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View From Airplane Window

A Plane Ride To Rio de Janeiro

January 7, 2011 By Mac Leave a Comment

After finishing a subpar IHOP breakfast accompanied by a delicious bottle of Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc, I was dropped off at LAX by my acquaintances Mr. Sterv and Senhor Cardiner. I do not remember much of LAX, but I do know that the people sitting next to me on that first plane were nowhere near as exciting as the people I would meet in Charlotte, North Carolina; where you can only buy one drink at a time in the airport bars (wretched place).

It is in Charlotte I meet Steve, a wise man of many girlfriends originally from Mississippi, traveling back to his home of 14 years in Brasilia (that's the capital of Brazil). Steve owns a restaurant there, where he sells burgers and Mississippi style BBQ (I hope to eat said BBQ one day). He serves as a vessel of much knowledge regarding o Brasil, and we end up sharing a bottle of Jameson while on the plane to Rio de Janeiro (courtesy of Charlotte Duty-Free).

CLT Charlotte

I had my own row on the plane due to my being seated in the frontmost row, and the lack of a visible television (as a result of the bathroom being directly in front of me). Apparently it is very important to be able to watch the three mediocre films being shown on the flight (guy originally next to me got up and moved), but I have devised better ways of spending my time – watching people attempt to open the labyrinth of a door to the airplane lavatory (the secret is: you push). An hour or so into the flight a carioca (person from Rio) comes and sits next to me because her previous seat would not recline (a more important function than access to aforementioned films).

I communicate using what little grasp of Portuguese I have (although it got progressively better due to my Irish friend's help) until she falls asleep…or maybe I fall asleep…I don't know. The only important thing is that I stay asleep for approximately six hours while at the same time managing to sit down on the floor of the plane in front of my seat (which is far more comfortable than reclining in your seat, I suggest you try it). When I awake to a pounding sensation in my head I crawl back into my seat and attempt to replace the battery in my laptop as all other means of music listening had been exhausted – I am unsuccessful.

Two more wretched and musicless hours pass before we touch down in Rio. If I had known that this would have been the only sleep I would get for the next thirty hours, I would have planned more accordingly.

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Filed Under: Brazil Tagged With: Airplanes, Alcohol, Rio de Janeiro, Strangers

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ABOUT ME

Yari-SelfI’m Mac. I go places, eat food, do things, take pictures, and write words. If I have my way, then this journey is far from over; if I don’t, then it’s been fun. Find out more here!
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QUICK BRAZIL FACTS

Capital: Brasilia
Language: Portuguese
Currency: Real / R$ / BRL
Population: 193,946,886
Time Zone: UTC−2 to −4
Calling Code: +55
Drives On: Right
Drinking Age: 18
Drinking In Public: Legal
Drinking Tap Water: Advised Against
Flushing Toilet Paper: Not Okay
Cellular Network: GSM
Vaccinations Required: CDC
Credit Cards: Visa/MC widely accepted
Tipping: Not expected (10% included at restaurants)
Emergency Numbers: Police: 190; Ambulance: 192; Fire: 193
Outlets: 110/220 V varied by city/state
Visa Requirements: Brazilian Consulate

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Halfway Anywhere started out in 2011 as a way for me to share my travels with friends and family. Since then it has grown tremendously into a not only a collection of my own stories and travels but as a resource for anyone looking to step into the world of adventure.

I try to share information from firsthand experience to make travel more accessible to everyone looking to escape those prohibitive zones of comfort. Find out more about the site here
 

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