Backing out of Brazil

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The day after Thanksgiving I was sitting on my dad's couch when he handed me an envelope and began to explain himself. 

"I woke up in the middle of the night worried sick and had to write you this letter," he uttered.  As I began reading his words of concern, my heart sank and tears welled up in my eyes. 

He was trying to talk me out of my my sabbatical.  My radical sabbatical. The dream Jake and I had spend almost three years dreaming up.  The goal that we had set and been working toward.  The light at the end of my BRCA shit-show tunnel. 

Dad's letter outlined all the reasons why we should stay back.  The illnesses we could contract, the dangers we could encounter, and the worry of kidnapping. I couldn't stop my tears from pouring down my cheeks. But most of all, I could not go on this trip without my fathers blessing.

"We have to figure out a compromise," I choked out. 

After talking it through and listening to his concerns we decided we could ease his anxiety by taking Brazil off the itinerary.  Why Brazil?  Well his biggest concern is kidnapping, and he had just read international news about the family @ouropenroad and their horrific encounter with Brazilian pirates. 

While Brazil was possibly my #1 destination it is one of the most dangerous countries in South America and  the VISA situation is expensive and time consuming.

It was going to cost us $800 to get visas for the family along with 4 separate appointments at the consulate in L.A. So all that made the choice a little easier to swallow. But where could we go with our $50 dollar a night budget that could match my dream of Brazil?

I looked into Australia for  few days.  It would cost the same amount of air miles and the waves promised to be just as dreamy, but the accommodations just didn't make the cut.  I looked at hostels, airbnb, renting a van, but nada... So, what came next on my radar? Europe! More specifically France and Portugal.  But all the details for these two destinations deserve a different post all together!  I make sure and link here when they are complete!