From Curitiba to Florianopolis

February 22nd - February 25th

Well, long time time no speak! (on my behalf) I don't think anyone even really remembers where we left off, so now I'm to backtrack a whole month and let you know what went dowwwwn.

So yes, I left Curitiba at 5am after being at the gaybar (cos Gasper prefers gaybars in Curitiba) till 4am and ate my apple in the waiting area to sober me up for my 7 hour coach (believe me folks, that is nothing.)
I arrived in sunny Florianopolis, or as the well-cultured call it: 'Floripa'. It's a beach town and when I woke up it was light and I slightly regretted sleeping after seeing the green scenary that surrounded me. Upon arrival I only knew the name of the hostel I was staying at, and that Florianopolis was so big it really did matter where you stayed, so I waved a taxi and was told it would be R$40 'mas o menos' (more or less) - gotta keep up the essexisms even when speaking in another language. Not gonna lie I was pretty pissed off at this point and slightly regretted coming, but when I arrived I was happy to see the lagoon and my hostel was fabtastic. I dropped my bags, showered, saw my room and walked in to town.
Floripa is very nice, it's like Newquay (obviously not as good) and it's full to the brim with Ozzies 'that jus wanna go to the fucking beach, crack open some beeers wiv me mates, get drank and maybe fight some cant!' that is my general view of Ozzies so far. And I don't think I'm that far off!

Didn't do much on my first day, I bought some food, fell asleep on the lagoon for like 3 hours in the sun and met Rochy. Rochy is a lovely Mexican girl who was in my room with her brother Polo, and that night after I'd made my pork chops with mash potato and fried onions we went out for a drink in town with the gang (who consisted of two protein junkies, mexicans and brazilians) and that was about it, didn't say much as the general conversation was in portugese, but I did learn Rochy was gonna live and study here - day one done.
The next day was probably one of my most enjoyed trips so far, rochy had invited me to the beach and we had formed my most international gang so far - me, two mexicans, two Germans and a Brazilian. Quite a bit of hand signing going around the table to say the least. We decided to get a boat that took us out in to the bluest sea and afterwards (for a discount) the shallow lagoon. I had a really good day, it helped that Florianopolis put the 2 week storms on hold for the 4 days I was there :) the tour was done by a Swiss grandad, his Dutch daughter and with his 4 year old Brazilian grandaughter! It was brilliantly done and they even drove the boat the whole way across the lagoon to drop us to our side (what a ledge). That night we all helped cook a dinner of a large aray of vegetables and a selection of meat - for R$6 each I thought it was a steal! However none of the team fancied going out to the club (which in hindsight I don't know if I regret, financially) so I got chatting with some new arrivals, 3 British lads, a kiwi with 4 fingers and a girl who was the image of someone on their travels. The club was a short walk away and it was where I met Faith, a Californian girl who's studying in Buenos Aires and after a bit of a de tour for ID, we went in. The club was good, not exactly my style and was certainly pricey and was what I imagine China White to look like. I had a good night, favourite moments are either when the Swedish guy at the hostel who was pissed out of his head (leaving the next morning) told me I could live with him in Oslo - no you're right, he didn't know my name - or either when two Stortford girls started chatting me up (no lie) and then they tried to act like they were the ting and so I just walked off mid-conversation and found Faith (as my new buddy, not Christ). The night ended around 6am with Tyler, the protein junky, who had paid R&150 so that he could get that much in drinks, so after some cufuffling he got his 6 heinekens, gave me three and we smashed them on the ground as a statement of 'I'm Tyler, and I'm a badass'. This is the same man who told me he drank 6 bottles (normal sized) of Jack Daniels in one night and then drove a truck! 
Didn't get much sleep and I joined Alex, travel girl and 4 fingers to the beach where we'd planned to do surf lessons but instead laid on the beach for hours. On the way to the beach I met people who I believe I was destined to become best friends with - 6 private school lads who were on there gap yah. Wasn't too bad though, we only got 15 minute bus with them as we listened to there 'absolute lad banter' night on the dunes (word for word how they described it), it wasn't as though they were gonna be sat next to me tomorrow night on a 16 hour bus to Iguazu or anything....
The day at the beach was pleaseny, we enjoyed a fresh fruit smoothie at the beach bar and sat and chatted (well, I just slept really). That night we all went out on the free bikes the hostel offers (seriously good hostel) and flossed away our money on a sushi buffet that I really shouldn't have got. The night out was funny though, I joined two 8ft ozzies to a 'samba night' at this beach hut and had a really good night, where I met some really interesting people, like Abo the Mexican and his mate who was travelling for 2 years. I chose not to chat to the posh kids as they arrived, I disliked them even more when they sat there singing Niggas in Paris (have you ever even met a black person?) The taxi home made the night though, as Adrian had taken a shit load of cocaine and was on a universal buzz, demanding to find a club on this humble Monday morning at 5am. I think I laughed the entire journey! I got back about 5am and, despite going over budget I was happy that I'd come to Floripa.
The next day I just did the usual, put on my Essex vest and short shorts (which in that weather - 34 degrees - I really can't understand why I would look odd going in to town, just in them and a red vest with a big ESSEX on it. I seem to always meet new people wearing that vest, and they find it confusing that i'm not actually from Essex.
So yeah, booked my ticket and saw the poshies again - surely they were gonna book another bus, surely. I went out got lunch with Alex and co. and when it began to rain I too that as a hint I was leaving at exactly the right time. I said my farewells, to the lovely staff as well as Rochy, Faith and I was to see the boys again and again. Got a cab to the bus terminal and arrived with 5 minutes to spare only to be welcomed by the posh kids! Oh well, only 16 hours till Iguaçu....