General Info

Thanks i'll give it a try!

Since I will be staying only for 10 days and I don't want to risk losing my Iphone with all my business contacts on it, I would like to get from you guys some suggestions for renting a cheap cell phone in Rio for 10 days.

Thanks!

Brazillian ebay

[url]http://lista.mercadolivre.com.br[/url]

Or dell Brazil

[url]http://www.dell.com.br/[/url]

Theres also a computer shop sells bits and pieces spares, got some Dell ram and stuff before in ipanema few blocks down from general ororio, think number 311 or somthing in small shopping center tpye place, left hand side walking down from genral osorio.

[QUOTE=Bigben0]Hi all,

Does anyone know where I might be able to buy a Dell (latitude) charger in Rio?

Thanks!

BB.[/QUOTE]

Friend not to mention that everytime a girl will write you sms and you will take out your iphone you will risk somebody bad will notice you have it...not so good to show such expensive stuff in Brazil...Actually for the first time now in BsAs I am using my Armani clothes, in Brazil all the time I dressed enough cheap, I got the feeling the best you dress, the more higher price they ask you....imho

I do not know if you have enough time, but why not to buy a gsm nokia, a cheap one, for 20 or 30 euro by ebay for example, it will be more than enough and if you lose, you lose only little money.

I do not know where you can rent it, but try to ask to the agency or owner that rent you the flat, I am pretty sure that if you ask in advance they can rent you.

Actually I have good nokia with my home town number that all the time I leave in my flat and a cheap nokia with brazilian number that I take with me, it works good for me.

Probaly better just buying one, if you take your passport to TIM store you can get pay as you go sim and phone $R300 work out cheaper than renting which can end up with problems, theres 2 or 3 on An N copacabana, and one I can think of in ipanema not too far from general osorio also few in leblon, one deffo at leblon shopping.

Top up credit, *222 it will read back your number imputed then ask to confirm by pressing 4

Useful to check your credit, *222#

[QUOTE=Sprite13]Since I will be staying only for 10 days and I don't want to risk losing my Iphone with all my business contacts on it, I would like to get from you guys some suggestions for renting a cheap cell phone in Rio for 10 days.

Thanks![/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Sprite13]Since I will be staying only for 10 days and I don't want to risk losing my Iphone with all my business contacts on it, I would like to get from you guys some suggestions for renting a cheap cell phone in Rio for 10 days.

Thanks![/QUOTE]

Check the using cell phones thread to find guys who might know more about this and pm them (just in case they miss this post).

It seems most on that thread agreed that no matter what, it is best just to buy a phone. I got one for about $50US and just recharge it when I get to Rio.

True, I overpaid for an OI sim card ($US40),plus postage, but I now know you can get them for about R$15-25 once in Rio.

I used to rent a phone at $US5, a day which was about the going rate 5 years ago. It might be more now, but it seems you will be paying at least $50 for the entire 10 days. You can buy a gsm for that amount and then you own it and can take it down whenever you go back to Brazil.

Here is where I got my phone, the A55, that is now actually $10 cheaper than when I bought it. Shipping was $10 and I got it in 3 days, so for you the total will be US$49 and it comes with an international sim card and a toll free number so people in most countries can call you.
[url]http://www.telestial.com/[/url]

Thanks guys for the replies. I will follow the wise advise administered in here and buy a cheap unlocked phone before coming down and then get a sim card locally.

Thanks again!

[QUOTE=TJ Fannatic]
It seems most on that thread agreed that no matter what, it is best just to buy a phone. I got one for about $50US and just recharge it when I get to Rio.
[/QUOTE]

Yep. I use an old phone any right-minded mugger would want to be paid just for taking it off my hands. But I kep all my Brasil numbers on it and just get a new Sim if I´m away long enough for the old one to run out. A smart phone is great for music or to use as a mini-computer, but it stays in the apartment or hotel.

ps you may have noticed that in Copa especially phones travel best stuffed down the front of your jeans.

I have yet to visit Brazil, and the itch to do it now is back, bigger than ever. This is partly because the real is finally weaker, and probably on the way back up, so now or never I guess. Beyond that, there are more travel deals or so I hear. Rather than wait to be jobless and poor, I would like to spend this money on garotas than buying stocks.

As an aside, the best I have ever done in the market was lose my shirt, and that was in the best of times. Never again! Anyway, I was thinking there must be other lonely travellers who want to visit Brazil in the low season (April or May or June). How do we unite? I know this is a difficult prospect for people who know each other, and pretty near impossible for stangers over the interweb. I wonder if there is a business idea there - finding other horny men to travel with to sex vacations! I favour the odds over finding a decent woman to date on a dating site!

Ok! I'm off to Brasil next Friday First time in Brasil, first time in America, first time I travel alone

I will go to Rio first and there I will meet a girl so I think I'll be safe that way

After I'm going to SP to meet someone else, so I have locals that will watch out for me.)

But I will arrive at the international airport in sp and have a flight to Rio that same night. There is 3 hours between the flights and I will go with TAM from sp to Rio. Is 3 hours enough time? I will arrive at terminal 1. Are the signs in english or portugese only? I only speak english.

Any help would be much appreciated! A bit nervous and very excited about this trip.

PS: Anyone know something about Ilha Bella? Thats where we are headed. I hear there are "special" mosquitos there. Any info?

LC

Louis,
No problem in GRU, the airport is easy to navigate and find your way to your connection. 3 Hours is more than enough between the 2 flights in GRU. The signs are in both English and Portuguese. You may also easily ask the people there and you could find some English speaking staff. But no worries, GRU is not that difficult to navigate.

Ilha Bela is a gorgeous place, you will love it. It will be packed at this time of the year, full of very willing and beautiful young non pros. However, Portuguese is a must to tap into that market. If you have a good local wingman, you could sample some. But if not, best to BYOG.

Welcome to Brasil. You will have a blast!:)

No one is safe in Brazil, not even the son of President Lula who was assaulted in his hometown.

Famed talkshow Ratinho always used to compare the violence in his country to a a civil war. How right was he !.

From OGlobo

"O psicólogo Marcos Cláudio Lula da Silva, 38 anos, filho do presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, foi assaltado na noite de sexta-feira, por volta de 22h, ao parar em um semáforo na Rua Frei Gaspar, no centro de São Bernardo do Campo, ABC paulista. No boletim de ocorrência consta que ele foi abordado por três homens armados, que anunciaram o roubo, o ameaçaram e levaram o carro, um cartão de banco e documentos pessoais. Ninguém ficou ferido. "

Most of the reports I read state that ATM's are closed on week ends. I am arriving on a saturday ,what would be the best place/exchange rate to get $R?

I am staying in Copacabana.Are the Cambios in Copa open on Saturdays?

[QUOTE=Tummysangs]Most of the reports I read state that ATM's are closed on week ends. I am arriving on a saturday ,what would be the best place/exchange rate to get $R?

I am staying in Copacabana.Are the Cambios in Copa open on Saturdays?[/QUOTE]

ATMs are available Saturday and Sunday and offer the best exchange rate. HSBC is a good option. Cambios will be open on Saturday usually until around 2:00.

[QUOTE=Exec Talent]ATMs are available Saturday and Sunday and offer the best exchange rate. HSBC is a good option. Cambios will be open on Saturday usually until around 2:00.[/QUOTE]Is there a HSBC or other type of ATM that will take a UK card anywhere near Rua Almirante Goncalves as this is where I'm hoping to stay.

Thanks