The Final Countdown, São Paulo

So I'm gonna have to call it. The final horah...up, down; around & around - as it goes my sleep deprived mind. I believe I'm a doomed insomniac. For the past six nights I've hardly nodded off for a wink; and between the booze, buses & bed bugs...I've let myself become a nervous temperamental wreck. I'm ready to pass out well & truly. To stand still for at least a few weeks - but I'm afraid unfortunately it might still have to wait. Curse my fucked up intuition; keep those thoughts of yours off the bloody Internet - it's like a stagnant vacuum - you can only stab yourself in the back. I'm off this continent...ready to flee; reaching out for temporary calm & mundaniety. Yet after a couple of moments soul searching I'm sure it'll be back on the banks - running ahead full speed into the cross fire. Purpose?? Nil. Reason?? Clueless. Ultimate revelations?? Absolute transparency. Everything comes to an end; it simply filters down to how you bow out finishing. Fight or flop?? You be the judge...

Chillin in São Paulo with Prue, Mumma Fran & Anie

The boat back across from Ilha Grande was hot & sticky...I couldn't figure out if I'd shit myself all over again, or whether my bodies perspiration problems were working overdrive to counter my first night off the guzzle train in fifteen straight days. Heck, I must be healthy. Once off the sweat box, I caught a local bus with a bunch on English lads & some tattooed Aussie all the way around a beautiful stretch of coast to the small pretty colonial town of Paraty. I couldn't be bothered even looking at the town in truth to begin with...I sat on the Internet like a sad sod for a good four hours or so, catching up on all the goss & glamour of the real world. Was I missing it?? Maybe a tad. Prue had gotten into my head with all her family stuff - I really am a bad child. The worst travelling abroad son you could ask for. I'll get back to that. Once I was done Facebook stalking, I thought I'd better get to looking for a cheap place to crash. I didn't really have any great fuss on talking to anyone, so a quiet budget option might well as suffice for a night or two. I wandered the town in loops. It was useless. I wasn't very good at this obviously. Then I ran into an English couple searching for the bus terminal - that I knew quite well...and afterwards they pointed me in the direction of the main strip of hostels along a seemingly picturesque beach. Fark...they were all booked up. Camping time I guess...but who the hell charges 18 bucks a night to pitch a tent!! I love Brazil, but it's damb right expensive!! I tossed & turned & tormented my skin on the plastic floor all night. The next day my eyes were bulging.

The river running through Paraty

Since I had no energy, I sat on the Internet for the better part of another day. It was a good time to smash out some more blog, so I could use the remainder of my time to lap around on the beaches. I also thought it was time to book my bus ticket out of there, yet to my ghastly surprise, the holiday season had the seats all taken up until at least Saturday!! That was in two days time!! I was supposed to be on a plane in five!! With close to some 2,500 kilometres in between!! I was screwed...or so I was led to believe. Maybe I won't be on that flight after all. Was it best just to stay?? I thought a quick  dip would clear my mind...yet the 'beach' turned out to be a bitch infested cesspit, plagued by silty water which resembled floating turds. Goodie. I started drinking instead...

One of Paraty's cobbled streets

That cheered me right up!! It was my one year anniversary after all!! Before too long we had a band of merry men, sitting about on the 'beach' front, smashing back cans of water-like beer. I scored a Valentines Day peck from some boring 18 year old sprouter, and pondered over stories of some dude being arrested in Rio over the course of Carnival for bashing some poor nurse in the face when he'd awoken from his self-inflicted unconsciousness. I wasn't feeling this cerveza in the slightest, so we decided to make home made cocktails with some lemon, a little Sprite & a bottle of cachaça. Holy hell that knocked me a back!! Some dude wandered out of the sticks with a guitar slung over his shoulder, and I remember reciting some awful Creedence renditions, before making bets with some girl who's name I couldn't remember, that she couldn't punch me in the face even if I let her. Then the lights came on. The sun was up. Where had the time gone?? I still hadn't slept. A pack of dogs chased the beating man with his stick all the way along the street, and then the night was over. I stumbled back to my tent, and layed out on the grass. I can't recall if I actually slept or not, but I definitely spent the next hour up against the wall of an ice cold shower. Shit, it was so hot!! There was no where to hide. I guess I should try some more Internet?? How poor of me.

This was the day I decided (temporarily) to stay in Brazil. I could work the bar circuit from Florianopolis all the way back to Búzios. Hell yea!! That'd be the life. To cap it off; I could boat upstream the mighty Amazon, slung from a hammock, returning with the grandest of glories to my home away from home in Cusco. It was all so fantastical. It sounded good in theory. But it simply wasn't going to work. I had to understand this. And it took until I got struck with a bad batch of bed bugs/fleas/mites/mosquitoes (whatever the fuck they were) in the middle of the coming night to awaken from this surrealism. I was off to São Paulo, no further debate, and Prue had invited me around to hers to crash...that would be a great way to top off this belated South American odyssey!!

However it wasn't until I arrived the city itself that I realised what a pickle I now found myself in. I had a few phone numbers, directions & nothing more...I was searching for one little girl in the midst of the biggest metropolitan in the entirety of this continent!! All I could do was pray...and I never do that. Off the final train I attempted to make the decisive phone call...but the boxes wouldn't take coins!! How long have I actually been away for?? Since when do phone boxes not accept bloody money!! Lucky for me, some street vendor who spoke some Spanish offered to lend me a hand. There was Prue on the other end of the line, praise the whatever Lord is mine!! She said she'd be five minutes, but 30 - 40 later I was still leaning against the same street pole looking like a bimbo posing for some James Dean rip off shoot. There wasn't much else I could do. Maybe call again?? Surely she wouldn't stand me up. She was too nice. What if she had some crazy ex-boyfriend who was out to expose me. Or more likely...you dick, there was another entrance to the terminal!! And there she was...bouncing out in front of me when I'd all but given up hope. Yiiewww!! Let the good times roll!!

A city sprawl

It was kind of strange cruising around in a private car with a friend from a foreign country. Yet I think it's pretty rad that by now, the locals from these once distant lands have become like valued comrades-in-arms. The world is not such a big place after all. Founding features transpose. We grabbed a snack of Brazilian açai with Anie & her funny mother, who apparently took a liking to me despite my complete uselessness in speaking Portuguese; then made for Prue's crib to meet her elder sister. Their parents were away for the weekend - hence the reason why I could stay there in the first place, but I got an odd feeling when I first entered the house. I hadn't done so in over a year. This was something else. I felt slightly intrusive, and utterly unaware in retrospect as to what was about to go down. When things are too good to be true, they usually are - I can not stress this enough. I felt like I got along with her sister fairly well, but it was obvious we couldn't chat on an equal playing field. That language barrier blocks all distinguishable characteristics, and I can only imagine the suspicions that must have arisen from a caring sister. Who the hell was this dude?? Why was he in our house?? He looks like he's just been pulled out from a meat mincer. I'm sorry sis, I actually understand. As much as it sucked, this was a kind of crazy situation. In reality, I'd only just met Prue & she'd jumped at having me over, probably without thinking too much as to what this might come across like. It soon became apparent her sister didn't want me around. I had no where else to go. With no idea where I was. I was happy to see the girl but I didn't want to cause any problems. Maybe she could drop me at some cheap dive somewhere close to here and we could hang out till then?? No way, you've gotta adore your friends in times like these. Anie's mum to the rescue!! She'd liked me so much I'd got the green light to waste away the night at hers!! BOOM!! It pays to style a smile. Yea yea!! It turned out to be a great night after all, despite the drama. I got to see Prue, took her out on a hot date, was afforded an insight into your 'average' Brazilian family life, and even got served up a bangin' free breakfast for all my effort!! Thanks mumma!! I owe you one!! Crash on my couch any time.

Kickin in Prue's car

...and then that's all she wrote folks; my flagging story is near at its end. The next day I had to say my goodbyes once again. Horrible & hasty. I tend to run when things are not so fun. I swore I'd be back, and hopefully I am - with a bit of Portuguese under my belt & and lot more dollar. Brazil has been the best. I've loved every minute of it...and for this to top off my tremendous tangible year; who could ask for more?? I'm out of here. The mad bus mish back to Buenos Aires has began. Let's hope this air ticket of mine actually works...other wise I'll come a knockin'. Europe bound!!

Thanks to everyone I've met in the past year for making my journey the epic it was...
I would never have lasted without ya'll!!

For everyone who took the time to read parts of this, ace...
For those of you who read it all...you really need to get out of that box a little more often!!

No more Internet cafes, no more typing...maybe just the odd update. 
I'm over it. 

It's been a blast. 
Gotta keep on livin' the dream!!
Ciao!! Love Nicko xxxx