Day 33

Woke up dazed after the long late festa last night. We trooped around for food in the hotter than average morning then sorted out our bus tickets to Salvador. Weird atmosphere around today, the group is going to be permanently fragmented and you can feel this seperation. Cecilia and Leia are staying put for another night; they're flying to SP then Spain tomorrow from Recife, and it is strange to think we won't be travelling or meeting up with them again.

Also Rafa and Alex are splitting; Alex wants to explore Bahia (the district Salvador is in) and spend more time with Catarina. Finally as I write the two English girls, Inge and Rupa, have gone off to Pipa on my recommendation. After the elation of yesterday's ensemble blindo fejoida/party today was always going to be a bit of a let-down - "crushed like a bug in the ground".

It is hard to break up groups when you're travelling like this and become really attached to people and places. It must be even harder for Renaud, who has known the girls for a years I think, and Joanna who, along with Ceci and Leia, are facing up to leaving Brazil after what must have been an incredible year. However I don't think any of us can really complain too much, I know Rob and I are really lucky to be here. Also this negative attitude is generally a bad way to look at travelling or life in general, we just keep moving on.

Even so its hard to always keep a philosophy like this in mind and we moped around all day in the hostel before venturing to Recife for the twelve hour coach trip to Salvador. Bade farewell to Rafa, Ceci and Leia before we left. Alex and Cat came with us, as did the German guys who were on the same bus, and actually have pretty much the same plan as us for the rest of their trip. The bus was overnight so I just necked some cachaca, watched a bit of Pride and Prejudice, chuckled at the stony acting, and snoozed intermittently.