Cat and Ed enjoying the surf
......and Ive just heard from Christies.
My CT scan is booked for 11th Janurary - thats next Friday.
And if the result is favourable, ie there is shrinkage of the tumours or no progression in their growth, then Im scheduled for my next course of IL2 on 21st Janurary.
Just over 2 weeks away.
Just the thought of it fills me with dread......
I shall need another holiday !.....haha
Anas Grandfathers beautiful garden.
Our last evening in Brasil was New Years Eve. And seeing the fireworks on Copacabana was going to be one of the highlights of our stay. I wish I could show you pictures of it but Im afraid I wasnt there - I didnt make it. This was when I finally discovered my limits.
On several occasions during our holiday I had felt pretty exhausted, well it was only a couple of weeks earlier that I had been completely bed bound so I guess its not surprising. The heat didnt help either - in the 40s during the day and not dropping below 30 at night. My feet, ankles and hands were swelling up alarmingly by the end of each day and a number of times I really didnt feel well at all. This came to a head on New Years Eve. The area around the beaches is closed to all traffic so the only way to get there was on the tube. This was packed, crammed with people going to Copacabana, and SO hot. I was crushed in a corner behind Martin and after about 30 minutes I fainted. There wasnt enough room to fall so I was just slumped against his back. I came around after a few minutes but felt so ill that when we got off the tube the only thing I could do was get in a taxi with Martin and go straight back to Matts place. The others carried on to the beach so they saw the fireworks, but poor Martin missed them - and apparently they were fantastic. So that was that. It couldnt be helped and maybe I had been overly optimistic thinking I could cope but it was very disappointing. Being alone with Martin as the clock chimed 12 was very emotional. There have been many times in the past year when I didnt think Id see 2008 and we just held each other and cried. So I guess missing the fireworks wasnt that disappointing after all. Im still here, and thats the important thing.
My final thoughts on Brasil? South America is a continent that marches to the beat of an entirely different drum and it takes a while to understand this. Nothing works the same as it does here. Especially the airlines. We had 4 flights cancelled, were delayed and finally re-routed via Paris on our way home. And Catherines suitcase was lost and still hasnt turned up. The poverty is dreadful, you cant trust the police and driving is a nightmare. Everywhere you go there are bars on the windows and you have to be looking over your shoulder every time you go out.
But the people we met were so friendly and hospitable, the food was fantastic - the best meat in the world (dont go if you are a vegetarian, you will starve!) It was the most exciting, exhilerating, at times terrifying, different place Ive ever been - and yes, YES, I want to go back !!
Catherine, Edward, Anas Dad, Ana, Luke and Matt on Christmas Eve.
Salghiero with the Batteria on the balcony.
Ofcourse no visit to Rio would be complete without seeing the Samba. In March all the Samba schools, which come from each favella, compete during Carneval. Its not just the dancing, its the music and drumming (the Batteria) as well. And its taken incredibly seriously. They practice religously every week. So on Saturday evening we set off for Salghiero samba school - which is held outside of the favella so is relatively safe to visit. Yet again we were the only gringo faces there which caused some mild amusement, but everyone was really friendly and seemed pleased we were showing such an interest. Catherine caused a bit of a stir with the local lads - white skin and red hair is very unusual there and she attracted a lot of attention. Which just made her scowl (but secretly Im sure she loved it!) As Martin and Edward loved it when the dancers came out in their skimpy costumes - Im surprised they didnt trip over their tongues ! They were very beautiful girls, wearing lovely costumes (tiny bits of string really) and any red blooded male would relished it. The noise was incredible - we all left with our ears ringing for several hours.
Ipanema beach.
Ipanema is where Catherine found shopping heaven. You are provided with a deck chair and parasol and then sit there whilst the shops come to you. I mean the beach sellers ofcourse. In the course of a morning she bought 3 dresses, 2 kangas, a handbag, some jewellry, drinks, ice creams, pineapple, sandwiches and even had a henna tattoo ! I dont think the beach sellers could believe their luck, they were queuing up for her! And it really wasnt expensive, the dresses were 25 Reals (about 6 quid) It was however very hot. On our return to Rio the skies cleared and the temperature shot up into the 40s. The sun is so fierce there, we spent most of the time in the shade as our fragile northern hemisphere skins just couldnt take very long in direct sunlight.
Isla Grande
After a lovely Christmas spent with Anas family we headed south to the island of Isla Grande - which really is paradise on earth. The rainforest runs down to the sea there. Its quite a large island but with a very small town, or village, on it. Just a few Pousadas, some lovely restaurants on the beach - and very persistant mosquitos ! Despite being covered in repellent which melted plastic, and sleeping under a mozzie net, it didnt stop the little buggers there and I ended up with about a dozen bites. Which didnt help my itching problem. But it didnt spoil our stay there either. There isnt a lot to do really except relax and enjoy the peace and swim in the lovely clear water. There are water taxis which take you to isolated beaches around the island, each of which has its own little beach bar so you are never far away from drink or food.
Martin on Isla Grande
Matt, Edward, Julia and Luke.
The next day we left Rio and headed up into the mountains, about a 2 hour drive, to a Pousada (small hotel). Its surprising how quickly you leave the city and hit the rainforest. I was under the impression that deforestation had cleared Rio for miles around but this simply isnt true. There are even quite larges patches of it in the city itself. The Pousada was incredibly beautiful, an 'eco lodge' set in a small valley with mountain streams feeding the pool with freezing cold water. Which would have been great on a boiling hot day but when we were there it was raining. In fact on our first night there was a terrific tropical thunderstorm. Well it is a rainforest after all ! So I had 3 days to relax, breathe in the beautiful clear mountain air, and eat the lovely food provided. It was just what I needed.
Matt and I at the Pousada.
......is a very long one. 36 hours long for us actually thanks to cancelled and delayed flights. But we eventually arrived safely - to be met by my brother Matt, his wife Ana, and their children Julia and Luke. I cant tell you how fantastic it was to see him again. He looks so well. And to finally meet Luke, who is the spitting image of him at that age !
We set off for Matts home and immediately hit the first of Rio's shocks - the driving. All Brasillian men think they are Ayrton Senna - so it was fortunate I had my very own Lewis Hamilton to cope with it. Honestly, the driving is scary over there - terrifying most of the time. No rules, traffic lights are ignored. We saw 8 serious accidents during our fortnight there, although one was caused by the driver being shot so I guess that doesnt really count ! Martin was amazing, how he managed to drive under those conditions Ill never know. I was like being in a game of 'Grand Theft Auto'.
Rio is divided into 2 main areas - Zone Sul, where the beaches and all the posh hotels are - and Zone Norte, where most of the favellas (shanty towns) are. Matt lives in Zone Norte. Where 'gringos' are rarely seen and considered very exotic indeed so we sure raised a few eyebrows. He lives in a lovely little area called Grajau, typically south american, with its own square and small park. Its completely safe there due in no part to the presence of an armed policeman 24 hours a day. But go 2 blocks down the road and its a different story. So needless to say we didnt.
Violence is something you live with every day in Rio, even in Zone Sul. There are 40 deaths a day from shootings in the city, some from robberies and some from the drug wars in the favellas. Every house/apartment has bars on its windows, bars on its balconies, high fences around the outside. It does feel as if you are under seige at times. You have to carry 'robbery money' when out - and if challenged just hand it over. Because if you dont, or put up a fight you WILL be shot. The money comes in handy if the police stop you also - they are mostly corrupt and issue 'on the spot fines' which go straight into their back pocket. And they are not averse to shooting people who annoy them either. We heard gunfire on several occassions, in fact on Xmas day when we were sitting in a friends garden (surrounded by 10 foot high wall) our conversation was peppered by automatic fire from a nearby favella.
The above is a picture of a favella, Citade de Deus (City of God) - obviously taken from a distance - you cant go in them, or even close to them. Strangers tend to be shot on sight.
They are basically self build houses, with no electricity (unless hooked up illegally) and no mains services at all. This is real poverty, where people dont eat unless they get the money to each day. The majority of people who live there work, in very poorly paid jobs and its virtually impossible to work your way out of a favella. It is also ofcourse the home of the drug gangs. who run the favellas, and are very scary very bad people indeed. Millions of people in Rio live in these dreadful conditions with no social care at all. The state schools are shut most of the time as the money for the teachers is 'milked off' by corrupt officials (most of the children in favellas have to work anyway) and public health care is very basic, if available at all.
Brasil is incredibly rich in resources, oil and minerals, and yet this wealth is shared by such a tiny segment of the population.
We really dont appreciate how very lucky we are living in the UK.
The above picture was taken the day after I arrived in Brasil - and it really shocked me when I saw it. I look so ill still, so bloated and puffy. I really didnt want to put it on here, vanity and all that, but I thought it important I did. This is the reality of living with kidney cancer and under going IL2 - you look like shite.
In fact our holiday brought a lot of things home to me - body image for one. I really thought at my age a few scars, big as they are, wouldnt bother me. And uneven boobs. And they dont at home. But put me in a bikini on Ipanema surrounded by gorgeous women and I shrivel. My self confidence has taken a huge knock as well. Although I managed to do almost everything I found it physically and emotionally exhausting - and I certainly reached my limits on several occassions.
Dont get me wrong - we had a fabulous time - but its so nice to be back home in my comfort zone, where I feel safe and secure. I shall write about our holiday to Brasil but this isnt a 'travelblog' <sic> - its about another kind of journey altogether......
