Brasil has been like that Eddie Murphy song that goes, " . . . party all the time, party all the time . . . . party all the tiiime."! Jeff and I had a great time in Salvador. It is known for its music and we sampled quite a bit. They have these drum cores made up of about 10 guys who just go to town on these drums. It is a great base for adding reggae and Carnival type rythms. Salvador has this old town with plazas that act as stages for free concerts. Almost any night of the week you can stumble upon a great act. It's always crowded too and the local dancing is fantastic. They did this great line dance where two opposing sides square off. Everyone was in rythm and the line would grow as the night and music went on so you would have at least a 100 people doing this dance in a crowded venue. We didn't get in on the act that night, but did our share of dancing later in the week. Salvador also had beautiful beaches where you sit at plastic tables and drink big beers in plastic insulation bottles. Mostly, we went to the beach and then went out at night looking for the music. We were also lucky to have a local to help us. A friend from back home, Mark Swanson, put us in touch with his girlfriend, Lena, and she showed us around. Thanks Lena, we appreciate your help.

We headed to Rio after that and got a bit of a bad deal from the weather. We were one block from Ipanema beach, primed to hit the beach each and every day. However, it was rainy and cloudy, and no people on the beaches. Well, no girls. We did walk around each day watching the guys play beach soccer and this awesome version of volleyball where hands are off limits. Nights were, as in Salvador, spent hitting the clubs and eating at the Girl from Ipanema Bar. We also watched a lot of the Red Sox v. Yankees series at a local outdoor cafe. Of course, the weather cleared on the day we had to leave. We hit the beach for about 15 minutes and got a taste of what Rio is like on a sunny day. God bless the man who invented the itsy bitsy string bikini ( It had to have been a man, right? ). We are seriously considering coming back for Carnival . . for the music. After Rio, I spent a few days in the Pantanal checking out all the birds and the alligators, very pretty there.

Brasil is a really civilized place. The people seem to be in a good mood most of the time. I have never seen so many thumbs up signs given as in Brasil. The local vendors will try to sell you something, and when you say, "no obrigado", they give you the thumbs up and a smile, as if to say, "No problem." Quite a change from some other places I have been on my travels. I have seen a lot of smiles here too and public displays of affection are very common.

Jeff headed back home a week ago and the time has now come for me to head home. It is finally my turn! Early in my trip, I met a guy who was on his last night of a year long round the world trip. We went to a bar and talked about his experiences. I wondered what he must be feeling. I wondered what I would feel at the end of my trip. I couldn't really imagine. I mostly feel pretty darn happy to be going home. I am tired and ready for a new direction. I also feel great about the experience. It has been truly special. Climbing in the Alps and learning to surf where deeply gratifying experiences. Meeting so many different people from so many different countries has also been a highlight ( I rarely met anyone from the U.S.A. ) and a learning experience. I will be happy, however, to not have to answer the inevitable question, "So . . . what do you think about Bush?". Actually, it was very enjoyable to talk politics and cultural differences all over the world. It is truly amazing how much the U.S.'s leadership matters to the rest of the world, more than I ever imagined. I would describe this whole adventure as a really big education. I learned more about myself than I ever thought as well. I think I have grown up quite a bit, actually. However, my maturity still does not match my age, and who would want that anyway!

Well, back to the real world. I look forward to starting a new career and taking what I have learned from this time off into my daily life. To everyone I met: please look me up if you are ever in California.

Best Regards,

Craig
11-2-04