Where to start...
I've just returned from a 4 day cruise filled with absolute madness and crazy times. We set off on friday morning at 4am for an 8 hour bus ride to the port of Santos. It was a sleepy journey but I managed to look past the curtains a few times to get a glimpse of the scenery, it was green as far as the eye could see.
We stopped for pitstop breakfast at a buffet restaurant that was mirrored on the other side of the hwy. We were each given an electronic card thingo which you get scanned after filling up your plate. Mine was filled mainly with fruit. When you leave the buffet area you are guided through a mini shop where you are tempted to by chocolates, chips, magazines and other impulse items. When you reach the register it's simply a matter of scanning the electronic card thingo and paying. This type of payment method is quite common here, especially in pubs where you soon forget how many drinks you've had and end up needing your credit card...
The outer limits of Santos are quite destitute, houses are placed under highways and stacked atop one another on the sides of hills. Moving into the city and closer to the port the houses are replaced by apartment blocks which gradually become taller and more elegant. As we drove along the coastal road toward the port I remebmer thinking that this is quite an arty place. There were sculptures and paintings all around and even the beachfront parks were nicely groomed with different monuments and water fountains.
Arriving at the docks and getting processed onto the ship was an easy but lengthy process. It took roughly 2 hours from bus to boat which left me grumpy and ready for a nap!
This ship is huge! Stepping onboard was just like being in a hotel and my fears of being sea sick started to fade. After checking in we headed to one of the 3 restaurants for lunch. The food was amazing! Salads, meats, fruits, breads, pasta and juices. I went for chicken salad and tuna pasta yumm! Each day we had the option of either eating in a restaurant (tasty buffet or proper served meals for dinner), or we could eat at the small buffet on deck 11 which usually served fried foods with pizza and pasta. The served meals were delicious and sitting in a flash restaurant being treated like a king is always a great way to start the night.
The first night was a White Party and I got to wear my flashy new white T-shirt. Being the first day/night we all went a lil crazy. The sun was blazing during the day which made the drinks go down that much easier, not that there is anything hard about drinking for free! I mainly drank vodka and suco (juice) because it was the easiest to order. When I saw someone order a drink I thought looked good I would just point at it, the bartender would nod and my drink would be served. Once again the bartenders opted to free pour instead of using measured shots and this resulted in everyones drink being extreemly potent. The majority of my drinks were atleast 50% vodka. While the cups were small and filled with ice it still made for stiff drinking and it wasnt long before we were all completley hammered.
A few hours into the party with the sun starting to wane, the ships horn blasted three times and everyone cheered for the journey had begun! To celebrate this momentus occasion a friend brought out a hookah and we all got high off the shisha supply =-)
Later that night after my 13th extremely potent vodka mix and a final hit of shisha my brain clicked to the fact that we were now in motion and the sea sickness took over....
After a much needed snooze and a refreshing shower I was partially recovered and headed back out for some more. It seemed as though everyone else had taken a snooze too because the deck was empty. The dj was playing some chilled beats and slowly the crowed returned, all fresh looking and dressed in white...
Day2
I awoke to the view of islands, dark waters and a cloudy sky, we were in Buzios.
Buzios is apparently famous for one reason in particular, Bridgette Bardot said this place was amazing. To thank her for the kind words and for sparking a tourism influx, the small harbor town of Buzios built a statue of Bridgette...
We spent a few hours onshore wandering through the market stalls and stopping to admire the local talents. An old man sat on a bench with his back to the ocean carving wood sculptures, a beach bum shoveled wet sand and created two amazing sand sculptures. It is a typical island market with fake watches and sunnies, beads and bracelets, shells and sarongs, exotic sweets and coconut juice, stray dogs and the occasional scent of fish.
We rested at an ice cream parlour where I had some super tasty berry sorbet mmmm. A refreshing breeze blew through the cobble stoned streets that made the palm trees sway. This part of the town was litered with boutique stores and cafes. Just over there a three piece band played in a coffee shop window, the female vocals filled the cool air and the overall vibe was very very relaxing.
We returned to the ship for the Carnival party and started the drinking. By now I was a complete zombie and was finding it hard to show any enthusiasm to party, especially because the bands were playing country music which meant I couldnt understand a word of the unfamiliar songs. I decided to hit the hay for a bit of a nap and came out later just as the heavens opened! It poured with rain completley flooding the deck and forcing the band to finish early. We headed off to the nearest club on level 6. I stayed a little while drinking only coke until my body finally gave up and said 'Its sleep time!'.
Day 3
I awoke to the view of Angia Dos Reis, a group of small tropical islands each completley covered with dark green trees. I was eager to go exploring but everyone else wanted to stay aboard because the band that finished early the night before were going to complete their performance at lunch time. I figured id watch the show then head off to the island with everyone, but the band didnt end up starting till after 2 and being another overcast day my time to explore was running out, so I went by myself.
The main island featured an alfresco bar and restaurant with a very tropical feel, all dark wood and bamboo with thatched roofs. There was a flying fox from the peak of the island to the beach, a paintball rifle range and a plethora of water activities. I spent about an hour soaking up the small amount of sunshine and just enjoying the view from the beach before heading back to the ship.
The theme for the night was 'fantasy' and I was the only person dressed as Peter Pan. Partying was the same as the other nights, completley crazy and filled with potent drinks and lots of shisha. I was dancing around like a crazy man with no intention of sleeping.
The main deck finished early for an unknown reason, about 3am, so we all headed to the club on level 6. The club was closed. The outside area of the club where the elevators were was completley packed with party people and soon the chanting started. Everyone was singing along and dancing around even though there was no music, just a desire to keep this party alive. The club doors were finally opened and people spilled in, filling both the bar and dance floor.
Our group made camp near the window which around 6am offered an awesome view of the ocean and passing islands. We setup the hookah pipe and ordered a few bottles of vodka. We danced and drank and talked absolute crap until about 8am when the club closed.
After packing and clearing our rooms we headed for breakfast all complete zombies.
The few hours it took from breakfast to disembark and to finally be on the bus home seemed to last forever! And then what made the nightmare 8 hour ride home worse was I couldnt sleep!
Overall the cruise was simply amazing and I wish I could do it all over again. My energy levels were lacking but I still had an awesome time especially on the last night. The island stops were very relaxing and a great experience. If I can I will do it again next year!
Now starts the planning for my amazon tour. So far im looking at a 5 day package from Manaus including jungle hiking, pirhana fishing, swimming with dolphins, checking out sloths, hunting for kaimen, and the meeting of the waters. =-)
