Cycle Your Heart Out in Rio De Janeiro!

“If your searching for that one person that will change your life,
​take a look in the mirror”.

Heart Route: 27 Country: 8

When was the last time you put yourself first? So often in life we spend so much time and energy bringing a smile to everyone else's face, that we forget the most important person of all, ourselves. That cliche we have heard our whole lives, is probably the single most important thing we can accomplish in life, love yourself first...buy yourself flowers, take that trip to the mountains that you continue to put off, that outfit? Buy it? Meal for one? Enjoy it! That crazy adventure? Book it!

Two months ago my heart lead me to Rio de Janeiro, and now I give it to you. Scroll down to find out what pulled me there, watch my 2 videos, and discover the magic of heartful cycling ...

Follow Your Heart

The Rio whisper 

Two years ago you sprung from a photo and remained imprinted on my heart,

But the noise of life covered and concealed your naked beauty,
Month by month you'd whisper in my ear, but each night I'd rock you back to sleep,
I guess you grew tired of my excuses, of putting loved ones first & myself last,
so you decided to remind me...
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Through rejection,
Through pain,
Through dance.

Thank you, for melting my heart, and washing my eyes clean again,
That photo from 2 years ago flew back into view,
Never have I seen a route this unique,
A bike path hugging every turn, every curve,
A heart shaped lake, in a city that lights my soul in ways impossible to describe.

A heart shaped route to remind us to always follow our hearts, and listen to our inner voice,
​Rio de Janeiro is my gift to you.

Location

BRAZIL, Rio De Janero

A country I've dreamed of going for years, but always put off...I'll go next year, I'll go in 2 years, I'll go when this ... or I'll go when that .... etc etc. But that perfect time never seemed to arrive. In the back of my mind the movie 'Up' would replay, I don't want that to be me, one day on my deathbed bed wishing things could have been different. October 2017 I lay in bed contemplating who to message for advice… instead my fingers led me to something else...PAY NOW I clicked. Rubbing the morning sleep from my eyes, I'd finally done it... one ticket to my dream destination coming soon! Sharing a sunrise breakfast on the beach a couple days before with my beautiful friend Vanessa filled me with so much gratitude. Some friends have this amazing ability to help push you in the direction of your dreams...magic is something you make, and I'm so glad to have her in my life. Cherish these friends with all your heart.

Accommodation

As I was travelling solo I decided the best place for me to stay would be in this cute hostel called  Lemon Spirit in Leblon, a short walk away from the famous Ipanema beach. It was really easy to meet people and make friends, the first day I arrived I met a really nice girl called Amy from Melbourne, who ended up coming along my heart shaped route! The hostel also provided a free breakfast, delicious papaya every morning put a smile on my face, especially as it was combined with monkeys swinging from the trees in front of me!

Bike rental:
There are no shortage of places to rent a bicycle in Rio, including around the heart shaped lagoon. I decided to try the local bike hire scheme called Bike rio as I wanted the freedom to be able to cycle the whole time I was there. All I needed to do was download the app and use a Brazilian SIM card to register, it was also much cheaper than renting a bike every day.
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Route 27

Rodrigo de Freitas Lakes
 
This was my 27th heart route, never have I found a route which ticked every box.  Following the 7.7km  bicycle path around the stunning heart shaped lagoon, there no need to whip out my map, no need to worry about traffic, and impossible to get lost. Instead I was able to cycle mindfully,  allowing nothing but my heart to guide me.

Cycle Your Heart Out!

Watch my video to discover what beautiful highlights you can see along the route, you may see I have a soft spot for a certain animal and flower!!

Music by Samba Do Brasil-Ey Macalena

Gallery

Finishing my heart route, I was greeted by a wave, swaying in the wind where pink petals I knew I'd seen somewhere before. Impossible to smell without closing my eyes, transporting me back to 2010, the first time me and the frangipani flower first met. Now whenever we do, I'm reminded of sunset bike rides along the crocodile beaches of Darwin, Australia, and the rice paddies of Ubud, Bali.

Thank you for pulling me all the way here,
For making me ride around your every curve,
For making me follow my heart and not drown my dreams,
For making my heart beat again and believe in love.

Eight years later, here I stand,
my 27th heart route,
my 8th country,
Brazil and the Frangipani flower,
Maybe it was the scent that helped draw me here...

Looking to my left the waves crash against the powder soft sand, while the volleyball nets frame the turquoise sea. As I turn to my front & sip my coconut, I gaze up at the same mountains I had once only dreamed about. Now, here they are, resting so effortlessly before me, while the Brazil flag dances in the wind. I pull out my sketchbook, to imprint this moment in my heart.

Gratitude

“The meaning of life is to find your gifts, the purpose of life is to give it away”
Pablo Picasso

Elodie, the French beauty who got me painting again, I'll never forget the moment I spotted her in our hostel in Melbourne. Hypnotized by the way she she sketched, it was thanks to her I believed I could paint again, who made me believe I was good enough, and hadn't forgotten how. It was her who took me shopping to buy my 1st ever travel paint kit, and who introduced me  to the magical water pen. From Melbourne, to Tasmania, to now the stunning rocks of Rio's Ipanema beach. Here we sit, catching up on 8 years of stories as the sun sets with a paintbrush in our hands.

Awaken love, a global meditation organisation that I discovered first in Barcelona. Instead of a typical Saturday night out in Lapa, I decided to go to this meditation event and get to know more locals. I was lucky to meet these 4 lovely Brazilian ladies and enjoyed sharing my heart shaped story with them, thanks Raphaella, Debora, Izabella, and Fernanda for a lovely evening and night!

My tour guide Lucas from Intrepid Travel. After cycling my heart out I decided to explore the rest of Rio! It was beautiful to discover that locals call the lagoon ‘The heart of Rio’!  Click here to read my full review on Trip Advisor.
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All the people from Lemon Spirit hostel who helped me climb to the top of the Dois Irmãos hill, and make a dream come true! Zipping up through the Vidigal  Favela on the back of a locals moped, a 1 hour hike through the bushes and sweltering heat, finally we made it. Gazing down, the whole of Rio de Janeiro lay below me.  My heart skipped a beat when I saw her looking up at me, there she lay, the heart shaped lagoon.

​This route really took the phrase 'follow my heart', to a whole new level! 

Thank you

I hope you enjoyed reading my Rio post, if you've made it down this far I'd love to invite you on my heart shaped journey. Subscribe below and follow me on Instagram so you can cycle your heart out with me online :-) 

Cycle your heart out and I'll speak to you soon,

Sarah ❤️

“Your wheels are your paint, the world is your canvas”

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