Saturday was really hot, so we decided to spend the afternoon in Pirabeiraba, on the River Fleith. Just as we were leaving Joinville it started to rain and thunder.

Pirabeiraba is about 30 minutes from Joinville so we hoped it wasn't raining there.

 Unfortunately it did start to rain after about half an hour but by that time we were wet from being in the river already.

Then some people left who were using one of the shelters, so we hung out under that.

FINALLY, I have my e-ticket sitting in my inbox!

Talk about a Palava though! I spoke to a TAM representative from the US on Saturday. He said I need to call back on Monday to speak to the special department.

I called back on Monday and put in the request to change my ticket and was told to wait 48 hours.

On Wednesday I got an email saying to call the International Reservation Centre. They didn't actually give me the number to call and Google couldn't find it for me either. So I called a Brazilian number using the house phone. The Brazilian Guy I spoke to said it was impossible for me to change my ticket and I had to go to the airport to change it. When I asked could I go to Joinville airport, as it was a smaller aiport. He replied 'yes you have to go to the airport. I cannot change your ticket because it was purchased in the UK. You cannot change your ticket'

I ended up calling the UK call centre  on skype and spoke to a rep there who told me the details of my new ticket and took my credit card details to pay for the change fee. Again the line was really bad but Lu was really helpful, changed my ticket and charged my card!! Silly Brazilian man knew nothing. Wonderful Lu said that I would get an email in 24 hours with my new ticket. If I didn't to call back again.

24 and half hours later, I got another email saying the credit number was wrong. I called the UK line AGAIN from Skype and explained it another Rep. He accused me of giving them the wrong number to which I replied ' No I didn't but the line was very bad so she could have misheard me.' After 10 minutes of being on hold and him taking my details again. He said it should be processed and I should get an email in about 10 minutes with my new flight.

Lo and behold 10 minutes later I FINALLY had my new ticket in my hand!!!

I will be back in the UK on March 30th!!

Extending a Tourist Visa in Brazil 2

So we trundled back to the Federal Police with all my photocopies of my bank balance, my entry card, my credit card and all the forms and payments.
The guy asked Fabio a few questions.
Why was I staying longer - to be with him *sigh*
How long did I want to stay? 82 days.
Why 82 days? Because I had a wedding to go to.

He  took the Requerimento de Prorrogacao de Prazo DPF - 270 and the payment form, disappeared for about 10 minutes then came back stamped my form and passport and that was it!! Didn't want to see my bank balance, ticket or anything!

Turns out that was the easy part!

I now have to change my flight. Called Cheaptickets and was on hold for about 10 minutes, then skupe cut off just as I finally got to talk to someone.
Called again, on hold for 13 minutes, got to talk to someone, skype cut off!!!
Called again, on hold for 23 minutes, finally got to talk to someone at cheaptickets, who transfered me over to TAM who put me on hold AGAIN!!! Well at least it didnt cut out this time!

After 50 minutes on the phone they found out they had to work out the cost of the difference in my tickets manually because I had changed my flight. Everyone kept saying this to me but I hadn't!! Turns out the 'involuntary' changes the airline had done 4 times, made it impossible to work out the difference. A request has been sent, for it all to be done manually and I will find out in 48 hours what the cost is..... The good thing is that there is space on all the flights.... or there is now.. who knows in 48 hours!

I guess I will just have to sit and wait with my credit card in hand....

But looks like I will be in Brazil until the end of March! :D

Extending a Toursit Visa in Brazil

I had found out that the school I was working at in the UK was having problems with student numbers (for a change!) and also that I was unable to move back to where I had been living in Leeds. I took this as a sign that I was meant to stay in Brazil for longer!I wanted to extend my Tourist visa until April, when I have to be in the UK for a hen party I am organising and also a wedding in which I am a bridesmaid!

The process seems to be pretty easy. This website was extremely helpful.  So I printed off all the appropriate forms, photocopied a few things and printed off a bank statement. Fabio had decided it was better to say that we were just friends and I wanted to extend my stay to see more tourist things.

After taking a few buses, walking in the afternoon sun we finally got to Joinville Federal Police. We  said that I wanted to extend my visa and the guy (I am not sure if he was an officer as he was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and didn't look very professional!) looked through my passport. He mentioned I had had Brazil a lot by looking at all the stamps. Fabio responded it was because we were 'namorar' or dating. So much for not saying we were together!! He seemed pretty satisfied with that. But told us to come back next week. They would renew the visa from that day and seeing as I still had time left on my current visa it made sense to do it later to make the most of it. He gave us the 'Requerimento de Prorrogacao de Prazo DPF - 270' to fill out.

'Requerimento de Prorrogacao de Prazo DPF - 270'

Requerimento de Prorrogacao de Prazo

If you look at Official Use part it has tickboxes for:

• Means of subsistence
• Plane ticket
• DARF - the Guia de Recolhimento da União
• SINPI- I am not sure what this means, I think it maybe something to do with getting your finger prints or 'biological data'?
• Financial capacity - how you will support yourself while in Brasil
• Work Contract - to show you have a job back in the UK
• Proposal by the lecturer - I think this is my reason for staying?

So anyone looking to extend their tourist visa, it is probably a good idea to have evidence of these.

We then headed to a Banco Do Brasil to to pay the 67 reais with a  Guia de Recolhimento da União, so we have everything ready and will head back on Monday to complete it.

Fingers crossed it shouldn't be a problem..... More updates on Monday!

A very WET New Year

Thursday
We went to stay at a friend's small 2 bedroom apartment for New Year. There was Claudia, her boyfriend and dog who own the apartment. Her mum, Dad, Brother, brother's girlfriend, brother's girlfriend's son, 2 of Claudia's friend's and me and Fabio!! So there were various mattresses all over the place and various games of musical mattresses! We got a couple of buses and arrived about 4pm. Claudia was working so we headed to the beach for a bit.
When we got back Cluadia was home and it started to rain, and rain and rain....

Friday
It was still raining, so we spent the day mooching around the apartment, eating, sleeping and drinking. One of Claudia's jobs is at the club Bali Hai  and she had managed to get us free tickets that should have cost about £30!

The club was pretty amazing and after climbing up about 4 flights of very precarious wooden steps we reached the top of the cliff that the club was set in. It was a huge open air club with a main arena in the middle with streteched canvas covering the dance area, various other rooms set inside the cliffs and lots of wooden terraces and palm trees.

Brazil has the most stupid and annoying way of using tickets for everything. You literally had to line up to buy a ticket for a drink, then go to the bar to redeem your token. But you had to make sure you went to the right bar that served your drink, that was normally on the other side of the club!
We danced lots and walked home and got in about 7am!

Saturday
It was still raining and we were all really tired from the night out, so again lots of sleeping, drinking and eating again.

 We were all awake and drinking champagne at midnight though. Unfortunately because of the rain we didn't go to the beach.

Sunday
It was STILL raining, so again, more drinking, eating and sleeping. We also played a lot of Pictureka
which really tested my Portuguese! There were cards with pictures on and you had  to name something or describe the picture. It got a little heated but was lots of fun. My arguing skills  in Portuguese are getting better!
In the evening it had stopped raining and we headed to Itapema for a look around the shops and something to eat.

We went to this amazing restaurant called Indaiá Restaurante
It was way up in the hills and had a great view of the bay.


Monday
On our final day, it stopped raining!!! So we spent the day at the beach!

Our bus back to Joinville was supposed to leave at 7. About 7.30 it turned up. The traffic was HORRENDOUS. It took us about 4 and half hours to get home, when it normally takes just under 2 hours.

All in all despite the wet miserable weather, it was a really fun new year!