January 12-15, 2010
My time in Ilha Grande in Brazil was noteworthy. Got there easily on Tuesday morning after my traveling from Hell situation the day before. It's amazing what a good night's sleep can do for the spirit! :) Had some funniness once I got to the island. I had to walk from the dock to the hostel along sand, carrying my heavy backpack, daypack, and my added on shoulder bag by this point. I was sweating like a pig. A nice older man walked along with me and volunteered to take my daypack and shoulder bag...we could barely communicate since he knew very little English and I knew next to no Portuguese. But the beauty of traveling is bonding without a common language. Anyways, he helped me along and brought me to the hostel I told him I was looking for. Ironically, he brought me to the wrong one, which created some confusion as to why my reservations weren't there, etc etc. After a little while I figured it out and went to the correct hostel. Unfortunately, they told me they would need to charge me for the previous night that I didn't pay, AND I needed to pay for the next 3 nights in advance AND it all had to be paid in cash. Uh oh. Did I mention this island has no ATM machines? So then I only had about 75 reals in cash for 4 days...NOT good.
But, I managed! I had to budget hardcore for the next few days on the island. (Something, perhaps, I should have been doing my whole trip...haha) Met a cool guy at the hostel, an American named Bo, from Chicago, who was working at the hostel for a few weeks and who gave me the low down of the island.
I didn't DO a ton while I was on Ilha Grande. I was basically broke and hoping to have enough money to eat, so really, that was the priority.While I was there I did a lot of beach time and reading and relaxing. At this point I was getting a little tired of traveling and feeling a little tired of partying; was a bit antisocial while I was here. I also couldn't afford to buy drinks so that contributed to things!
Did an excursion one day to Lopez Mendes beach which was so beautiful! We had to hike 30 minutes to get to the beach, cue more sweating. But it was a beautiful day at the beach-white sand, clear, beautiful water. Also went to an awesome ice cream place that evening-it was self serve like a ice cream sundae party! You picked your flavors, liquor sauces, chocolate sauce, cherries, sprinkles, candy... and yes, somehow I reasoned that this was a necessary thing to buy. :) Way to budget, huh?
During my time here, and also while I was in Florianopolis, Alon and I (whom I met in Buenos Aires) had been in touch almost everyday trying to meet up again. There were times it didn't seem like we were going to see each other again, and I decided to try to not get my hopes up and just assume I wasn't going to see him. Then the day I was leaving Ilha Grande to Rio I got an e-mail from Alon saying he was getting a bus to Rio! I was SOOO happy to hear he was going to meet me!! At this point, I was ready to get off the island! Enough R&R for me.
I had organized an easy and convenient ferry ride & van ride direct to my hostel in Rio, so on I went to Rio de Janeiro!!!!!! Also known as, my final destination of my South America trip. :(
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