I still have a bunch of photos that I took on this trip, so this is more of a miscellaneous post to share more pictures. Lets treat this post like tumblr back in the day when we appreciated pretty pictures. And Florianapolis serves a beautiful backdrop. So guys here is more of what I saw and what I got up to in Brazil.
Shots from my walk
Some Floripa beach shots
Samba nights
Oh yeah we also went out for some karaoke
My destination selection this time around was hella random. I saw a video on YouTube about a girl taking a gap year to travel, and she did it through a group called RemoteYear. I looked them up and looked into the countries they covered and I selected the option that didn’t need a visa because it was such short notice. So I choose Brazil.
Once again I had trouble at the airport (I’ve let the universe know that I refuse to be the airport drama girl, so that was the last time.)
Anyway….. I flew from Joburg to Sao Paulo where I was scheduled to have a 2hour layover before heading to my final destination which was Florianapolis aka Floripa. It took me like 40min to get through passport control which I didn’t mind too much because I still had an hour to find my gate right? WRONG!!! Turns out I had to go to baggage claim get my luggage and recheck it in. Navigating that airport was a nightmare plus no one spoke English MODIMO. So the clock is ticking I’m running around like a headless chicken, I finally find people from the airline I’m flying with, the women tells me to check in my luggage downstairs they send me back to her (which is where my luggage is SUPPOSED to be checked in to begin with). The clock is still ticking (and my flight is boarding). I check my luggage and search for my gate at this point they’re flashing final call for my flight 😭. I reach my gate and check with the other passengers that they’re also going to Floripa which they are 😮💨, but its a different airline 😭😭😭 my boarding gate had changed and I missed my flight.
*Sidebar Google Translate has been my best friend on this trip so far.
I found an airport worker willing to help me for a tip of course, anyway we get to the LATAM (the airline I flew) information desk. They informed me that there would be no more flights to Floripa that night (it was 11pm). The next available flight would be 13h00 the next day, they gave me a taxi and hotel voucher and sent me on my way. I asked about my luggage, homey’s like ” no your luggage is still here at belt 214″ spoiler alert it wasn’t and the baggage claim lady was not interested in my drama she’s like 🤷🏾♀️. A security guard guy helped me by calling someone (I dunno who) and he’s like “Your luggage is in Floripa you’ll get it when you land”. At this point its midnight I’m tired so I leave and everything else is tomorrow’s problem.
Stay tuned for the next episode of Ofentse’s Adventures Abroad.
The past 3 years have been awful for me, but travel has always been a good band-aid or pick me up, not this time though. The first half of the year was very trying but at least the drama had a deadline, I knew by a certain day it would all be done and I’d be able to have a bit of a breather.
My cousin moved to Mauritius so I figured it made sense to go de-stress where I already had accommodation and my personal tour guide so I booked my ticket. So due to the aforementioned I did zero prep for this trip, mistake number 1.
The moment I landed in Mauritius things went wrong, my uterus turned on me then my luggage was delayed 🙄. Once I got my luggage I figured I was finally home free as I approached the doors towards the exit I was stopped by a security guard who asked to see my papers. I guess travelling solo as a black woman to a family holiday destination is suspicious 🤷🏾♀️. So I show her my papers, she calls another guy and I’m taken to another room where my luggage is searched. All of this in my first hour of being in that country. What a start to my long weekend break right?
Anyway I make it out and relay my ordeal to my cousin as we’re driving to her place. She informs me she has to come back home for a family emergency, so she’s leaving the next day but she’s leaving me in an apartment with food and a car with a full tank of petrol.
So I spent 4 days floating around Mauritius sometimes I’d forget to bring my tripod which is my favourite travel accessory. I took some pretty pictures though, Mauritius is looks like a living postcard even with its schizo weather.
I did do some touristy stuff, I went to the Caudan Waterfront to get a picture on the strip with all the umbrellas but they closed the umbrellas because it was too windy. I swear you cant make this stuff up. So went back on a less windy day.
I did lunch and sundowners and took strolls by the beach.
I will say the SSR Botanical Garden was my favourite part of Mauritius . So gorgeous, green and lush.
So its safe to say Mauritius needs a do over of some sort.
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