Feb 12

So up we get leisurely at 8am and have our last breakfast, and while we are deciding what to do for the rest of the day we check our emails briefly. And therein sprang forth our problem.
I would like to add 3 things at this point.
1) With all our time travelling around various countries we have not been mugged, raped, robbed, murdered or had anything terrible happen to us.
2) Nadine asked Riki if the flight was 16;30 (our presumed flight time) or 4;30 on the e-ticket. Assuming it was 4;30pm (I mean who flies at 430am?) all trust and confidence was assumed that it was 430pm.
3) Assumptions are the Mother of ALL F***-Ups.
Riki opened her email, and yes, our plane had left about 4hrs ago. Minus one Riki and one Nadine. Deciding we should just boost to the airport straight away to see if the situation could be remedied before all the ticket was thrown down the drain we grabbed a superfast shower, got a taxi, had an açai on the run and boosted to the airport in a mad panic about what we were going to do.
Arriving at the Gol ticket counter we were both nervous and yes thats right, although they put a Visa sign and sticker up they DON'T actually accept foreign credit cards. Even though it's a VISA!!!! So much for Visa being accepted everywhere. At this point, for all of you smugly sitting with your Mastercard - don't be: it applies to you too. So then ensued a mission around the Salvador airport trying to find an ATM that accepted Visa. Failing miserably we pulled the last of our cash out and got ourselves on the 3pm flight to Rio.
Petrified we would miss this flight too, even though we were safely in the departure lounge, Nadine made Riki check every single gate that we saw people going through. Luckily we did get on our flight through Gate 06 and of course Spu accompanied us, again with people scoffing at us. Oh how they laugh.
Two hours later we land in Rio, and yes of course it's raining - AGAIN. We get ourselves on a bus for a painfully long trip into Copacabana and head up to our hostel - the Mellow Yellow. Checking in and finding ourselves in the 'Favela' Dorm room. With 24beds we are deep in the slums. (By the way - the Favelas are the shantytowns in Rio if you didn't know)
Up we go to the bar for our complimentary caipirinha, a plate of pasta, and a quiz night with a eccentric British Quiz Master. Questions ranged from when Brazil was discovered (1500) to What does the Australian Stars on the flag stand for (the States of Aus).
A few more drinks later and Riki and I go wandering Copacabana in search of the Mudbug Bar. We fail and have a coco gelado while we meander, until suddenly we see clumps of foreigners heading that way and off we trail to a bar with a jukebox, a kitschy interior, and chilled red wine served in Beer Mugs, which was the the cheapest drink available. Riki and I opted for the chilled red wine and discovered it tasted a lot like chilled alcoholic grape juice. Not at all like a nice Central Otago Pinot Noir- unfortunately for us.
A few hours passed mingling and chatting to practically just foreigners..Rio is crawling with Brits, Irish, Aussies and Kiwis we decide to pike and have a big day tomorrow. Off to bed we go- Glad we made it here in one piece.