43 Hours Without Sleep Thanks to The Triathletes

Walking into The Mango Tree Hostel, I was completely exhausted. No sleep on the plane as they built the TAM airlines for small brazillians without legs. Some dude at the front desk at 630am (730am) tried to explain to me that I couldnt check in. So I toured around to get a sense of the place and entered a garden patio where breakfast was being served.

Immediately, I bump into three extremely nice TRIATHLETES from New York City. James - Asian Car Dealership Owner, Westchester native with a Nokia addiction. Dave - congenial, married investment banker, who loves his board shorts. Mary Margaret - took off for a year to travel the world - she became the best tour guide for us with her past experience and total language proficiency. Interestingly, they are going to do a 7500m jog (about 5 miles) around the lake and ask me to come along.

I change fast and off we go to the massive lake that is surrounded by a running track. As we start our jog (triathletes run) I remember that I havent slept and certainly havent jogged in maybe 3 months. UH OH! The pace is tough. I handle it for about 2 miles and then start to drop back - Dave was nice enough to drop back with me. I ask him questions about his life, getting to know him, and hoping he will be destracted that the pace keeps slowing lol.

About a mile more I know Im in trouble and I tell him to go ahead. Breathing heavy, weird heart palps, lightheaded and with the sun beating hard, im sweating profusely. I take the pace down to a halting jog. As I near the finish line, I notice James videotaping. I think they caught on to how funny it is to see me struggle.

Of course we werent done - push ups - sit ups - tricep dips for three sets. At this point I think WATER! James comes up with the idea of doing some sprints for 50 meters. I can´t not partake. I approach the start line. I better beat Mary. On your marks, get set, GO! I book it as hard as I possibly can for 50 meters and find myself the winner! What the hell? I mean, seriously. James is impressed. He wants another go. Didnt we just run 5 miles. I cant do this again! On your marks, get set, GO! If only someone were videotaping my arms flailing, legs pounding and facial contortions. James and I tied, I might of had him, but I did jog 5 miles.

Back to the Hostel with my new friends to shower and continue Mary´s phenomenal plan to Santa Theresa for lunch via Trolley Car. Words cant describe the fear running through my veins when I was HANGING off the Trolley, which apparently is normal when the car is full. Moving past cliffs and avoiding telephone polls, concrete walls and cars - the video is priceless.

My first meal in Rio at the best lunch place in Santa Theresa. PORK! beans, rice, kale, farina and beer. It was far superior to manaus and I havent had a stomach pain since. HALLELUAH! From lunch we found our way to a Ferry to take us across the way to another random town where we decided to watch the sunset behind the clouds. Rio is known for their sunsets and this one was no small feat.

Chatting it up Dave, James and Mary Margaret along the day, I realize how awesome it is to learn about new people at the same time as being able to speak english. We eventually find out way to dinner - I order a salad! They have salad! It was probably the best tasting salad in my life just because I get to have salad! The food is just picking up its quality at every moment. Continuing Mary Margarets expertise, she doesnt disappoint as we end up in a locale where there are people in the streets drinking around a square of five or six bars. We bump into Roman (tall guy from hostel, speaks languages) and continue chatting until I start passing out. Its 130am when I find myself laying on a top bunk, still in my day clothes fading away - 43 hours without sleep. The triathletes kicked my butt but it was worth all the suffering. Oh man, how sore am I going to be tomorrow? (holy cow, they have questions marks here?)

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PS. Can you PS on a blog? Well, anyway, when I first arrived to the hostel, I was told that two people already had things stolen. One girl had her purse snatched right in front of her at the beat and another dude was held up for his camera. Very comforting...