Hey peeps happy easter and what a great day for it, the suns out and cool breezes. Been down the park, didn’t see any rabbit but munched that chocolate oh yeah ;0). Still how’s everything getting on, since last time I got in contact with you all, before Christmas right? Just kidding ;). You all running head on towards your dreams, already living it, or content like cat who got the cream hehe, in any case I hope your all getting what you want, if not grab it with your own hands. As for myself popped down to dublin, brazil, and finally saw ghana play nigeria live. but written some of the details below, so enjoy and stay strong ;0)

Well what to say in terms of family I’ll have to admit it was one of the best Christmas’s I’ve had in a while for a change it was totally chilled out. It was me and my mom’s this time around, normally a manic dash, trying to get everything to look perfect. But completely relaxed came to Christmas day and it was like hmmph, let’s put a decoration here and maybe another one there. An evening stroll checked out the lights, some people really go all out. Burnt the turkey and everything, but enjoyed it all the more for it.

Popped down to Dublin for a bit, which was funny couldn’t believe how trouble it took to get there. They a serious amount of security to get through if you not flying down, with dogs enjoying my bag, sniffing around like it’s the best bone in their life. Me trying to overcome my slight fear of dogs, rubbing it’s head. Then literally getting shouted out and then away to get searched properly. Took most of my will to make sure I didn’t chuckle. Same thing once off the ferry, passport control brought down barrier when checking peoples. In my case it appears that my passport has become a bit mangled from my journeys and rain damage. So I had to be set aside with some others while calls were being made to check them out. After waiting a while decided to make some general chit chat, asked the guy on my left where he was from, and nearly burst out into hysterics when he said he was from Iraq. I mean on my immediate right is a girl from Thailand, on my left a guy from Iraq, plus me. How suspicious must we have looked some tall suspicious black guy with a dodgy passport, a Thai girl and a guy from Iraq. Must of fitted everything people are trained to watch for and stereotypes as well. You guys know what I’m like with my funky imagination I could just see a poster of us three, being hung up as what to look out for. Anyways it was all good when things got cleared just one more security check, while riding the coach. So chilled out with peeps, didn’t really get to get out and about too much, but met some great new peeps.

That aside can you believe it actually managed to see Ghana play Nigeria in a live football match. Absolutely amazing riding with everyone on a crest of emotions, I was getting properly pumped up, watching everyone going utterly nuts myself included as the goals went in. Everyone jumped onto the field shaking player’s hands, and flying flags. Got to admit a score line of 4-1 to Ghana helped a bundle hehe. Yet again though like must of my travels, it almost came not to pass with entry being a nightmare. Even though people had used the net/phone, to buy tickets earlier on. Delays were incredible with attendees checking credit card and phone up to check they were real, for everyone. This was kind of annoying considering they had already accepted the money, (cheeky people). Personally I would of sort checking identification and card numbers match up to the bookings would have been enough. A lot of people felt the same way, and got frustrated to the point the police were called in. Another ticket booth nearby got robbed somehow and everyone took tickets.

Lastly I finally went to Brazil I’m sure you guys know how long I’ve wanted to go there for. Yep sorry it wasn’t organised better so you could all come ;0(. But just figured if I didn’t go now, I’ll never end up going for one reason or another, don’t want any regrets. So don’t bust my chops to much about it alright ;)
But yeah what a great trip, totally blew me away was all I expected and a whole lot more. Complete and utter mayhem from the time I got there to the time I came back literally only got 2-4 hours sleep each night. So yeah got to Brazil not being able to speak a word of Portuguese or Spanish and had left my notebook planner at home. So first dilemma how on earth am I going to get to the hostel? Knowing only the name and not get ripped off, something rotten. Funnily enough though as I was puzzling that one out, some radio taxi spotted me out, needing there help more than they needed mine I more than gladly beckoned their call, and it was all good. So yep checked into the hostel, dropped of my stuff got invited to a bbq, perfect timing if I say so myself. That’s were the madness began had a good old munch, being all you can eat stuffed myself rotten mingled hardcore. I swear the people in Brazil are properly warm and friendly, reminded me of Ghana in a way. Still even in Brazil it wasn’t long till I was labelled the crazy one, damn it hehe. I guess it’s just that the majority if not all the peeps travelling there, were going on grand 6 months or year trips with around the world tickets, and here’s me kind of doing it spur of the moment. In any case people party hard in Rio, so it was a lot of fun, and you can find what ever music suits you samba, drum and bass, to reggae and hip hop. Ended up doing the old chuckle shuffle, and watching sunrises on the beach lol. That aside there is just too much to do so I was running around cramming as much in as I could. Mountain and forest climbing seeing vultures, lizards and all sorts. Bathed in waterfalls where peeps looked like models from Baywatch. Watched people go hand gliding almost did it myself, checked out the cities and beaches, chilling out over Copacabana and Ipanema, taking on the ocean up to a point. I’ll have to admit though chilling out by the beach, a run I took recently (a bit unhealthy doh) and stuff. Has for the moment made me want to get a whole lot stronger in every sense of the word, hehe bring it on lol. still brazil has great view and a lot of peaks, the Christ statue for one is freakily high up, with strong gusts of wind coming from like every which way, you can’t hold back the vertigo, could drive some people to their knees, maybe that’s why some peeps were praying there hehe. What’s more checked out the favella’s had an urge to do it, ever since I saw city of god and heard lil zee’s laugh. That was cool roamed the streets had a relaxing stroll, found the street where no filming or photos are permitted. Met some peeps there taught them how to play poker, and maybe one the coolest little kid ever. While playing card he literally came down and curled around my knee, wanted to pop him into my pocket and take him home. Funny thing was being out in brazil, with anything being able to happen, what do you reckon scared me the most? It wasn’t the flight, meeting new peeps, or the favella’s it was a bike ride. On the way back from the favella’s I was in a bit of a rush, so we took a mototaxi. Yep you heard right a mototaxi, I’ve never been on a motorbike before in my life. Here I was, trusting my life with this guy from the favella’s, as he went downhill through traffic at breakneck speed. At the same time as a scared rotten that I would fall off, I was making sure I wasn’t holding onto him, but holding the back hand grips like a man possessed. When I came off my legs were shaking and I could have easily sat there for the rest of the day. In any case that was pretty much the end of the trip or so I thought. While head back home the plane needed to perform an emergency landing, which was like totally unreal. One of the passengers had some sort of serious medical problem, from what I could tell he had some high stress. So down we went medics came and took him away in a stretcher and everything. More mayhem in the airport, as we tried to get another flight into London. Even then there was a flight cancellation, which led to chaos as some people had trouble getting through customs yet again with their visa, what a calamity I hope they got through safely. To top it off back at heathrow the luggage was missing and most people like me had to get it sent to us the next day. Still the whole trip was utter madness, but definitely fun. In spite it taking over 24hrs to get to my own bed ;)

Anyhow that’s been me so hope you’ve been having a good Easter, let me know how your getting on and I’ll try to give shout to y’all some time after the summer.