Escapisms

Dear All,

Oh yes, it is me again! Feeling a little frailer than usual, as I have had VERY little sleep in the last 72 hours and feeling a little sorry for myself!

The rest of Asuncion was great; I still can’t get over how little it felt like a capital city. Our supper with the American Ambassador to Paraguay was cool, we went to their house first which was lovely and warm and had a wonderful fire, which I roasted in front of while we were there (Antonio Espinosa was at Manchester Met with Chloe’s Dad also it turned out that he is a patron of G.A.P.). We then were taken out to dinner to a steak place by them; luckily there was salad for Chloe, which was really kind of them. There was a young Paraguayan lawyer there too both whom Ed and Chloe fancied! He took us out for a drink after supper but unfortunately I could not make polite conversation as I spent my time over the loo as there was a pepper in the entrees at the Espinosa’s house and I was pretty ill, as we all know I can be! What an enjoyable evening! It was all a little embarrassing really and I just wanted to get back to the hotel and go to bed.

We then had our 15 hour bus journey here which was a hell of a lot more comfortable that the last long one that we got on but I still could not sleep on it, even if I did have 2 seats to sprawl across. The bus did not leave us behind at the border which is what we were really worried about.

Curitiba is a much more pleasant city to be in than most that we have been in so far in Brazil, mainly I think because cars don’t make such of an effort to try and kill you at pedestrian crossings, a truly pleasant experience I can tell you! We have been on a train journey today that passes over 67 bridges and through 13 tunnels, WOW! The scenery was meant to be amazing and it was at times. There were sheer drops to the sides of us at one point where my stomach did rather take a MAJOR turn. It was really misty this morning though and so we did not really get the best view. Again the guide did not speak English and the translation that we were given made absolutely no sense what so ever! (Opened on the 2^nd of February 1885 the rail way runs from Curitiba to Paranagua it linked the colonies to the harbour. It leaves Curitiba at an altitude of 900m and tit descends a steep mountainside o the costal lowlands. The track is 110 km long. The views are described in the Lonely Planet as “sublime and, depending on the cloud formations and tone of the sunlight, often surreal: threatening mountain canyons, tropical lowlands and vast blue Atlantic.”) Chloe and I have come back here to the Internet and so that I can sleep, hopefully. The room is like ice cold and I slept in 7 layers and my waterproof last night and I was still freezing. (Hotel Imperio Tel. 264 1684, Avenida Presidente Alfonso Carmargo No 367) SO all of you lot can take a flying leap in your swimsuits or what ever, parading around in the UK!

I am off to find a cheap pair of earrings now as I managed to wash mine away in the shower in Asuncion. Well-done Em! We move off tomorrow to a Germanic town called Blumenau. It is meant to be lovely and pretty, but we will just have to see about that!

Love and hugs to one and all,

Em

Xxx

FARTS – WHERE IS ALL THE PROMISED INFO THEN??

ALEX – OH NO the calligraphy results are out, Sylvia called Mum forgetting I am away – she passed which is good. I have no idea and I don’t want Mum to open them and find out so if you speak to James can you please tell him. Hope that you have done ok.

JAMES – Hope that you aren’t freezing your socks off in Buenos Aires. Find us a nice hostel with WARM ROOMS or at least really thick blankets!!!

TOM – Hope that the party went really well and have an excellent birthday tomorrow.

HELS – Thanks for Big Bro info. I knew that Brian would win; I wish that I saw it. I bet that he was crying. I want ALL news on Dan’s trial please.

FARTS – YOU DIE, WHERE IS ALL THE INFO YOU PROMISED????

LAURA – So true, it will be cool that we will all graduate together after all, lets hope that we are in the same lot though!

NED – Arrgghh, you are nearly off, Milton is now looking even more thrilling I bet!

FARTS – HAVE I MENTINOED ALREADY THAT YOU ARE USELESS????

PETRA – When is the wedding? Tell me info! If I can’t be there then at least I can think about you on your special day. I want to see some photos.

HUGO – Keep swallowing, at least now you can take the mars bar ice-creams from the freezer and hide the wrapper down the back of the sofa and in-between books on the bookshelf and anywhere else you can think of and Mum won’t get annoyed!!! She knows it is you so you can’t deny it!!!! I’m thinking of you babe.

FARTS – ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????