A 25,000 kms drive around South America - Oct/Nov 2001

Starting and finishing on Copacapana Beach, Rio de Janeiro. Driving 25,000 kms through six countries: Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Uruguay. One hundred cars: fifty classics and fifty 4x4's.

Rio de Janeiro

Greg and Chris arrived in the night and Colin is due this morning.

Stormy, wet and very windy. As soon as Colin arrived we had coffee and then we went to the port to collect the car, while Wendy got a taxi to Lagoa to go to Botanical Gardens with Nicky. 

Very hot now but lots of shade there. Very tropical with tall trees, not many flowers! Sandwich and drink then back to apartment to wait for Tim and Colin. Apparently it was very fraught and extremely slow at the port and worst of all things had been stolen from the car - sleeping bags and other camping equipment.

When we tried to get the car into Steve & Nicky's apartment's underground garage, it was too high with the spare wheel on top. Fun and games!

We returned to the hotel to have drinks with the others - caipirinhas - delicious, made of cachaca spirit and lime. Ended the day having dinner with Colin, Greg and Chris in our hotel - Le Pre Catelan - excellent.