It all depends on how you arrive in Brazil as to the expectations, im assuming you will arrive by air.
Arriving at Rio airport can be quite daunting if you haven't done any homework previously on what to expect once you clear immigration and collect your baggage.
Make sure check the allowance you are entitled to when arriving in Brazil as 9 times out of 10 they will scan your bags once you have collected them.
Dont try and bring in 4 or 5 laptops for example, you will be asked to pay all the duty on goods which they think is over your allowance. And this will delay you considerably getting through to the other side.
Dont just jump into any taxi you come across outside the airport. Take your time and see where other people are going first.
If you can speak some Portuguese this will help for sure, as unless you get into a tourist taxi which is very unlikely they will not speak any English, be prepared for this. If you can speak a sentence and tell them where you are going and generally understand them, you will feel a lot better as well as safer.
From the international airport to either Rio or Barra normally takes about 30 minutes, so understand that. Also it will depend on the time of day as traffic can build up around normal rush hour time which in Brazil is from 3 o'clock on wards.
Its not uncommon for the local population around the airport to stop cars on the roads around it and rob the people of their possessions, which is why i try and avoid night time travel to and from Rio International.
That being said, don't let these things put you off coming to Brazil, i have lived there for over 10 years now and is a great place to visit and spend time. Just plan where your going to visit beforehand, and be prepared.
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