Rio de Janeiro - New Years

[Jeanette]

Has anybody gone to Rio for New Years? I have an invitation to visit a friend over the holiday. Rio looks like a magical, unique city at New Years. It would be fabulous to share this experience with a native Brazilian family.

The downside if the insane airfare at this time. Does anybody have any recommendations how to get there at a somewhat reasonable price? Most flights coming back to the east coast on January 3 are hovering around $4,000 for coach.

 

[andynap]

Been to Rio 2x but not NY Eve. It's good that you would be with natives- it's more than a little scary now.

 

[Petri]

kayak.com is showing about $2k for a 30.12. - 3.1. trip, TAM being the cheapest through Sao Paulo.

 

[andynap]

Try TAM airlines to JFK from Rio- it shows much less than that- try 1/5

 

[Jeanette]

Thanks, Petri and Andy.

I am hoping to leave on the December 28, arriving on the 29th and leaving around midnight on January 3.

There is no rhyme or reason to discount airfare sites. I went on kayak to play with dates and a window for cheapoair opened. I tried flying from JFK as Andy suggested and I got really great rates for EWR (Newark), flights that didn't show up when I searched under EWR. Go figure...

The best price was for $1,600ish on United with a layover in Dulles. Given the drive time to Newark airport and the layovers in Dulles, it would be faster for me to drive to DC and take a direct 10 hour flight. When I priced the direct flight from DC on United, it was $2,400. Go figure...

So, I plan to buy the ticket on United from Newark and just skip the Newark to Dulles leg, drive to Dulles and fly directly into Rio. Even with the drive, I will be home 3 hours earlier. I assume it is okay to skip the first leg of a flight if I am properly checked in for the second flight.

Any travel to Brazil requires a visa which must be obtained after tickets are purchased. It takes 6 business days from the point of application to obtain the visa form the Brazilian Consulate in NYC.

 

[Jeanette]

Andy, there is an attempt to clean up crime in Rio, especially in light of the impending 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. That being said, tourist warnings abound for Rio and theft seems prevalent. From what I've read, it is mostly non-violent theft in tourist areas - pickpocketing, cameras, purses and jewelry being pulled off people's bodies. I also read that credit card cloning is common and to never let a credit card out of your sight.

Rio looks wonderfully unique - beaches, mountains, rainforests, a bohemian arts scene, fabulous cuisine and a great city for live music and dancing pouring into the streets. I am really lucky to have an opportunity to experience the city with somebody who grew up there.

 

[marybeth]

Jeanette,
Wow, this sounds like a great trip! I can't wait to hear about it. Rio is on our bucket list for sure.

I would check with the airline before skipping the first leg of a flight. You might end up getting your tix cancelled if you don't check in in EWR. I think they do this to avoid exactly what you are describing.

mb

 

[phil62]

I think Marybeth is right. If you don't check in for the first leg, they will cancel your ticket. Better check the airline's policy on that, although I think that is all federally mandated now.

Phil

 

[Jeanette]

Thanks, MB and Phil. I will certainly double check. The only downside to the layover coming home is that I arrive in National and fly home out of Dulles with a 4 hour layover and a decent cab ride in between.

I wonder if I can just call the airlne and cancel the first leg after I buy my ticket. Of course, I'll go with whatever they mandate. Either way, $1,600 for a last minute holiday airfare sounds soooo much better than the $4,000 flights I was looking at.

 

[Jeanette]

Yes, there is a point-of-origin rule which mandates you must board on a multi-leg flight at the point-of-origin. I don't have to complete all legs on the way home which was my major concern. It won't work though because I won't have my car in DC to drive home to skip my layover.

 

[LindaP]

Jeanette,
have a wonderful time....what fun !!!!! Samba your heart out, and take lots of pics!!!!
PS sorry I will miss your NYC meet, but maybe in the future!

 

[Jeanette]

Thanks, Linda.

Your trip a month club inspired me. You only live once. Assuming all is calm on the home front, I will be on a plane headed to Rio! Now I need to figure out how to samba and get in shape to wear a bikini. Ay caramba, the women wear the tiniest little bikinis in Brazil!!!

There will be many more opportunities to meet in the future, no doubt!

 

[Steve_in_STL]

Jeanette,

Did you go to Rio? How was it? Was hoping you had pics in the teeny bikini!

S.

 

[Jeanette]

Hey Birthday Buddy!

No, I was a finalist for a really cook job so I put the trip on hold. It paid off - I landed a job offer during Christmas week, but the ticket to Rio was long gone. The Brazilian boy and I are still friends, so maybe I will go later this year.

Funny, my Brazilian friend would have had no issue with my wearing the teeniest of bikinis, but was turned off at the thought of my being topless on a French beach. It's a cultural thing - a woman's breasts are meant for only one man's eyes.

So when will I find you wandering St. Jean beach again? Smile...

Jeanette

 

[andynap]

Well I wonder how he thinks of the girls on Ipanema topless-

 

[Petri]

Well I wonder how he thinks of the girls on Ipanema topless-

Tourists? Show-off's?

Brazil and South America in general do have quite strict rules for going topless and in Brazil it should happen only on marked beaches.

But a single string does count as a bikini

 

[andynap]

I am speaking of the beautiful women of Rio- not tourists.

 

[Steve_in_STL]

Jeanette,

Congrats on the job! I didn't know anything about the Brazilian boy(friend) but it sounds like congrats are in order there too lol. Let us know when you get to Rio. I'd like to hear about your trip.

I wasn't aware that the attitudes of Brazilian men ran along those lines. Based on what I had heard and read I would have thought just the opposite. I'm just glad St. Barts is French!

Am thinking about a late May/early June trip. But also thinking about London/Paris as an alternative. Need to decide pretty soon. How about you? Am I going to run into you on St. Jean again soon?

S.

 

[Jeanette]

Well I wonder how he thinks of the girls on Ipanema topless-

Hey, did you write this post from a topless beach on St. Barth???

 

[Jeanette]

Well I wonder how he thinks of the girls on Ipanema topless-

Tourists? Show-off's?

Brazil and South America in general do have quite strict rules for going topless and in Brazil it should happen only on marked beaches.

But a single string does count as a bikini

Yes, that doesn't seem to make sense to me. The major beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana are not topless. But it totally makes sense where the term Brazilian wax came from after a single string counts as bikini bottoms.