Esther's Adventure

We´re booked on the 2pm catamaran from Salvador to Morro. This leaves us plenty of time to wake up (having not really slept anyway) and then crash around the dorm room noisily , WITH the light on packing up our stuff and getting organised. The dorm is full of snoring smelly drunken girls (excluding ourselves!) and possible boys. The floor is awash with dirty knickers, shoes, flipflops, discarded feather headdresses and all sorts of other carnival parafinalia.
Once we´ve checked out we establish that none of the normal bus routes are running because of the carnival, so we have to find a temporary bus stop somewhere 'over in that direction'. We get the beetles shells on and get underway. We have to hike about 30mins! to find somewhere, to go somewhere else, to get to the Terminal Touristico, its all very confusing. A kindly gent, one whom we initially eye up as a potential mugger actually turns out to be very helpful and even walks us all of the way to where the buses are. Then he finds out which bus we need! Salvador has really toughened me up to be super vigilant and careful about anyone offering help or assistance. It´s such a relief to be offered genuine and thoughtful help. We get the Terminal Touristico in plenty of time and seamlessly! I love Brazil and it´s people. People just ' are ' , there's no bullshit.

The crossing is about two hours and we´re both looking forward to something chilled and a nice beach. After farting around trying to find a cheaper hostel than one we´d been quoted via email, being exceedingly sweaty, tired and pooped; M and I have our first real row (which lasts about all of 20 mins) and is saved by TIME OUT PLUEASE! and unbeknown to me then, a Ferraro Rocher ice cream. M´s positively chirpy when I return.

We check in the Pousada Genova on beach number 3. Its a small room, but it´s our own, has air con and a good shower. As the name suggests our hosts are Italian but from Torino(?). They chain smoke continually and mill round an outside table (their lounge essentially), and gesticulate a lot; the fag ash Liliana's and Giovanni's. They're very sweet and let us use the Internet and phone (to receive calls) for free, so in fact we love them.
We're woken up in the morning by our Italian host Mr Genova...who is the splitting image of Randy Quaid aka the cousin in National Lampoons Vacation (the one who buys the white slip on shoes for Clark Griswald), loudly honking a big greeny onto the sand. Morning!! Breakfast is however quite good, delicious fried egg baps and fruit.

We hit the beach, wow. Its too beautiful for words, "have I died and gone to heaven?" is about all we can say. We don't speak anymore or stress we just bake and dip into the water when we start to frazzle.

Its quite busy in Morro, so although the beaches are beautiful, really beautiful, it's also very touristy. I feel safer here than Salvador so i'm happy to be here. Plus because of the situation at home in London, I'm glad of the free Internet and calling facilities of the pousada. The accommodation is expensive (because of Carnival) so we try to keep costs down on extras ie food to a minimum. I'm still totally addicted to acai and cheese on sticks. I have a delicious fruit salad made for me on the beach by a man with a trolley. Gosh the Brazilians love their trolleys. All sorts of them go up and down the beach. Some pushed, some pulled by mule, all with some interesting comestible to keep the wolf from the door.

One evening we decide to hit town and there's supposed to be a foam party (yuk?!) at the old fort club up on the headland. It'll be a laugh and it is! After far two many caipirinha's again! Decided that its complete loopy juice and deadly. M and I spend all evening in complete fits of giggles. We have so much fun even when the bigged up party is crap. The venue is amazing, the music and people are not. We manage about two hours then back home. We´ve had a really good time and laughter really is the best medicine. Caipirinha hangover - horrible, end of story.
Whilst in Salvador we hooked up with a friend of mine from London called George and his friend Guy. Both hilarious. They have been in Salvador since we saw them, doing the Carnival properly and partying on down...they meet us in Morro on the Tuesday evening. They've fallen off the wagon since the Thursday before, so whilst waiting for them at a beach bar we rightly surmise that they will be generally white and pasty. Unlike our bronzed selves. We're correct. They've had a cracking time and they tell us all about the silly antics they've got up to. God it's good to be out with some witty Brits. We end up going to another party on the island, but this time we need to get a boat there. So after a couple of Caipi's, sake with sushi, then cough mixture drinks at this party and beer (what?) we get to this party, seem to be the only Gringos and its just a sort of acoustic, samba? (but not that good), music thing on a village green. There's one sound system in the corner blaring out some house-ish music and a man dancing in speedo's - but we're feeling rather drunk (or ill) so decide to head home. The boat trip back turns into a dancing fest when would you believe `put your hands up for Detroit, i love this city...` is played as well as bodyrox??! George pole dances and we`re embarrassingly Brits abroad, but luckily no one falls over board. Back on Morro after our adventure and after the highs of the accidental boat party, we try the Old Fort club once more, better but still crap, cut our losses and are escorted home by the boys. Very chivalrous! On route we stop off for a brazilian 'hot dog' from another man with his trolley. A neat bun holds a rather short podgy sausage, but the treat is you can have peas, carrots and sweetcorn served on your hot dog! He has little tupperwares on his stand and each dog (except m's) is beautifully finished with a neat spoon of each topping. Such pride is taken in this simple procedure, it's the best hot dog ever and we giggle about the peas and carrots for days to come.
We have to be up early to catch the ferry to take us towards Itacarè, fuck. It can't get much worse until we've made it to the ferry terminal again, and they play `When I was young. I never needed anyone. and making love was just for fun. those days are gone ... I never, never, never. needed anyone `on a loop. Please shoot me now. It`s a short boat ride to the the mainland and then a taxi with two German girls to Itacaré.

Footnotes:

Our little monkey in Morro.
The mini fags.
Delishious pasta.
`Alex ` My shouting for his attention.
The cute dog who got aroused.
M's ear infection.
Wheelbarrows taxi (there are no cars so the wheelbarrow transports luggage etc, not sure about people?)
The other party we tried to go to, with the worst music evah. evah. We get there and without a word walk straight out.
I Luv Brazil/Brasil xx

Tschaw xx