On the Road...AgAiN!

Multi-tasking. Austrian train

South America

Feb '09

Brazil

Carnaval- Rio De Janeiro

Mar '09

Antarctica Cruise- M/V Fram

Drake Passage-Half Moon Island-Cuverville Island-Neko Harbour-Petermann Island-Port Lockroy-Deception Island-Artowski Island (Polish Arctic Base)

Argentina

Ushuaia-Buenos Aires-Iguassu Falls

Uruguay

Montevideo-Colonia-Salto

Brazil

Iguassu Falls-Ihla Grande-Paraty-Rio De Janeiro

Bolivia

La Paz-Sucre-Potosi-Uyuni-Salt Flats

Apr '09
Peru

Copacabana-Puno-Lake Titicaca-Taquile Island-Amantani Island-Uros Island-Cusco-Puerto Maldonado-Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes-Machu Picchu-Arequipa-Colca Canyon-Nazca-Pisco-Ballestas Islands-Lima

May '09

USA

Houston, TX- To prepare for the Oz Rally

Jul '09- Oct '09

England

Start Overland to Oz Rally

Driving from London to Australia (Yep! It's possible)

"I have way too much energy!" Isla Margarita, Venezuela

Carnaval, Rio De Janeiro

BbQ in Ihla Grande

Sugarloaf (the best point to see amazing Rio views)

Rio: Cristo (wt Alan, Locky, and Franzi

Ihla Grande: Beach and Caipirhinas = Heaven

Ihla Grande: Wish I could remmber more. Thank Cristo for photos. Caipirhinas are the ultimate mind erasers

I have a new computer and for some unknow reason it's not uploading my Carnaval photos. Go figure! Not that I have that many anyways. It was too dangerous to even carry your camera around. My time in Rio was so much fun, but if anything could go wrong, well, it did! It all started with my hostel that advertised it was air conditioned, well, it was Not! There were six beds, two 3 stacked high bunk beds in a room smaller than my closet at home. It was so hot and these two girls kept turning off the fan. They said it was too loud/too cold. Pleaaase, they were from the Czech Republic!... Also, Itzik kept crawling into bed with me and let just said, the bed was only big enough for a 5 year old. Worst hostel room ever!

Not all was bad, the location a few blocks from Copacabana beach was awesome and so were all the party people I met. Experiencing the parades in the Sambodromo, well, that's what Rio's Carnavale is all about. But it will be the good vibes, friendly locals, and tasty food (street churrascos!) that will always have me thinking of Rio.

Good thing I'm coming back soon!



Well, enjoy the videos below, funny thing is, I have tried before to upload videos without any success.


Sambodromo (my Favorite float)



Carnaval street party in Ipanema

Carnaval Sambodromo

Carnaval Sambodromo

Antarctica

The Good w/t Amy & Tom

I must say we were spoiled rotten on the M/V Fram. I was so sad when the cruise came to an end. It was absolutely the best cruise ever! Well, nothing is perfect as I will admit the food was not so good. It was like eating airplane food. LOL!!! Well, at least there was plenty of fresh fruit and smoked salmon, though, I must admit I can't think of another time I ate so much bread and butter. I think a heap of garlic and salt would of helped. Maybe the Chef was too busy practicing his Sex Bomb routine to take notice. Honestly, the food on the Adventure of the Seas was horrible, so maybe this is how it is on cruise ships these days. Good for weight management,though! So, not all is as bad. I'm a foodie, though!

Antarctica was beautiful. The penguins, the glaciers, Amy, Tom, the 'other' characters onboard, well, and that hot mess of a Chef. What can I said, the staff treated us like royalty. Service prevails! God blessed us with sunshine every day, though, sailing the Drake gave us all a good laugh. We made all our landings and it was hot! Yes, Antarctica was hot!

As you already know (if you read my other posts) I don't like undesireable weather (um, cold/wet). The days before leaving for South America I made a pit stop at REI, and stocked up. The works! I didn't even wear the jacket I bought! The blue parka provided by the ship was sufficient enough. So, Juan, I will be seeing you when I return to Houston. (Thanks for posting! Glad you enjoyed the photos.) -and, Thanks, Amy, for kindly taking my 'Antarctica bag' back to the States with yah. Wish you were carrying on with me. I already miss you!

The Bad: Sex Bomb Chef (middle)

The Ugly: Seal kills penguin (and 6 others). I'm sooo sad.

Antarctica (on the M/V Fram) OoopS! I acc. deleted the photos. will put them back up soon..