Regenerating our energy!

We are currently at home with Leo’s family and I have taken a break from both the blog and our hectic ‘on the road adventure mode’ we have found ourselves deeply involved in for the past few months. AKA – we are both exhausted and need some family time of people taking care of us.
Anyone who has traveled for a while without a base will completely understand when I say there is nothing more comforting than coming ‘home’ and putting on the kettle, sitting on the couch and chit chatting mindlessly about nothing specific. WE ARE LOVING IT.

Saying that, we have had a few adventures around the city where Leo grew up – Juiz De Fora. We also just spent the weekend in Piúma at a Summer house about 5 hours from home. It was awesome, we hiked, watched sunsets, drank cold beer and ate cakes…probably the best few days we have had in weeks.
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We climbed the Mount Agha, ‘Place of god’ which is the main mountain in Piúma and can be seen from ages away due to its height and shape. It only is about 340 meters of altitude but in the heat and the fact it’s SO STEEP it was exhausting but at the summit gave unparalleled views of the town, beaches and surrounding mountains so I loved it.  **Check out my Insta for most posts of the mountain!

​ I just love being around family. Even though my Portuguese is getting better, it’s still a daily struggle to slowly piece together what I want to say and by the time I manage the moment has well and truly passed so there is no point in even speaking. I guess being a lone with my thoughts has been relaxing.
We also had a ‘welcome home’ party at the weekend but apart from that it is our time to relax, unwind, do copious amounts of washing and getting ourselves back to looking like respectable humans instead of the patchy scarecrows we have become accustom to. (Leo will maybe even get a hair cut as he is starting to look less rugged and more ‘castaway’)

We have eaten so much food, been on date nights to the movies, tried all the local delicacies and had more coffee dates with family members than I can remember. I am truly blessed to have a partner whose family have wholeheartedly accepted me despite the fact I can’t speak the language and am not Brazilian in the slightest.

Our next stop is Colombia in a few days’ time and it’s been on my radar for a while so we are a stoked to be able to spend a few weeks there before heading North to Costa Rica where I can fulfil my lifelong dream of seeing a sloth in the wild. I am not excited about packing up all our stuff again into a small bag and being on the road but I know as soon as I start again, I will fall back in love.
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In other news, I watched a video on FB yesterday of a sloth crossing the road and a helpful human picked him up and put him on a tree…the sloth waved at the human! I welled up…Sloths are one of my all time favorite animals and I guarantee if I get to see one in the wild, I WILL FREAK! I have booked three spots so far in Costa Rica who have all said they have sloths in their gardens so time will tell but I will keep you all posted.

But for now, it's just enjoy the last few days with my second family and love every minute (all while trying to maintain self control and not eat my body weight in beautiful pasties, cakes and pastel everyday)