So after a tearful farewell at 4am in Cancun on tuesday morning with Ro, I got my flights as far as São Paulo without many problems or delays. On arriving i realised that the hostel i´d booked was the other end of the city, so i could in fact probably have stayed in a nice hotel near the airport for the price of the taxi alone that took me down to my HI hostel. But i decided to go where i knew i had a bed rather than turn up somewhere closer and hope for the best. Speaking to the taxi driver, i realised that i was totally lost with brazilian accents! But i could at least make myself inderstood which i guess is better than nothing...
When I arrived it was really nice, the people were really friendly and spoke english. Most of the people at the hostel were Brazilian but i met one american guy and chatted to him for a bit then headed to bed.
Next morning met the girl in my dorm who´s brazilian but spoke really good english and a few of her friends over breakfast... where they all spoke really fast in portuguese... but they were sweet and made an effort to translate for me (even though most of their stories seemed to be about misinforming foreigners about what various things meant to hilarious consequences... eep)
Later as i had a whole day there (my flight was supposed to be meeting all the rest of the flights from Cancun, so it didnt leave until 22.40) I went with a few people from the hostel to a park in the city where there were various different things like a planetarium, museum and modern art gallery. We just went to the art gallery which was great and had a couple of photography exhibitions and then headed on to get lunch. After lunch we went back to the hostel and chilled out there for a bit then i headed off to the metro... then the other metro... then the bus to get to the airport with my monster bag. Something i´m relieved that i don´t have to do again for a while!!
Had a while to wait at the airport so i got some food, called ben, then checked in. Then waited and waited and waited.... finally an hour after we were supposed to leave we were called to our gate, then we got on the plane and waited another half an hour. We finally got to maceio at about 3am. When i arrived at the hostel although i'd booked tey didn't seem to be expecting me and drudgingly put me into a room that had a like of massive ants crossing the floor and smelled like pee. I was too tired to care and slept until my alarm went off in time for breakfast.
At breakfast it was clear that there was almost noone at the hostel, just me and a Brazilian family. I went to change travellers cheques, had a nap, went for a wonder about town and found a nice cafe on the seafront. The city is pretty big and full of tower blocks and there are no tourists! But Brazilians are much more of a racial mix than Mexicans so i don't feel like i stand out as a tourist quite so much as i did there. The beach is fun for people watching but i haven't ventured to swim yet...
In the evening i made dinner for myself at the hostel and tried to call the family i'd be staying with but had no joy. Next morning i called again but again there was no answer. I went to the language school to ask there but it was a public holiday so it was closed. Eventually i got through on the mobile number and was told (after a few attempts at me understanding her) that her sister would be there in an hour. On my way there i was greated by her nephew who seems nice. Edelina, the one i should be staying with, is away until sunday, but her sister would get me breakfast until then. Didnt do much else yesterday apart from another little wander along the beach and went to the supermarket.
Today the nephew, wilson, came to make me breakfast then i went down to an artesania market which is a bit of a trek down to beach towards town. Unfortunately it wasn't very exciting... mostly they sold carving of large breasted brazilian women, mugs with breasts that said Maceió on the side and jewellary made from coconut. Ah well.
Anyway that about brings me up to date, Tomorrow i meet my new family (oh, and the son who it says is a student on the info i got about the family looks to be about 10 by the family pictures in the flat!). Monday i start at the language school. Hopefully there will be someone else who i can talk to there!! I miss other tourists... or just other humans that i'm capable of communicating with...
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