11:

“If traveling in Rio de Janeiro the neighbourhood of Botafugo is a good place to stay. It is close to attractions and is fairly safe.” (Rio de Janeiro)

Tip #12:

“Bring headlamps while backpacking – you never know when the power might go out.” (Rio de Janeiro)

Tip #13:

“Even though you have to take an old ferry boat though ocean swells and then hike 15 minutes through the jungle to reach Lopes Mendes beach, it is worth it.” (Ilha Grande)

Tip #14:

“If you really want to get hammered try a Brazilian caipiranha. There are extremely potent and will mess you up rather quickly.” (Ilha Grande)

Tip #15:

“When you have been taking an ferryboat through treacherous ocean waters to a private beach two days in a row and you see that one of the ferries has capsized and has its mast sticking out of the water, don’t go back the next day it’s just not safe.” (Ferry to Lopes Mendes beach, Ilha Grande)

Tip #16:

“When eating at a Brazilian buffet where the cost of the meal depends on the weight of your plate be careful how much food you take as the price can quickly add up.” (Ilha Grande)

Tip #17:

“If you are going to be spending a long period of time on a ferry boat without a washroom bring some Imodium just in case you have an emergency.” (Ilha Grande)

Tip #18:

“If you are boarding a 2-hour bus down a windy coastal highway that does not have pre-arranged seating make sure that there are seats available before getting on and paying.”  (Ilha Grande to Paraty)

Tip #19:

“When walking around Paraty, make sure that you wear good shoes as the cobblestone streets are intense.” (Paraty)

Tip #20:

“When flying home after an intense 7-week period of travel, don’t space out your flights over two days in order to cut costs – it is just too exhausting.” (Rio de Janeiro to Canada)

Paraty, Brazil



The last stop in our 7-week travel across South America was the Brazilian city of Paraty. Located about 4 hours south of Rio de Janeiro on a beautiful bay of water ringed by mountains and peppered with countless islands, the preserved colonial city and beach town should’ve been a great place to visit. But with only three days left in our trip the visit was somewhat bittersweet as we were both ready to head home as soon as we arrived in town.

We arrived from Ilha Grande and the ferry port of Angra dos Reis by city bus. It was a twisting 2-hour ride around mountains and idyllic coastal inlets. Unfortunately the bus was also packed with no fixed seats and we had to ride the first 30 minutes standing and sitting on our packs in the aisles until enough local passengers disembarked. We’re not sure why there wasn’t a large bus company offering a more comfortable 2-hour ride but regardless we eventually got ourselves seats and arrived in Paraty safely.

After a short taxi ride we settled into our pre-booked hostel that was only a few steps from the beach. The place looked great on booking.com but unfortunately didn't quite live up to our expectations. Even the beach across the road from the hostel was pretty but upon closer examination was littered with sharp shells. We kept a few but didn't try sun tanning or swimming in the cloudy water. Of particular interest however: since the saltwater bay was affected by the tides people were able to walk a considerable distance into the water during low tide with the water never reaching higher than their knees. Supposedly the closet island could even be walked to.

We spent our full day in Paraty exploring its old colonial charms and shopping for souvenirs. The downtown area is a historic centre with picturesque whitewashed buildings, multicoloured windows and doors, and authentic cobblestone streets that no cars were permitted on. Whether this was for the safety of the pedestrians or vehicles we’re not sure but with some of the cobblestones resembling full boulders only the hardiest of cars’ suspension systems would survive. We had a great time wandering down the half-deserted streets and ducking into the odd shop where we found some great souvenirs to bring back home. The weather was also perfect with blue skies and 28 degree temperatures.

With similar weather the next day we finished our visit to Paraty with a second trip into town where we enjoyed a very tasty lunch of pasta and prosciutto. Full and ready to leave we then caught a comfortable bus back to Rio de Janeiro where the first of three flights home awaited us.

Ilha Grande, Brazil

Ilha Grande is the third largest island in Brazil and situated about 4-1/2 hours south of Rio de Janeiro. It was also our home base for 4 nights as we sought out its tropical beaches and sun for some much need R & R. The decision to visit this particular island was made easy by its charming pedestrian-only village and white-sand beaches only a short ferry ride away. To get to this there we first boarded a bus in Rio de Janeiro and travelled 3 hours south along scenic winding roads with mountains to our right and the ocean to our left. It was a beautiful drive through Brazil’s Green Coast and a refreshing change of pace and scenery from the density and development of Rio and its suburbs and slums. Arriving in the port town of Angra dos Reis we then made our way to a very smelly maritime terminal where we caught a large ferry to the village of Abraao on Ilha Grande. It was a pleasant crossing and during the 1-1/2 hours on the open water we caught up on reading and enjoyed the views out to sea.

In Abraao we disembarked amongst a crush of porters who rushed onto the ferry to unload all the goods being brought onto the island (food, beer, and even fridges) and an equal number of foreigners and backpackers. Everyone had a laid back island attitude and we felt safe as we searched out our hotel for the first two nights. Unfortunately it was hidden from the main street and we walked passed it twice before realizing our mistake. When we finally discovered it we were rather disappointed. The online photos of the swimming pool and amenities looked nothing like the real thing and were in such a sad state that we didn’t even venture near them. Fortunately the room was nice and with a stinging hot shower we no longer felt like grimy travelers.

The next morning we jumped into our bathing suits (for the first time in South America) and booked a seat on a local ferry that brings tourists to the island’s main beaches on the opposite side of the island. There are hiking trails through the dense tropical jungle of the island to reach these same beaches but at 3-hours in length one way we opted for the easier route. It was a good and bad decision. The one hour ferry ride gave us ample time on the beach but was extremely frightening. The boats are converted fishing vessels outfitted to transport 50 or so people from the village of Abraao to a smaller port farther down the coast. For most of the voyage the captain hugs the beautiful shoreline but at the midpoint they must pass around an exposed point of land. The wind at this location switches direction and intensity, and the previous calm sea becomes a tumult of waves and 6 foot swells hitting the side of the boat. Some of the waves breached the boat as it was tossed side to side. We were smart and grabbed lifejackets but for most of the passengers they thought it was just a wild ride. It was extremely unnerving for both of us and we happily disembarked and headed for the safety of land.

The beach that was waiting for us at the end of the ferry pier and a short hike through tropical jungle and creaking 40 foot bamboo shoots was Lopes Mendes: the second most beautiful beach in Brazil and one of the top ten in the world. We don’t know who voted this but we had to agree. It was a stunning crest of white sand and turquoise waters surrounded by palm trees and mountains. There were gentle waves crashing over a smooth sandy bottom and absolutely no development or buildings to be seen. It was beautiful and we immediately found a spot for the afternoon to relax. The only distraction was that the water and waves looked so inviting that after only an hour of sun tanning we were both in the water splashing against the surf and trying to ride the crests into shore. It was a blast and some of the most fun we’ve had on the trip. While still out in the water we also rented a surfboard for an hour and tried our best to ride a wave. It was extremely difficult to stand atop the short surfboard but fun and while Carolyn caught most of her waves on account of previous surfing experience in Australia, it was mostly a lot of failed attempts and saltwater splashing for Tom.

After spending the afternoon at the beach we then returned by topsy-turvy ferry to Abraao where we spent the evening exploring the car-free town and its many shops. We discovered a great buffet-style restaurant and enjoyed the variety of foods at hand. Of interest: the buffet was priced based on the weight of the food on your plate. Fortunately we didn’t overindulge and take more than we needed but can only imagine others getting a hefty bill as all the food looked extremely tasty.

The next day we checked out of our disappointing hotel and moved a block down the street to another hotel. Originally we planned on spending all 4 nights in the same place but with it being a weekend it was all booked up. So courtesy of booking.com we found another place that turned out to be 100 times better than the first and a real gem with sea views from our room and a immaculate tranquil garden with countless varieties of plants and hanging flowers at the front of the property. The owner even operated a creperie, where we enjoyed two dinner crepes and one desert crepe on the last night of our island visit.

That same afternoon we once again headed for the Lopes Mendes beach and enjoyed another afternoon of sun, sand and water. Unfortunately the return ferry was another nail-bitter as the winds picked up and tossed us from side to side. It was actually so bad that we had to skirt around the mast of a ship the same size as ours that had sunk within the time we spent at the beach. The reason we knew this is that we passed an idle boat waving for help on our way to the beach at 12:00 and when we passed by the same spot 5 hours later only the mast was visible. We gripped the side rails of the boat and prayed that we would make it back to land in one piece.

Fortunately we arrived safely and celebrated by downing two caipirinha’s each. The caipirinha is Brazil’s national drink and a sweet concoction of cachaca (sugarcane rum), squeezed limes and sugar sipped with a straw. It also packs a hefty 40% plus alcohol content and after two full glasses each we were hammered. We don’t remember much from the rest of that evening. 

Our final full day on the island was a day of rest and involved not much besides lounging around the hotel reading and writing. We also had heavy hangovers from our night of drinking, but more than that, it was a Sunday. Based on all the bad experiences we’ve had on Sundays throughout the trip we didn’t want to push our luck any further, especially having seen a sunken ship the day before. So we willed the day away and planned for our final destination in Brazil and of the trip:  the preserved colonial village of Paraty that awaited us 2-hours to the south by bus.

P.S. We finally decided to shave off Tom’s beard - there was no objection from either one of us. The pale white skin under the unruly mane had not seen any sun for 7 weeks and we figured there would probably be a noticeable tan line upon returning home unless it saw some light for the last few days of the trip. We'll let the photos speak for themselves. J

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Following our unforgettable experiences at Iguaçu Falls and the bird sanctuary we boarded a 2-hour flight to Rio de Janerio, Brazil. Our decision to fly was partially on account of not wanting to take any more overnight bus rides and because it shaved off 20 hours of travel time. Originally we were planning on working our way north through Brazil and ending the trip in Rio where we have the start of our multi-day return flight home on the 23^rd. But we thought it would be best to get our city visits done early and then lay on the beaches of Ilha Grande and Paraty for the last week of the trip. That way the trip would end on a relaxing and sunny note and we would just have to head back to the airport in Rio on the day of the flight.

The flight itself went well as we traveled over forested areas and the Atlantic Ocean, and which inlcuded a breif view of the Iguaçu Falls from the air. The best part was the price at $160 US each, which was unfortunately quickly gobbled up by the rather expensive 50 minute taxi ride from the Rio de Janeiro airport to our pre-booked hostel in the southern zone of the city. Rio is a notoriously dangerous city with tales of purse-snatching and muggings and given some of our experiences on the trip we didn’t want to push our luck. So while still in Iguaçu Falls we did a lot of online research about the cities different neighbourhoods and settled on the more affluent southern Botafugo neighbourhood which turned out to be a perfect choice for our two night stay. We felt safe in the area and were a short subway ride or walk to some of the Rio’s most famous attractions. While we planned on spending a few days in Rio at the beginning of our trip by the time we arrived one full day was more than sufficient especially with beaches nearby. Our favourite places have all been smaller cities or towns where we can explore the area fully and not feel lost in the complexity and chaos of cities numbering over a million people. Even though we initially planned on visiting Curitiba and Sao Paulo (the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere with a metropolitan population of over 20 million people) those plans were trumped in favour of visiting smaller Brazilian beach towns.

To start our day in Rio de Janeiro we walked about 30 minutes to the base of Sugar Loaf Mountain where we rode the gondola to one of Rio’s most famous summits. The view from the top was spectacular as the city is framed by green mountains, white sand beaches, the blue Atlantic Ocean and Baia de Guanabara, and thousands of white skyscrapers; no offence to Vancouver but Rio occupies the prettiest piece of real estate (at least seen from afar). Up close however it is dark and graffiti-covered with the ever-present favelas (shantytowns typically controlled by drug-lords and with the majority of the population living at the extreme poverty level) lurking nearby.

We enjoyed the view from Sugar Loaf taking in the famous landmarks – Christ the Redeemer statue, Copacabana beach and the downtown Centro area. We contemplated making the trip up to the Redeemer statue but it was covered in clouds and had we reached its summit we wouldn’t have seen anything. So after snapping countless photos we headed back down to enjoy lunch.

Our lunchtime experience can best be described as strange and morbid. The meal itself was a tasty helping of roasted chicken, rice, beans and French fries but as we were enjoying it there was a considerable amount of activity outside of the restaurant. There were ambulances and police and numerous people standing around looking up. We were curious so we peeked outside only to see a bunch of tree branches littering the sidewalk. The sky had just turned threatening with heavy winds and rain so we thought some branches must have broken off or maybe a car had clipped the trunk. We thought no more of it and went back inside to finish our delicious meal. When we left the restaurant about 20 minutes later boy did we ever get a shock. As we passed by the tree we noticed a white blanket at its base and then upon closer examination a pale white leg sticking out of it at an awkward angle. We both thought it looked like a mannequin and the full realization of what we were looking at had yet to sink in. Then we noticed the bloodied hand and put the entire picture together. Someone had fallen to their death either accidently or intentionally from the tall skyscraper and clipped the tree branches on the way down and the police and paramedics were waiting for the coroner’s office to deal with the scene. We were mortified that a dead body was just lying there (fortunately with the face covered) and saddened that someone had died as we were eating our lunch only metres away. We were also thankful we hadn’t been walking under that particular spot when the person fell. We left the area immediately shaken and headed back to the hostel.

After fully processing the morning’s events we then headed by subway to the Santa Teresa neighbourhood where we checked out the famous Selaron steps. A Chilean artist has been covering the 215 city steps in tiles from all over the world since 1990. The result is a rich mosaic of colour and pattern with curious images and inlaid artwork.

Following a hike to the top of the stairs and then back down to the bottom we made our way by subway to Copacabana beach. Had the weather been nicer and not threatening of imminent rain we would have strolled the length of the 4.5km curving white sand beach. Alas it was not to be so we headed back to the subway and our hostel but not before seeing two tourist girls accidently get too close to the shoreline trying to take a picture and one of them get pulled into the water by the current. She was fine but absolutely soaked and embarrassed.

The next morning we checked out of the hostel while wearing our headlights (there was a sudden loss of power) and then headed to the main bus terminal. The taxi ride took us through some parts of the city we had not seen and gave us a glimpse into the poverty-stricken areas that over 1/5 of Rio’s citizens live in outside of the southern tourist zones. It definitely painted a picture of two different cities. We left without incident and headed south along the Green Coast to Brazil’s largest island Ilha Grande for four days of beaches, sun and surf.