I should be rushing to São Paulo to take yet another mandatory COVID test and catch my flight back to Canada.
I guess I’m not, not yet at least. Feng, Mark and the Polícia Federal are okay to let me stay a bit longer. This year I’m not involuntarily stuck in Brazil, I’m just … not ready to leave the southern hemisphere and my life on the road.
Oh, give me a minute please—I’m just checking to see if my laundry is dry. I put it in front of the fan … great, almost ready. It’s late and I’m leaving early tomorrow.
Two weeks, one Carnival, three Airbnbs and a few decisions made later, I’m finally packing again and saying goodbye to Cabo Frio.
I liked it there.
The first week was a loud, boozie and festive version of Cabo Frio with informal Carnival parties. Every house, every block was playing Zé Felipe’s Malvada, this year’s summer hit. Beaches, streets, pousadas and bars were jam-packed, nobody was actually working except if the job description included “selling alcohol.”
The city went back to normal last Monday. I finally got to see the white sand and beaches without thousands of people on it. Even Arraial do Cabo was slighter quieter.
Time to take care of business. I was realizing I didn’t exactly feel like coming back yet. It’s hard to tell when you’re tired of travelling, but clearly I’m not.
“Can you change your ticket easily? How about the 90-day rule?” Feng asked.
Changing my ticket would be the easy part. I also had to apply for a visa extension because Canadians (and most travellers) are “only” allowed to stay for up to 90 days. I went through the process last year when my flight was cancelled so I decided to give it a shot. I sacrificed a lovely, sunny day to print out documents, filling out a form, pay the 110 reais fee ($20) and travel to the police station inconveniently located at Cabo Frio’s tiny airport. And of course, I had to go back and forth three times because the first day the police station was closed (Carnival hangover?) and the next morning I was missing a form. But hey, third time’s a charm, my 90-day stay was extended and police officers were super friendly.
Then I changed my flight, picking a random date early April. I miss the guys, I don’t want to stay in Brazil too long, I just want to take the long way back to São Paulo.
I’m going to miss Cabo Frio. It was a beautiful, relaxing, safe and friendly place.
I’m packing for Rio de Janeiro.
It’s not going to be relaxing, safe or friendly but hey, it’s beautiful … and it’s on the way.
