The boys in the band say goodbye as we make our way to the airport. Rio :-: :-: :-: has been as spectacular and magical as promised.

We have stayed first in the Meridien at Copacabana beach, nice enough but very busy. Wonderful breakfasts in the paderia coffee shop up the street. Then we moved to the Arpoador Inn in neighbouring Ipanema, absolute-beachfront location with the sound of the waves breaking outside your window, the only downside is the slamming doors of neighbouring rooms.

We wave a tearful goodbye to Ipanema, and the as the cab approaches GIG a disagreeable smell floats over from the favelas. Not the cardboard cities we had expected, they're acres of tottering cheek-to-cheek brick shelters (photo). Despite the poverty there are many smiling faces.

The Varig terminal at GIG is a ghost town, made more poignant as each abandoned check-in counter displays a defunct Varig destination (eg "queue here for Brasilia"), and the sad notice-board (photo) is showing all the old Varig schedule with "cancelled" alongside every flight.

At the other end of the terminal, however, is a huddle of people, it's the UA check-in which proceeds smoothly. Security is a breeze. There appears to be a United RCC but FT has warned us off, anyway it seems to be behind its own assault-course of security. Whereas the Varig lounge is open, welcoming and unsuprisingly empty. They are glad to accept our Star Gold card entry..

We are in E+, 15AB on the short leg of the 767 plying IAD-GIG-GRU-IAD, 40 minutes in a near-empty economy cabin. No service during the flight but a drink and a sandwich before take-off, delayed due to a doorstep-bag-search as we enter the plane.

The same bumpy approach to Sao Paolo, and we are at Brazil's premier airport GRU where move straight to the UA connection for ORD.