Leaving The Metropolis

Just a quick post to say about the latest part of the trip
We left the Pantanal and had to take a flight from Cuiaba, via Brasilia back to Rio where we belived we had booked for a night in an airport hotel so we could get a hire car and get out of the cirt. Sadly not to be and the hotel claimed no booking had been made and they were fully booked as were all the other hotels around due to a conference taking place. That left us searching for a hotel in the middle of a busy city that you do not want to walk around with any thing of value especially at night.
Lots of phone calls and eventually found one near Copacobana so of there by taxi followed by a taxi back this morning to get a hire car. This one is not a Chevy but a Fiat, not so good but it is ok. Now the drive out of Rio and driving in Rio is not one that I could call fun at all. Rules of the road are.......... always broken so just drive. After some 30 mins of shear terror we got out of the city and into the hills and mountains, Now next problem was as soon as we started up the hills the petrol light came on and we had been told it was full, a nervous time hoping to see a fuel station and when we did it only took a few litres so it is the light that is faulty.
We are now in Sao Jao del Rei, one of the "Colonial" towns in the Gem mining area and it is beautiful, Hot in the day but cooler at night and all lit up. We are here for a couple of days and will take the vintage steam train high into the hills to Tiradentes.
Much more to follow as we move around and pictures as well

Mike and Jan