SHORT BUT DEEP ADVENTURE IN RIO BY KIWI COUSIN MARK

How can you turn into words such a true smile??? Use your eyes and you will see happiness. I had the honor to welcome and show Rio in just one day to my dear friend Mark who came to Brazil for the first time in his life, and I think that I made him thinking why he has not been here before. 

But we should live our present time in the best way and he knows that in the future he will always have a friend in Brazil willing to show much more!

It is a pleasure to introduce my homeland to all travellers...great travellers that become great friends!

Here I am so proud to share with you Mark's own words about our fantastic day! :)

What a day's entertainment! Haven't laughed so much in a long time ... 

Christ the Redeemer? Nope. Sugar Loaf? Nope. Did I feel like I missed anything! Absolutely not!! The weather wasn't great so Rafa rightly suggested we skip those and, in any event, I would have been happy with the tour we did. Rafa's plan was to take me to places that I probably wouldn't or couldn't otherwise get to and as a result, I saw a side of Rio that I'm sure others never even know exists.

I'm sure Rafa would organize a great tour for those who do want to tick all the major sights - it's his company that really makes the tour fantastic as much as the sights themselves - but I was happy we went a little further afield over to the Niteroi side of Rio. The beaches, the views, the food ... All magic! And he'd taken into account that it was a holiday the following day and planned the route so we avoided the traffic ... All these little touches which made for a wonderful experience.

We still had time to see some of the neighborhoods back in Rio proper. And the best memories of the whole day will be the laughs we had over lunch at Verdanna or the beer in the bar in St. Theresa.

I have absolutely no hesitation in recommended Rafa - as others have said, his passion for Rio is infectious and you will make a friend for life! The fact that he is also a brilliant tour guide - incredibly helpful and responsive - is almost secondary!

IWell, you know how I am...Queen Elizabeth would have the same treatment and she would have enjoyed I am sure, she has an accurate sense of humour and she must be tired of so much rules and protocols. In my tours...NO RULES, just fun, in my tours, you are my good friend. Here in Rio or everywhere in Brazil you will see the real stuff and I am more and more prepared to make Rio easy for you and give you memorable laughs!

Mark Craig, thank you for your high spirit, open mind and positive energy!!! New Zealand, the Emirates, Oman, Czech Republic or Bangladesh, the whole World needs people like you!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner