arrived in buenos aires

ok let's try to catch up.

Carnaval was amazing, but so tiring overall. I hung out with that group of New Zealand boys pretty much every day, and they were awesome both to chill with and were great at looking out for me, making sure I didn't get trampled by the masses. Made some really good friends I think, so if anyone is up for a trip to new zealand anytime soon..... ok maybe getting a bit ahead of myself, I realize hahaha.

Anyway, probably saw more people in that week than all the peopple i have seen in the rest of my life combined hahaha. Didn't get too many pictures of salvador unfortunately, cause it's because it's beautiful, but was afraid of getting it stolen,. As it was, tons of people got pickpocketed and stuff when we were there. The last night I was in one of the blocos for fatboy slim, which was soooo much fun- totally populated by gringos, but we were loving it hahaha. Stayed there in salvador one more day after the end of carnaval just chilling and then it was off on a horrendously long bus ride to Rio de Janeiro. Along the way we stopped (about a million and a half times, hence the 30 hours instead of 25 or 26 it is supposed to be ) at some of the swankiest rest stops I have ever seen in my life. I actually walked into the bathroom of the first one and burst into rather hysterical laughter, because after coming so recently from bolivia and having most of the bathrooms on those bus journeys be either a bus or a rock (if you're lucky enough to encounter one) or else a scary shack with either a disgusting toilet or just a hole in the ground, with either no toilet paper or some that you have to pay for that is rolled by a grubby person who looks like they have never washed their hands and you don't really want to wipe your ass with their hand towel, but havve no choice...... Anyway, having this in mind, I walk into the bathroom and it is spotless, huge, has leather couches, makeup mirrors, and special little silver bowls of sand that you can use for exfoliation should you desire it. It was just so ridiculous in contrast that I was howling with laughter and barely restrained myself from taking a picture even though I really wanted to because I thought I might be arrested for being a pervert.

Anyway, got to Rio and stayed in Copacabana for a few days *although there was a mixup with my hostel reservations and I ended up having a local help me walk around looking for a free bed at like midnight. Luckily found a place, expensive though it was, right by the beach. My roommate, Belina, was from France and she and I spent a good couple days doing the touristy things, going up to the christ monument, the pao de azucar cable car, went samba dancing in lapa, etc. Really good few days. Oh and I went to a futbol game athte Maracana stadium, which was amazing to begin with and then around halftime it began to pour rain like I have never seen. After it subsided a bit and the game restarted, the atmosphere was crazy. Thgose fans are intense, but it was so much fun!!

ok,..... obviously this is far from buenos aires, but i'll have to catch up the rest later because there are people waiting for the computer. Hope you're all fine, and remember, only 5.5 weeks more to go!!!

xo