We have been learning a lot about public transport in and around Recife.
An early experience was our journey to the Stewarts on our first Saturday. Laura got the fright of her life (so shocking she didn't even squeal) when she witnessed a pickpocket relieving an unsuspecting passenger, who had just got of the bus, of his wallet. What Laura hadn't expected was for the pickpocket to take a leap and squeeze through the top bus window above her; throw his loot at a fellow passenger; and take his place on the bus, as if nothing had happened. The rest of the bus travellers did not even bat an eyelid.
Lesson 10: Never sit under an open window - it could be raining men!
Think Formula One on a Translink bus. That's what the driver on our Cha de Cruz bus was plainly thinking of when he took the corners on our white knuckle ride on Saturday night. Brazil doesn't need theme parks. Every bus ride is a rollercoaster. Unfortunately we haven't paid heed to the instruction not to draw attention to ourselves as our screaming caused another passenger to shout to the driver "Stop scaring the gringos!" We were literally holding on for our lives and got a little more up close and personal as a team than we ever thought possible.
Lesson 11: Make 'sure' you wear deodorant - it will give you the 'right guard' when travelling on a bus.
While we had a relaxing time at Porto da Galinhas, the journey back to Recife was a little more adventurous than we had expected. It seemed a simple enough instruction - get off where we had got on less than 48 hours before. But somehow everything looked a little different going the other direction. And despite 10 pairs of eyes watching out for the right stop somehow we all managed to miss it. We hadn't expected an impromptu city tour of Recife with our weekend bags and Barbara's wheelie suitcase. In the rain. Again. (Barbara insists that we inform you that this was a small wheelie suitcase in which was contained the team's first aid kit and many other useful items- of which we have been very thankful. Sometimes we think she is related to Mary Poppins).
Thankfully tour guide Sharon recognised the centre of Recife and headed us off in the right direction to the train. Conveniently she had brought an umbrella and herded us like a gaggle of geese through the crime-ridden streets. Each one of us had an episode of CSI in our minds as we remembered all the horror stories that we'd ever been told. Every crossing was negotiated to ensure that the whole team could make simultaneous safe passage while protecting our precious cargo (aka all the havaianas we bought in Porto). How proud we were of our stealth like abilities to navigate the city streets when we reached our final destination safely and with cargo intact - the train station! All that practice Jonny has had on Call of Duty came in useful after all.
Lesson 12: In a foreign country it is useful to ask the bus driver where you should get off, and never be too proud to ask for directions (men take note).
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