Brazil

Travelling 3 months through South America and Central America was one of the best experiences of my life. We spent 2 months travelling through Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador and then the last month through Mexico. We spent a minimal amount of our budget on accommodation as you spend a minimal amount of time in one's room, so we stayed in very basic accommodation and enjoyed experiencing each place and the food instead.

Brazil, was a friendly vibrant country. We stayed in Rio de Janeiro for a couple of nights, resting on the beaches of Copacabana and doing the sightseeing thing up Sugar Loaf Mountain and Corcovado, both impressive. We then moved down south to an Island off the coast of Sao Paolo, called 'Ilha Grande', where one will find cheap but clean and central accommodation. The main road is just lined with loads of local restaurants and the rest looked like lush vegetation throughout.

We then took a day trip into the Argentian side of the Iguazu falls, one of the better views. This was an impressive sight and so beautiful, with rainbows everywhere from the water and an abundance of butterflies. It offered breathtaking views.

Moving along into Central Brazil, the Pantanal which is closer to Bolivia. This is probably more like the South African bushveld...although very wild. It is where Piranhas and Alligators roam these waters, especially in the wet season. Well a few days later after staying in a tiny town called Coroico, we were paying to go on a little adventure wading through these waters and then to go on a trip into the Pantanal. It was a great experience, snorkelling in these waters with the Piranhas (they are not harmful in the wet season) and watching flocks of brightly covered parakeets fly over our heads.

The little of Brazil that I did see was great and inexpensive and so diverse....it is definitely worth a visit!!