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| Re: Driving in Brazil-tips, pointers?
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Posted on: Sat, 10 May 2008 18:10:33 -1000
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Just saw this post so the reply is late, maybe too late. I drove from Rio
to Sao Paolo on the coast route in 2002. At the time an int'l license
wasn't necessary but I had one anyway. I had the car for 3 days in Rio and
then for the 2-day trip to Sao Paolo and it cost about $350 US cy. The road
is very good and the scenery beautiful except for all the oil tankers
offshore. Be real careful approaching each town because of the speed bumps.
Although the ocean is pretty I've heard it is quite polluted. I stopped in
Ubatuba for the night, very picturesque and vibrant. It was easy to find
reasonably priced lodging. Before the long steep climb from the coast to
Sao Paolo get gasoline in Santos. I nearly ran out on the way and it would
have been a disaster if I hadn't picked up a hitchiker who told me which
turnoff had a station. It's 2 lanes each way with nowhere to pullover to
the side of the road. All cars, trucks and busses go as fast as they can
and they sound like they have no mufflers. It's similar to, but 10 times
worse than rush hour on hwy 17 between Santa Cruz and San Jose, CA. Sao
Paolo driving was hair raising, about as bad as Mexico City but not as bad
as Cairo. It is a huge city and streets and hiways change names about every
other block. It took me over an hour to find Congonhas Airport from less
than a mile away. A few pictures of that trip are at:
http://home.hawaii.rr.com/morepat/rio.htm
> I will be travelling to Brazil in a few months, staying about 3-4 weeks.
> (there will be two of us)
>
> We would like to do some driving in Brazil, ideally from Rio to Sao Paulo
> to stay with some friends for a few days.
>
> Ideally we would like to drive one way, Rio-Sao Paulo and leave the car
> with the car rental company. Is this possible?
>
> Also, does anyone have recommendations on rental companies? Prices?
>
> What about driving licences?
>
> We have an Irish driving licence, and a Spanish licence between us. Will
> they be accepted? If not any pointers to whats officially accepted?
> (Brazilian weblinks would be ok, we speak Portuguese).
>
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