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

Preparing to go home!

We packed after breakfast then rushed off to RioSul Shopping Centre in an attempt to buy Christmas presents. It was not very successful, so we came back to the hotel and bought a t-shirt and purses in the shop there. We finished in our room and left a tip for Franzisco, our very nice room cleaner. We left our bags downstairs then went next door to the usual place for drinks and snacks with the Moffatts, Lennox, the Borns and some others. We exchanged addresses, etc, and there were lots of goodbyes. The Robinsons finally turned up - they had been up to Corcovado.

Final farewells.


We took a very fast taxi to the airport. We were on the same flight as Angus Stamper and his wife, Emma, the Barnes, Chris and Linda and the Doreys. Sadly, Geoff Dorey's mother had just died.

The flight left at 6.30pm (8.30pm London time) and took us south from Rio via Sao Paulo where we were one and a half hours on the tarmac. More passengers joined the flight and we then had a full plane to London. We finally arrived at Heathrow on Tuesday morning at 9.45am. We had dreadful food on the flight. Daniel met us at the airport and we were finally home at 12 noon. It was lovely to see all the family. Although we didn't want to leave Rio, it's great to be home!