OK We`re Here (thanks O caustic Anonymous)

In the true tradition of a ten year old writing his essay `What I did on my Holidays`, I suppose I should describe the flight. Actually, not bad. Departure from Gatwick was infinitely better than departure from the UK`s very own Third World airport - Terminal 3 Heathrow!!! Add to that the fact that we paid around 10% more for an upgrade to the Charter flight`s equivalent to 1st class and the whole trip was relatively painless - hats off to Thompson in fact. We were first in the queue at the check in, first on board the aircraft and a free glass of Kir Royale (dunno what that is but it meant a lot to Linda) before we even left the terminal. In ¨1st class¨you get 7 seats across the plane instead of 8 (OK, not a big deal), 4¨more leg room (now its starts to make a difference), a five course lunch (it actually was quite tasty), a personal DVD player pre-loaded with around two dozen films and shows), staff who actually asked you if you wanted to drink more (what can I say?); the whole 9 hours going by rather nicely in fact (and if you know me at all you`ll know how much I normally hate travelling).



By 9 o`clock local time we were by the pool bar sipping caipirihnas and watching the Atlantic breakers between the palm trees - so far so good!

Nearly on our way

Here's a picture of Brazil. Big, isn't it? We are on our way to the pointy bit on the far eastern end.The nearest main town is Natal but we will be a little ways south of that in a bay called Ponta Negra (or something like that). The first website I came acroos describes Ponta Negra as " . . . about 4 km long. In the south end is Morro do Careca, the most famous landmark of Natal. Walking northwards, one first sees about 2km of av. Erivan Franca, crowded with bars, restaurants, hotels, party houses, small shopping galleries, etc; then, the avenue ends, and the next 2km have just a walk way, lined with hotels and some kioskes". Obviously a translation from Portugese but I am wondering what a "party house" might be . . . More worrying is the next bit on the Website "Climbing the hill is forbidden, but many people don't care; the gay guides repeatedly mention the lateral trails of the hill as a good meeting point". As with the traditional warning in the local pub on the edge of the moors "don't stray from the main road!" I will similarly not be "climbing the hills". Bags neary packed; more about the flight next.