Day One
I've been getting ready for this trip for six months. First time to Rio. I read every post and every thread and I even asked specific questions of members, who kindly helped me out with tons of excellent advice. I read every tour book there is, too, and checked out just about every website on Rio there is. And I also got through about 77 lessons of Pimsleur Brazilian Portuguese, which I highly recommend to anyone because those lessons have enhanced my trip considerably. Thanks to Bwana Dik for recommending them in his guide. Also thanks to Catacony for helping me numerous times in emails on a variety of topics, even though he basically said those Pimlsleur CD's were a waste of time. In no way whatsoever was the time I spent with those CD's, a waste of time. Without some language skills, my termas and beach and restaurant and bar experiences would have been considerably lessened, as would have been my ability to chat with my growing list of garotas by telephone , which is quite large on this, my fifth day in Rio.

On the plane from Atlanta to Rio I sat next to an American guy who was on his fifth trip to Rio. We started chatting and he realized I knew a lot about Rio, so he started asking me if I knew about termas, Help, escorts, Meia Pataca etcetera, and I apparently impressed him with all my answers. He asked me how the hell I knew all that stuff before my first trip to Rio got started, and I told him about this website and all the help I've gotten here and how much info is here. Thanks to everybody on this site, especially those of you who tune in regularly to help us newbies out.

My main concern about this trip was how not to get robbed. I like to stay safe and keep all my possessions (who doesn't?). I've traveled all over the world but never was warned so much about robbery trouble by all the books, all the websites, and all the people I've met on the web. Even my garotas here have taught me so much about how to keep from getting robbed. All the advice comes down to this, though: 1)Don't take out your digital camera, day or night, at Copacabana Beach, or at night time don't take it out anywhere walking around. 2)Don't carry a lot of cash on your person in one place and if you have it, be really careful where you pull it out. One garota even went through my wardrobe and told me what not to wear. For example, I have this one black and red nylon shirt like a jersey that she said looked like a Flamengo shirt, a local futbol team. She said not to wear it because people are very passionate about that stuff here and that shirt just attracts unnecessary attention to myself. No problem for me, shirt gone. She also told me to buy some of those shitty thongs and wear the plainest, crappiest t-shirts I have and a beat up cap I have. I put on all that stuff to go down to the beach with her and she kept pointing out how many people there walked up to me like I was Brazilian because I look the part (I also have a deep tan from 2 weeks in Mexico immediately prior to coming to Brazil). I thought all that was very cool. So don't carry much cash, don't take your camera to the beach, and wear the shittiest clothes you have.

I was picked up by a driver I hired with my apartment people--Bruno. I got my apartment from the web from Gringo Mangagement, who gave me a KILLER deal for 18 days in this little apartment on the 12th floor overlooking Copacabana. I've heard from a number of folks on this site that Gringo Management wasn't top-notch, but they have done nothing but treat me well. This little apartment has everything in it brand new, tile floors, kitchenette, nice bathroom, all new. New bed, frestly painted, all appliances, bright, cheerful, and has an AC and a ceiling fan, both of which I have yet to use because with the window open and the breeze coming in, I don't need either the fan or the AC. I can hear the waves crashing into the beach at night and I have slept so wonderfully for the past 3 nights. It's got friendly security guards on duty. It has a high speed internet connection and computer in the room, from which I am writing this report. I'm 1/2 a block from the beach, around the corner from Help. Fantastic deal, in my opinion, for only 40 bucks a night. I highly, highly recommend Gringo Management. Ask for their apartment on Rua Djalma Ulrich. It rocks!

So Bruno picks me up, right away tells me there is a problem. Dude in my apartment apparently was so drunk they could not wake him up to get him out, a little too much last-night-in-Rio revelry, so Gringo Management puts me up in this giant 3-bedroom apartment, two bathrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen, great views, a couple blocks from where I am now. Really nice. That place rented for a hundred bucks a night, which for 3 people would be a great deal. I almost told them I'll just keep this one, but it was simply too big for just lil ol me. I meet Edna, their rep, she gives me a cellphone I rented from her for 60 bucks, and they leave. I go to the little kiosk across the street, buy a phone card and I'm in business in Rio.

I need info to use my new phone with so i go buy a Globo paper, find the classifieds and call up a local service, one I had seen on this website on UWphoto's list. I have no pics to go by, just tell them to send me a small morena, and 10 minutes later, Erica is at my door 100R for 2 hours. Now, I've been mongering much of my life, all over the world, but I have never been serviced like Erica serviced me. This chick rocked me up and down. Her oral was probably the second best I've ever experienced. Fantastic BJ. I started sucking her nipples and I mean this chick got hot. Now, pros always make sounds like you are some kinda stud, but this chick got so wet it was running down her leg. We fucked and fucked and fucked. I got 4 shots in in 2 hours. Which is saying a lot because I am 41 years old. This chick was into it. Fantastic, wonderful, exhausting sex. And this was my first one, and I lay there thinking, "Wow, I'm gonna like this place." And my Portuguese was plenty good. Scale of 1 to 10, body 7, face 6, sex 10. And naturally, being me, I forgot to ask for her photo. So no photo for that one.

Went walking around consciously paranoid about getting ripped off. Began to relax and enjoyed myself a lot. Really tired from the flight because I can never sleep on planes. Went back to apartment, called another service, not sure which, they sent over a chick, body 6, face 7, sex 8, personality 10. Had fun with her. Have pics, but don't have cord to connect with computer. Must wait for pics til I'm back in the States.Day One

Great report ! Looking forward to more.

Jes

Stump, when I said "a complete waste of time" I was refering to the method a lot of guys who speak a little Spanish try and use in Brasil - try and translate something into Spanish in your head, then try and think what the Portuguese word or pronunciation of that word would be. I always encourage guys to get whatever language training they can before they go on a trip, but you won't know as much in the end as you think you do.

Keep in mind, you can totally slaughter a few words in Portuguese and every garota within earshot will say "oh, you speak good Portugues, I thought you were a Brasilero, blah blah blah". A little ego stroking on their part, we all speak great Portuguese and are handsome and interesting and all have giant dicks. That is, if you go by what garotas tell you!

Cat,

I beg to differ! Everytime I slaughter some fucking Portuguese word, garotas laugh and look at me like I'm stupid or something. Why is that?

Were can I find the garotas you are talking about? I need my ego stroked, too.

Jag

Jag

I don't know what you want isn't MLB stroking you enough. Oh yeah its your wallet shes stroking to see fat it is so she doesn't have to make you hit an ATM for her money. LOL

But don't think your the only one getting hosed. I just put out $700.00usd to get my novia's teeth fixed.

Scooby
Happy Mongering

Stump,

Great report. My advice to people about not getting robbed, as I have been robbed. Never let a stranger get close to you. If they seem like they are trying to get close to you, run. The later at night, the more cognizant you should be. Try to always travel in groups, and everyone in the group should know the rules about running. Don't talk to strangers.

What if you travel solo?

you just have to put in a few more laps at the training course.
have been down here about one month now and haven't had any problem with that(evrybody tells you that all the othres brazilans are criminals,robber goat rapers and what not)
the phone calls are a different storyi.g.
called karla models one morning asked them to send a girl so i could have a look at the book.along comes luma(alguma)without book.so what is a por sod to do a monday morning?

stump your sefety concerns are valid not paranoia.i joke about a lot of things on this board but safety is not one of them. listen to BT. sbronxx77 either run faster or carry pepper spray. spray anyone who invades your personal zone including kids, they start young, you can always apologize later if mistaken. carry some throw-down money in a separate pocket. cab it after dark especially if alone. iggy56 is my friend but is naive. mugging in rio is not a question of if but when. never let your guard down and you can have a great time. remember, familarity breeds complacency. have a safe trip and see you in a terma someday.