Lei Seca, and Becoming a Motorista!

We used Localiza - cheaper, and dodgier alternatives abound.

We hired a hugely uninteresting motor at the weekend to drive to Cabo Frio. Just the same as renting one anywhere I suppose, just don´t expect to get much for your money. We hired the cheapest available with 4 doors and air con. It was R$550 for Friday 10am to Monday 8am.

Now I´m not one of these invincible never-had-a-crash types, and I doubt anybody would be after driving here for long. I´m sure you could find other hairy on-road experiences in other places, but I reckon Rio must be up there. I see an accident of sorts most days, and some of them are not pretty at all. Better pay the extra R$30ish per day and get the insurance.

When we left the UK I was determined to see if we could cope without buying a car - and even though renting here is not cheap, I still think that our overall saving will be huge. And its sooo much less hassle.

What a boring post! -And even more boring considering the most significant factor in becoming a Brazilian driver in Rio (even just for a weekend) - you can forget about beer altogether. They are really serious about their Lei Seca (´dry´law) campaign - with serious penalties for being over the limit. And the roadblocks are often attended by the horribly injured victims of drunken road-wrecks. So forget the cold stuff till your well and truly parked up.

And then go mental at your destination. Rude not to celebrate getting there in one piece eh?

Watch out for the big white baloons.