Departing for Manaus

The last 24 hours has us all worn down. We spent our last hours in Ipenema scrambling for the long flight to Manuas. Eight people spend part of the day hang-gliding while the rest of the group was exiled to the lobby of the hotel. Finally we were picked up and departed to the airport to Manaus. The airport security was more lax than in the states which led to us waiting at the gate for a longer time, but most of us took advantage of the time and sketched. Once on the plane, we waited on the ground for over an hour without moving. The seats were small and uncomfortable. We finally arrived in Manaus around 4:30 am rio time. However, our moods grew more positive at the sight of the spacious rooms and nice hotel. The next morning everyone slept as late as possible. The city was new so we all hung around in the hotel until the late afternoon. As a group we toured the Opera house around the block. We all enjoyed putting on slippers and sliding around the ballroom floor. Outside was a celebration for St. Sebastion which caught everyone's attention. Later that night, we took a bus ride to a buffet that had everyone thrilled. There was a large variety and great food that satisfied everyone's appetite. Tomorrow we leave early for the 5 day boat excursion. We anticipate small cabins and many large animals/insects. We expect to be dirty, smelly, and a lot closer by the end of the trip. The amazon will shine light on our Brazilian experience compared to the last 2 weeks we spent in the city of Ipanema.