3-Week Countdown Until I Leave for Brazil!

On Saturday, August 30, I fly to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to attend the Adventure Travel Trade Association's South American World Summit, Sept. 3-7. I have attended ATTA's past two annual summits, in Seattle, Washington, ('06) and Whistler, British Columbia, ('07) where I was also a speaker. As a journalist specializing in adventure travel topics, I have found these conferences of about 500 attendees to be extraordinary for international networking.

For ATTA's 2008 Summit in Brazil:

* The majority of participants will be international tour operators, plus travel agents, publicists and journalists; 60 to 70 percent of the tour operators will be from Mexico and South America. It will be an ideal time to practice my Spanish - I must learn some Portuguese too!

* The ATTA World Summit runs concurrently with the Adventure Sports Fair, Latin America's largest adventure travel trade show, which is expected to draw 70,000 visitors to the Imigrantes Exhibitions Center.

* As a speaker on a panel at the ATTA Summit, I will be presenting to an international audience in English, which will then be simultaneously translated into Portuguese and Spanish.

WEATHER

It will be winter in São Paulo with days generally sunny and dry. The temperature ranges from 58°F to 80°F – possible rain showers.

CURRENCY

The currency used in Brazil is called the Real (R$)

I am looking forward to the ATTA Summit as a personal and professional adventure! More soon on other Brazil and Peru adventures I have planned - whale watching, whitewater rafting and mountain biking!