Ilha Grande

If you've ever wondered what paradise looks like when it's pouring rain, take a look at the pictures we captured on Ilha Grande. It's a beautiful island with plenty of beaches where you can escape the crowds and enjoy the sun and sea—or in our case, just the sea—on what feels like your own private beach.

We booked a day tour around all the popular spots and were lucky enough to catch a few moments of sunshine. By the way, Ilha Grande is also famous for another reason: it's where Brazil's top plastic surgeon has set up his clinic. So, when you hear women raving about the island, you might want to take a closer look.

As we were leaving in the evening, the rain came back with a vengeance, and we returned to Rio for our last night in the city. Tomorrow, we'll pack up and head to the airport for two long flights (with a stopover in Santiago) to leave South America behind and head to Australasia—specifically Auckland.

Reflecting on our time in South America, I have to say it was pricier than expected, larger than I imagined, and more fascinating than anything I'd read in guidebooks or online. We’ll definitely return someday to explore northern Brazil (the Amazon and Salvador) and other countries in the northern part of the continent.

Unfortunately, Rio didn’t live up to its full potential for us because of the relentless rain, so our photos don’t quite capture the beauty of the city. We’ve also picked up a few quirky habits during our travels on this continent, and we’ll probably be advised to seek professional help. We’ve developed a strange addiction to buses. We also can’t help but “borrow” all the napkins from any restaurant table in case the next toilet has none. We particularly like the scented wet wipes in airplane toilets. We never leave any behind…