It is just about that time when I can peel off my parka and slap on some sunscreen. It couldn’t come at a more perfect time with this -30 polar vortex we are experiencing here in Edmonton. I am so tired of scraping my car FROM THE INSIDE, while I drive because my breath is just too much for my decrepit clunker! Anyway, I apologize to all those who live here in Edmonton and have to brave it out a bit longer.

So what is on the agenda this time you ask?

My tried and true travel partner Kris and I will traveling through Brazil (and a brief second in Argentina) for the next 3 weeks. This will be my first time in South America so I couldn’t be more excited to see this part of the world. The first week, Kris and I will be solo as we make our way to a town called Buzios. Next we will find our way back to Rio de Janeiro to join up with our G Adventures tour. Some of the highlights of the tour will be the island of Ilha Grande, the Portuguese colonial beach town of Paraty, the stunning Iguacu Falls from both the Brazil and Argentinian side, the caves and natural swimming pools of Bonito and finally a two day excursion in the Pantanal. Once we bid farewell to our tour group Kris and I will catch the tail end of Rio’s Carnival. We have tickets to the Parade of Champions and I can’t even imagine what it will be like.

Kris and I have named ourselves Dumb and Dumber as both of us question our ability to get through life rather successfully. The last trip we took together was a couple of years ago when we went to India and Sri Lanka. That was when we experienced the Visa debacle of 2017, where it took Kris 3 or 4 times to get her Visa for India. At one point I tried to do it for her and bought her a Visa through a fake website by mistake. We literally didn’t know if she was going to be able to come until the day before our flight! This was also the trip where a month prior to our departure Kris fell on the ice and broke both her elbows. And don’t forget while in Sri Lanka I got really sick and had to make a trip to the ‘hospital’ where I had to get blood drawn by people not wearing any shoes and the tourniquet was a seat belt! So far this one seems a little more seamless. I  won’t hold my breath however, for the longest time we were calling Carnival, Mardi Gras! In honor of our stupidity I got Tshirts made which I am sure we will wear with pride!

Anyway, I look forward to sharing my next adventure with you so stay tuned as Dumb and Dumber Do Brazil!