No more late nights

Hey guys. First entry by me here - thought I´d put my own mark on his blog.

Have loved carnival week and experienced amazing sights. Still can´t do samba for toffee, still can´t hack the pure alcohol cocktails and not quite sure if I´ll ever return from the nocturnal state Rio has forced me into, but I sure am smiling.

Was the Gay Ball at scala last night, felt like a VIP walking up the red carpet with the crowds cheering us on and the TV crew. Fantastic atmosphere with live samba band to dance to and loads of queens dressed (using the term lightly) to the nines. Wearing little more than hotpants, a garter, feathers and glitter wig I felt right at home, must admit the cocktails helped. Missed our first trip meeting this morning so unsure of the itinery and who´s in our group but I will hold no responsibility (or guilt), 10am after the ball, madness if they think we were ever going to attend it.

The sambadrome the other night was fantastic, who´d have thought it was possible to snowboard on a carnival float. They must spend thousands on the costumes. The top 12 samba schools compete in the finale and each one takes about an hour to walk the length of the sambadrome with the crowd going mental, just one bugbear, parade lasts an hour - their song lasts abou 10 seconds, its on repeat, non stop, again and again...I´m never going to get them out of my head.

Love Rio, love the views from sugar loaf moutain, love the carnival, not so keen on its rain (my fingers are like prunes) but its all been good fun.

Thats it -I´m done. Bedtime.