For Militia
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Got up Monday 9th June at 07:20am.
Today it is on. I am heeding to Rio de Janeiro to party for a few days before heading to Cuiaba for the Chile game.
Actually excited as its getting very real now.

Got the day off to a good start by locking myself out of my room. First time so far. Left the door card in the power slot and shut the door. Went down stairs got a replacement. Returned the replacement after getting in. Went back up and my original card wouldn’t work FFS

Back downstairs and got the card situation right. Got in and done some packing. Got a card out this morning as I need it. As I started packing I went searching for it. Turned the room upside down but can’t for the life of me find it. Pretty certain it is not in the hotel room but in my luggage. Where though????

Gonna present an issue if I don’t find it later. Down stairs for breakfast eggs Calabrese and some pancakes. Back upstairs another check on my room for this card. I am satisfied it ain’t there. Head down and check out. Had prepaid hotel but was hit with a $R26 tourist tax $15Aud. I don’t have too much of an issue in the money but FFS include it in your ****ing price.

Jump in a taxi and head to airport $R45 later $25Aud and I am there. Bit odd here. First up you go through xray baggage screen before checking in which was good 15 mins. Then in through the metal detectors. Some dumb count left his phone in the pocket so got the pat down personal attention before going back and doing it again
Into boarding gate and wait. Kick back and listen to some music. Place is a little cramped and crowded but lots leaving for World Cup. Iguassu was full of tourist people as per normal. A lot of them were in town on their way to WC

Flight took nearly two hours. Did get a bag of crackers that when I got I viewed with some suspicion. They looked like they would have the flavour of cardboard mixed with water.

They deadest looked like rice crackers. Good news were they were better than Arnotts Shapes.

Landing in Rio the view was spectacular. Bay Ocean Mountains etc awesome contrasts
Add in the Favelas and there was just so much to see.

Anyway waiting for baggage but who do I find?? The blokes from Newy who I bumped into at the Colonia ferry last week.
Good chat seems we had been doing similar things just different directions

Go searching for the WC ticket terminal. Airport is huge but am unable to find it. Checked later it turns out I was looking in wrong terminal.
Get a pre booked taxi. Took 45mins to get to Copacabana

See Christo Redentor up on the mountain as we go past on the freeway. Cabbie took us pars Copacabana Beach. Memory will be forever tarnished by the Milli Vanilli on the radio

Get out at hotel check in. First thing is on the internet. Made contact with 2people for ticket trades.

First one said he would be down in 30mins. Other one said he can see my hotel from his window. Ran outside and waved him down. 10mins later and this bloke from Brisvegas was giving me a England V Costa Rica ticket for cost price of $190Aud.I will be sitting with his party at the game

5mins later the only bloke who I know really well who is over here walks in the hotel to check in. I hadn’t seen much of him recently as he has been busy working and had no idea we had same hotel Found a drinking buddy already.

20mins later my Brazillian mate was giving me ticket to Iran Nigeria for $50Aud 1/2price

Good chat was had by all. Then went for a stroll along beach. Had to cut it short with nightfall. Not to be near beach at night for safety reasons.

That being said the local cops are ****ing everywhere. Every 2nd street corner you will find one.

Headed to bank and go some money out. Didn’t need it but wanted to try whilst there was no need. My debit card failed but my cc came up trumps. Odd both Visa both Greater BS
Got pretty good rate of $253AUD /$500BR

Next up went to a laundry. Things were starting to get delicate on that front.

First one was fun
No Ingles. **** seemed to be trying to upsell ironing clothes. Dumb ****s like me don’t iron anyway.

Ended up going to another. Bloke spoke perfect English. Was a bit of a joker to. Had a chat and told him where I had been. He told me there was now flooding in Iguassu so it looks like I got lucky. $30 aud later and my washing was sorted. No laundry mats here. No washer and dryer the hotel wither. The hotel will do it but at $US 10 for a pair of jeans $US 6 for a sort **** that.
You would need an overdraft for a load

Anyway grabbed a Milanesa again from a nearby restaurant. Came with Feijoda a local dish. Black beans in a pork gravy. Sort of like Baked beans but a little more up market.

Headed back to hotel and sat on roof top bar drinking piss with my mate and 20 odd other Aussies for the rest of the night. Good night was had.
From the roof you can see the Media centre from where the les murrays and fosters etc will be broadcasting their dribble. Thank **** I don’t have to listen to Foster carry on until I get home

Made it to bed before midnight just