BRAZIL, PART 1

To be honest I wasn't sure if I was going to remember every single detail from this amazing vacation we were able to have with Austin and Jared. But alas, I realized the pictures we took were in chronological order :)

So lets start with our flight to Rio. Austin had to take an earlier flight because we messed up the algorithm when we had to re-buy our tickets after the Mexican airline changed our time of departure and arriving city to Sao Paolo. I don't think I've ever seen Pete so frustrated in our entire marriage. After that phone call, which in total lasted over 2+ hours, I bought him a sodalicious cookie to make him feel better, but back at the airport. We boarded our flight to Miami 2 hours after Austin left and our plane was having mechanical problems so we sat on the tarmac for almost 3 hours without food or drink and then flew for 5 hours without any food. I thought I was going to die. Then everyone with a connecting flight had to run to the terminal of the next flight because it technically was suppose to leve 10 minutes before we landed. Jared, Pete and I ran feverishly through the airport to catch on flight to Rio with Austin. We just prayed our luggage made it too. And it did!

Once we were through customs in Rio de Janeiro we took a cab to our hotel which was 3 blocks from the 2 beaches. It was pretty nice but since we couldn't check in just yet we grabbed our swim my suits and walked both beaches brainstorming everything we wanted to do. 

We went to dinner and it was delicious! Granted it was steak and french fries, how could you go wrong with that?

DAY 1: We went to Jesus Christ the Redeemer. There were two different look out points as you go up the mountain and we all liked the first one the best. Probably because Pete and Jared loved watching the airplane fly by.

Once we arrived at the actually statue there were so many people taking selfies I couldn't help but laugh a little. It was really interesting reading the history of the site and statue of Christ, but it was all in portuguese so I don't remember any of it.

After that we went to lunch and walked to a lake that's in the middle of the city, rented a peddle boat and chased some birds in the process.

I didn't know I was in this picture, but it sure makes me laugh!

That evening we found an acai place and it was delicious! We only got a picture of Jared and myself before a homeless woman started asking us for money. It was awkward.

DAY 2: We woke up early to watch the sunrise and then Jared and Austin worked out on the beach.

Don't mind the light pole in the background, our photographer was from Germany.

After eating breakfast we went to Sugar Loaf Mountain which is another look out point of Rio. We got to ride a tram up to the top and one of the security guards was LDS so we chatted with him for a few minutes.

As we rode the first tram Pete kept taking pictures of us. They're so cute.

Once we got to the first level we found some statues so we thought it'd be funny to take pictures with them. After we found a bench and watched a helicopter take off. Pete and Jared were hoping for another airplane to fly by us but it never happened.

On the second level we found a monkey that would jump on peoples tables and steal sugar packets to eat. We found it very entertaining.

Behind us in this picture is Sugar Loaf. It was pretty cool. Once we got to the top they let you hike down the mountain so we did. I think I only flashed my garments a few times... Going downhill in a dress and sandals was probably not the best idea.

As we were hiking down Jared found a few vines to swing on and I can't help but laugh every time I see this video.

Later that evening we went to downtown Rio and walked around before we went to a soccer game between Curitiba and Vasco da Gama. The home team lost in stoppage time so we left rather quickly to avoid any fights.

This was in front of a museum and the statue was of a revolutionary named Tiradentes.

The boys found this gigantic skateboard and wanted to ride it but the tires were flat so we just took pictures.

This stadium was HUGE! And gave you the nastiest burgers. I think we took 2 years off of our lives eating them.

DAY 3:  It was a lovely Sunday in Rio. We were able to go to church and then the botanical gardens. I've never seen so many palm trees and uniques flowers and fish in one place before! I wish I could have one of these in my backyard one day!

After Jared was done drinking he hit his head on the fountain. It was sad.

This pond had some weird looking fish with gnarly teeth.

Jared got in trouble for taking this picture, apparently it can hurt the roots of the tree.

Pete likes to take pictures of flowers and leaves.

After walking around for a few hours we had early dinner being Feijoada, black bean stew. It use to be slave food back in the day. The owners would give the slaves all the left overs of the pig and they would make this. It was gross. To much skin, fat and pig hairs. Pete and Austin loved it though, it took them back to areas on their missions.

Once we digested we went back to the beach to watch the sunset. The boys brought their frisbee to throw around. A few brazilian boys came over and asked what they were doing so we taught them how to throw a frisbee and it was hilarious! I wish I had taken more pictures and videos. In the end we gave them Pete's frisbee and went home for the night.

This was the group that learned and played frisbee. They were really funny and entertaining.

DAY 4: WE WENT HANG GLIDING! It was so much fun. I wish I could do it all over again. As we were driving to the beach to go hang gliding there was a motorcyclist that was killed on the freeway so we had to drive though a favela (ghetto). It was crazy! It was a completely different world and smelt like poop. I'm happy we were able to see one while we were in Brazil though. Our cab driver was insane though and kept rolling down his window and talking to people randomly about the accident. When we arrived at the beach our guides/instructors were waiting for us and they were so nice! Mine spoke english and made me more comfortable with the idea of jumping off a mountain.

Pete's so cute in his get-up.

Here are a few pictures of us in the air :) It was like I was flying! My guy was a bit nicer than Pete's.. He let me fly the hang glider. T'was amazing!

DAY 5: It was our last morning in Rio so we went to the beach! The boys went surfing while I laid there people watching. After a few hours we went back to the airport to fly to Natal. In Natal we stayed with one of Austin's mission companions Jefson and his wife Julia. We didn't know he was married until we got there. It was a bit awkward.