Getting up, shower, breakfast and saying good bye. Always very hard to do. This family has embraced me, looked after me and locked me into their hearts. Their incredible hospitality was overwhelming. Never to be forgotten. Saying good bye to Jayme at the bus station, a big lump in my throat and I had to hold back my tears. It is without a doubt the hardest part of travelling. Meeting beautiful people and then saying good bye, over and over again! The bus trip to Macae wasn’t too bad. I fell asleep as soon as the bus left, woke up for lunch four hours later, only to sleep a further four hours!

 

Gina and Maria came onto the platform just as I arrived! Gina and I had met eight years ago, when I looked for accommodation in Rio de Janeiro, not realising that this was a province as well as a town! It was like we only met yesterday! We went to Maria Eduarda’s flat. Dumped my luggage and hit the town! The foreshore was amazing! Lots of restaurants, pizza places and bars. We shared some drinks, ate some food and were home by eleven. The next day we caught an Uber to the foreshore, walked along the beach and the lake. Our waiter told us that tonight there would be life music. Of course! There is life music EVERY night! Ah, Brasil! How I will miss you!

Later that afternoon Maria cooked a wonderful lunch and her friend Daniela, came over as well. We went for a long walk along the foreshore, where we encountered a snake eating a gecko! This woman wanted somebody to stop the snake doing this! Eh?? Only its tail was just hanging out. The photos is on my camera. This is animal love taken too far. It is life. It is nature.

We all went to watch an amazing sunset, over the lake! There was an empty derelict hotel across the road and Gina and I fantasised bringing it back to its former glory! We then joined the party on the foreshore. My favourite song was played, “Let it Be” and “imagine”, and lots of Brasilian music afterwards! I even got up to dance! Later that night we all snuggled in the lounge to watch “Rocketman”, another magic day had passed. In the morning Maria Eduarda and Daniela needed to go to work, while Gina and I caught the bus to Barra de Sana. The bus took about an hour to Casimiro de Arbeu. Beautiful scenery, mountains, rivers and sunshine!

Daniela and I enjoying our evening.

Coming back after eight years to Gina and Luiz Miguel’s hostel, was like coming home. We had a marvellous lunch and spend the afternoon in the garden. Gina is a painter too, so I looked at her art work, we shared a bottle of wine and talked! Boy, did we talk! I am always amazed when I meet people again after a long time, that a connection is still there. This is not a given! We shared another lovely meal, and after a shower it was time for bed. These last days are flying by.

My last day on the island. Gina and I sat in the garden, watching. Humming birds and finches in the huge Hibiscus tree. Then Gina went to work, and I went kayaking. Letting myself drift along, enjoying the bird song and the sunshine!

Gina and I talked about a lot of things, as Gina is a painter as well, also she told me about the Hawaiian meditation of Ho’Oponopono. “I love you, I am sorry and I forgive you, THANK YOU! “I had never heard of this before, but since then I have googled and read about this meditation. It is a better form of what I have been doing for years. Some people come into your life just to change your life! Gina is my guide, my inspiration, I think it works both ways, but I will certainly look into a course I can do in Oz!

Luiz contemplating what to cook for lunch!

The island hostel is one of the most magic places I have ever visited! It is so peaceful and quiet, with the bird life just around you. A woodpecker playing his kind of music on a tree. Bright red birds, yellow ones, and lots and lots of humming birds. Luiz made lunch, I did some washing, and together we watched a horror movie about a Toxic Shark!! Lots of blood, guts and very bad acting! My bus to São Paulo is at nine o’ clock at night, but the last bus from Barra de Sana left at six thirty. Lots of time to sit at the cute bus station watching people and the world go by!

I WILL BE BACK,!!