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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Apr 16, 2015 04:00 PM Stay away from Air Berlin, if you can!
Iberia plane from Rio to Madrid departed on time. They served tasty hot meal, but on their intercontinental plane passengers do not have private screens and the main one was too far to see anything from my seat.
10 hours later we landed in Madrid. I had there1,5 hours to transfer to the British Airways plane to London. We landed in London on time, but I had only 1 hour to go through sophisticated security screening to their other gate - you have to use their sky train to get to the B wing... I carry all my baggage with me... They were still waiting - I was the last boarding passenger for BAflight to Berlin.
We landed on time on Berlin Tegel but unpleasant surprise was waiting for me here. AIR BERLIN PRACTICES OVERBOOKING! It means that they sell more tickets then they have places on the plane. The last passengers in the airport despite of the confirmed reservation do not fly! I was the last in Berlin. They were laughing when I asked how it is possible. They do not see in their computer that the passenger is on the way to Berlin. Rude people. Stay away from Air Berlin if you can! I am waiting in Tegel airport for the next flight to Gdansk
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Apr 15, 2015 04:00 PM Day 92nd of 93
Yesterday in the late afternoon I managed to take a cable car to the top of Pao de Azucar - Sugar Loaf. The lower station is in Botafogo quarter, cose to Praia Vermilha - it is walking distance from my hostel. Sometimes it is good to be a senior - they offer 50% discount to the people over 60! I paid only 31 reales (like 10 $) for the round trip. There are two sections to "fly" with the nice views... On the middle station you walk about 100 m to board the next gondola. I enjoyed especially the views of the little, hilly islands.
Today in the morning I took a long walk through the tunnel then along all Copacabana Beach to Ipanema. Ipanema (do you remember famous song "girl from Ipanema"?) is in my opinion nicer. It has picturesque mountains on the southern end. And the beautiful girls, of course :)
I spent my last reales. Now it is the time to pack my backpack last time and to go to the airport... It is day 92th of my 12th round-the-world journey. I am coming to the end. Happy end, I believe...
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Apr 14, 2015 04:00 PM Happy in Rio de Janeiro :)
I got ma backpack! It is hard to say if they returned it from Madrid but it is not so important. I am happy to walk again around Rio after 30 years... Today the safety on the streets is much better - you will not see policemen in front of the hotels. But one of local guys asked for the direction told me at the end: watch your maquina (camera), they can catch it quickly and escape!
Metro ride cost 3,70 for 1 USD they give 3 reales. I took the metro to Largo da Machado station. There is a church and in front of the church minibuses to Corcovado mountain are parking. You buy the ticket for 51 reales (it is off-season now, otherwise it will be 62) and you go uphill. It was a little hazy day today but still the view from the bottom of the giant statue of Christ Redemptor is exciting - you have all Rio below. I do not feel well in the crowd of the tourists but they want to see it too :)
Unfortunately there was the invasion of the little wasps at the bottom of the statues. They were very nasty. Two found the way under my shirt and I got two bites. Not very pleasant, but I think I am resistant after many bites received on the cherry tree in my Wojtkowka :)
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Apr 13, 2015 04:00 PM Rio, eh Rio!
Accommodation in the famous Rio is not cheap. I stay in the cheaper Botafogo quarter - half an hour walk through the tunnel from famous Copacabana beach. Samba Green Hostel is in the quite street and serves in the morning huge buffet breakfast which is included in the price. Dormitory bed costs 40 reais - like 13 dollars.
I took a walk through Copacabana once again after 30 years. Palms, beautiful ladies, music and a wide, white sand to enjoy.
I still wait for my luggage. The LAN /TAM staff yesterday in the airport ware arrogant - they gave me lost baggage report (PIR) but without the number so my friends in Poland cannot help me to find it. Is it really in Madrid. Who knows.
But I enjoy Rio after years. It is hot (too hot for the warm clothes I wear to the plane) and funny...
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Apr 12, 2015 04:00 PM Very hard day...
Do you think that always everything goes so nice.... No.
At 4 am nieighbors in the hostel made a noise - this was end of sleep
I was crawling by car the city - no signs showing way to the airport
There was little damage on the bumper of the car, I bought insurance but AVIS agent wanted extra a raport from the police that there was a hole in the road
In the last minute we went to the nearest police station to get the report from the stupid policeman
Flights were dlayes due to the fogg. I reached Santiago and I was running gate to gate to catch the flight to Rio - I did.
On arrival to Rio I recognized - no luggage.
Ignorat LAN clerk said that they probably sent it to... Madrid
I am in Rio - without toothbrush, shaver, T shirt and camera chargers.
Greetings from Rio!
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Apr 11, 2015 04:00 PM From Temuco to Concepcion
In the morning I had a time to climb the forested hill overlooking Temuco. In 1851 the peace treaty between Mapuche Indios an Chilean Gvt was signed here to stop the war and mass killings of native Mapuches. There is a nice monument made of timber to memorize this event. Nice view of the city too.
Then I was driving back north to Concepcion - university city with nice park and elegant main square. It is the time to get ready for the next flights. Tomorrow in the evening I hope to reach Rio.
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Apr 10, 2015 04:00 PM Great lakes and volcanos of Central Chile
Rented car gives me possibility to visit Chilean national parks. Today I was driving first to Villarica - resort town located on the shore of the big mountain lake at the bottom of the very picturesque Villarica volcano. On the high slopes of thd volcano I saw the remains of snow, and a little smoke on the top - coming out from the crater. Then I was driving along the lake to Pucon - another resort village with wide black sand beach. Hotels and pensions are empty - it is low season! I am also happy because of little traffic on the roads.
But my main target for today was Huerquehue National Park (try to memorize this name! :) ) I is north of Pucon and the hardest part for the driver are last 14 kms on the gravel road - sometimes very windy and steep. I did it and at 2 pm I started a hike up from the park gate. Just let you know - hiking the trail to Laguna Verde it is not just a 7 kms walk. It is serious mountain hike from the level about 700 m to 1350.
Experienced hiker can do it in 2 hours up and 1,5 down. Add some time for the pictures and enjoyment on the top. I have a feeling that people who write about this hike in the guide books never been there. So let you know: On the well maintained but slippery after the rain path you will have great wiews back to lake Tinquilco and volcano Villarica. One on the pass you will see on the other side little lake Chico. Laguna Verde is 30 min onward. And Laguna Toro just 100 m side walk from the trail to Verde. Lakes are surrounded by the dense forest. Views are great and this place is worth the effort. I returned back to the gate after 4 hours 10 min - just enough to drive through the gravel in the daylight.
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Apr 09, 2015 04:00 PM Bio Bio Province -Central Chile
There is a little pension near Concepcion airport - Los Torres - the owner - very nice lady picked me up from the airport and I spend the night at her property paying 20 $ for the little room with shared bath. Dollars are widely accepted in Chile since tgey have strong inflation.
In the morning I rented a car and started my long drive -first along the BioBio river - the biggest river of Chile. Bio Bio was misty near the coastbut further on offered nice landscapes. Then I got to the Laja waterfall - 47 m high. One more waterfall to my collection! It is nice, but in the fall the amount of water is not imposing. And I was there in the morning. Now I (and you) we will know, that the best light forthe pictures is in the late afternoon.
Then there was a long drive to th National Park Laguna del Laja. Paved road ends some 3 kms before the Park gate. Entry is free but to see the lake you have to drive on the dusty gravel road up to the pass another 7 kms. Great views of the snowy peak and the volcano. Lava from this volcano blocked the valley and the laguna was born.
Later I was driving panamericana highway south to Temuco until the dark. Every 80 kms os so they charge toll - around 2000 pesos - I did not know that. I am tired but satisfied - the landscapes were great!
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Apr 08, 2015 04:00 PM Santiago de Chile
We landed in Santiago even 20 minutes before the new scheduled time! Baggage arrived 20 minutes later and on 11 pm I was already going to the city center on the Centrobus bus (stand opposite exit 4 - 1500 pesos one way). From last stop -Los Heroes I took for 1200 pesos -2 $ taxi to my Sahara Inn to avoid crawling unknown quarter just before midnight
Sahara has crampy rooms without windows but single with bath cost only 25 $ and it has good location.
Today I took a walk around smoggy citi to refresh memories (Last time I was here 5 years ago going to Robinson Crusoe Is) I cannot see many changes. I was lucky to see at 10 am military parade going to the gvt palace La Moneda - they perform every second day. Policemen and women every 100 m in the center... South America... In the evening I fly south - to Concepcion.
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Apr 07, 2015 04:00 PM Bye, bye Polynesia!
They say that Easter Island is easternmost part of the Polynesia. So it is time to say goodbye to all of this beautiful and exciting islands. Today in the afternoon after almost two months of hoping island to island I am flying to the continent. I hope that the flight will depart on time. In the past the protesters blocked Rapa Nui airport for few days, but it seems that today, after yesterdays peaceful demonstration on the main street of Hanga Roa they will have a rest :) LAN airline - the only one who flies here has not a best opinion - they changed again the schedule just few days ago and I will land in Santiago late in the evening. South American big cities are not safe in the night, but I believe I will reach safely my overnight quarter. Keep the fingers crossed. please!
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