Squeak Squeak

After a few days in Rio eight of us caught a minibus a couple of hours south west to Ilha Grande.  This was a great place to relax and soak up some rays.  We decided to save a few bucks by camping instead of staying in a hostel so our accommodation was only 15 R$ a night.

Four out of the seven days we spent on the Island we embarked on the sweaty two hour jungle journey to reach the most beautiful beach I have ever seen.   The sand on Lopes Mendes was so fine it was like flour.  every step in the white powder produced a mouselike squeak.  I have never seen anything like it although the aussies I was with told me that there is a squeaky beach in Aus as well.  The water was crystal clear and the waves were decent for body surfing.

One of the biggest expenses we had on the island was ice-cream.   I had at least three scoops a day.  Passionfruit rules.  There were also street vendors with glass topped trolleys full of all kinds of cakes and pies that got the girls gitty for only 3 R$.

On the last day Mike, Andy, Kath and I attempted to climb the parrot peak which is the highest point on the island.  We ended up missing the turn and went passed it by an hour so it was 1 pm by the time we got back to the starting point of the seven hour hike.  The hill boys, 18 and 20, did it anyways.  They ran up and down in an hour and a half.  Kath and I elected to have a easy afternoon on the beach.  Yeah just a little more ice-cream.