After receiving many emails about a trip to the Amazon, I am considering putting together a group trip.
I am looking into putting together a group of people to travel back to the love of my life the Amazon Jungle. My daughter thought I was on the moon last time I was down there due to how far away and remote it was.
The preliminary plans are to fly to Sao Paulo Brazil then transferring to Rio for a few days for some fun in the sun. After Rio, a trip over to Manuas and a week in the Amazon with my favorite guide Antonio. We would go to the Amazon EcoPark and then a trip through the city of Manaus. You would see monkeys, local tribes, caiman (alligators), go piranha fishing and eating, and more.
I am also investigating for some local charities in Rio and Manaus Brazil that I can assist with perhaps get them some Autodesk products and initial training as other teams are doing around the world. I would also perhaps hold some local charity assistance events such as setting and donating some AutoCAD seats to those in the favelas to increase their standards of living and give them a trade they would not otherwise be able to do.
The flavelas in Brazil are truly sad but the people in them for the most part are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. I just donated AutoCAD a week ago to some architects traveling to a shantytown in South Africa and training the local residents to design and build their own new houses. The UN is arranging for some micro loans from the IMF to improve their Aids and crime ridden poverty communities. The architects from the United States and prominent large firms are donating all of their time and costs. Teach the local people to use CAD to change their own community and gain skills to rise from poverty.
The way I do it is purchase a flight to Sao Paulo then before going down there by a Brazil Air pass for $400 which gets me 4 flights anywhere like Sao Paulo to Rio, Rio to Manaus, Manaus to Iguaçu, and then Iguaçu to Sao Paulo for the flight home. This is just an idea at this point but I really want and need to get back there.
If you are interested in this, email me at [email protected] with the email subject line of "Brazil Trip 2005".
"When my baby
When my baby smiles at me
I go to Rio De Janeiro
My-oh-me-oh
When my baby smiles at me I do
The Samba and La Bamba"
Cheers,
-Shaan
