Uma Cesta de Pensamentos - A Basket of Thoughts

Either today is a full moon or the driving skills of Recifenses have colletively deteriorated over the past day. I must have honked my horn more times today than in my whole time driving in Brazil combined. Knowing Recife, that's saying something!

As I was writing the date on a letter at work today, I realised I will be leaving Brazil in exactly one month.

A journalist that we hired to do some communications work for us was recently robbed at gunpoint on her way to meet with us at the office. She was stopped at a red light and surrounded by plently of other drivers. It was eleven in the morning at a major city intersection. Needless to say, my respect for amber and red lights has dropped exponentially since then.

I am going on a fun trip! I cashed in my remaining Brazilian airmiles and purchased first, a ticket to Curitiba in southern Brazil where I will spend three days; second, a connection to Campinas, a hoping off point to visiting a friend who lives on a coffee farm in Serra Negra, high in the mountains of the state of São Paulo near the border with Minas Gerais; and third, a bus ticket back to São Paulo, where I will meet with friends and drink an espresso under the giant fig tree at Figueira Rubaiyat. After my days in the big city, I will head to Brasilia for final meetings and goodbyes with colleagues and friends.

I sold my car (sniff, sniff) and am waiting for the paperwork to go through. For those who remember the fun I had trying to buy my car, it is just as much fun trying to get rid of it. I suspect that next Wednesday will be the last day that I will be able to drive before having to return the license plates.

The movers will come to my house in less than two weeks to pack up my stuff.

It'll be a busy four weeks!