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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

About having second thoughts about Rio?

106 replies

Yasai · 18/02/2024 23:41

hoping to travel long-haul somewhere in July or August.

love the idea of Rio but all the talk of how dangerous it is has made me have doubt. I’d be travelling with DH & DD’s age 5 and 7. Does anyone have any experience?

OP posts:

Tatonka · 27/02/2024 04:18

Justkeeepswimming · 27/02/2024 03:02

@Tatonka

The pathogens that people have immune experience of are local in nature.

Whenever we go out of our local area we are exposed to different viral variants, bacteria etc and many are entirely different to what you’d have at home.

Which is why when a Brazilian child bites into the local beef they don’t get a stomach upset, but the British child may have severe gastroenteritis, the Brazilian child has a sniffle, the British child has flu… It’s all about exposure.

Looking at the current list of things you’d need to be wary of: tuberculosis; arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika; malaria; bacterial diarrhea; hepatitis; and neglected tropical diseases, such as Chagas, leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis… pretty different to your exposure risk in the U.K.

That is before you get to thinking about the people wanting to rob and attack you and your children having no maturity level to understand any of it to protect themselves independently of you. Local children will not be the target and some may be the perpetrators.

Show quote history

This is the case in many countries, I think OP wants to give her children some unforgettable experiences which they won't have staying in boring old England. I went to India when I was 7 and it was fabulous, I still remember it as an adult now and am so appreciative to have experienced that

Tedthesailor1 · 27/02/2024 06:24

My BIL travels there with work and his company use armoured vehicles to transport their employees to be in the safe side.

Be cautious.

IpanemaCaipirinha · 27/02/2024 06:47

My BIL travels there with work and his company use armoured vehicles to transport their employees to be in the safe side.

That’s because you have to travel right past some of the most dangerous favelas, our company did the same.

As I said upthread, I lived in Ipanema for several years with young children and we all had an amazing time. Dress down, no jewellery and be aware of your surroundings. We did paddle and swim in the sea, there are life guards in summer but Op will be there in winter which we (as Northern Europeans) found chilly

IpanemaCaipirinha · 27/02/2024 06:57

One last thing, a friend was telling me that they are having a dengue outbreak atm so it would be worth OP checking out the latest info on that.

Thepeopleversuswork · 27/02/2024 06:59

Justkeeepswimming · 19/02/2024 09:28

Why on earth would you take small children there??

Long haul is a silly idea too, very unfair on them - saw a family like this recently who thought Mexico for a week was a great idea for 3 kids under 7…. They needed a flight to London and then on to cancun. We saw them on their return journey - all absolute road kill.

Why on earth would you be so hostile?

I have taken me child to Rio (we have family there).

It can be very dangerous but it doesn’t have to be. As others have said the main thing is to not look like a tourist. Resist temptation to have a phone/iPad/watch on you. Just not worth it.

Don’t go into or near the favelas and don’t go into the beaches at night. You have to have your wits about you but it’s perfectly possible to avoid crime.

Justkeeepswimming · 27/02/2024 10:40

Thepeopleversuswork · 27/02/2024 06:59

Why on earth would you be so hostile?

I have taken me child to Rio (we have family there).

It can be very dangerous but it doesn’t have to be. As others have said the main thing is to not look like a tourist. Resist temptation to have a phone/iPad/watch on you. Just not worth it.

Don’t go into or near the favelas and don’t go into the beaches at night. You have to have your wits about you but it’s perfectly possible to avoid crime.

Show quote history

@Thepeopleversuswork

I wouldn’t say hostile, more shocked; can’t understand people being so irresponsible with young children.

Why, when there are plenty of safer and more accessible places available, can’t people hold off until their children are old enough to
a) be able to cope better with illness they may encounter
b) have some common sense and more street awareness
c) have stronger memories of the experience

As I said if family are present and it is a necessary trip that is one thing…

But otherwise why would you be putting a child reception age and younger through it all?!

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