I refresh the Uber app again and get the same result: a spinning wheel and then … nothing.
I was worried this might happen.
It’s why I’d asked the driver who dropped me off—in Spanish I pretended was Portuguese—if he wanted to wait for me.
He said no and drove away.
I’d taken the Uber up into the foothills above Rio de Janeiro to check out Mirante Dona Marta, a less-visited viewpoint with spectacular views of the entire city, with the more crowded Corcovado (home to the famous Cristo Redentor statue) looming above.
Was it worth it? 100%. (See the bottom of this email for evidence.)
But I knew that getting back down might be a challenge—would I even have cell service?
“I’ll figure it out after I check out the viewpoint,” I thought.
How hard could it be?
Very hard, as it turns out.
15 minutes earlier, I’d gotten the dreaded “You’ve used up all your 5G data” text.
So now I’m watching my phone crawl through connection attempts on whatever sad excuse for 4G they have up here. Uber after Uber appears on my screen … then vanishes.
“Driver arriving in 1 minute” … connection lost.
“Driver arriving in 8 minutes” … ride canceled.
“No drivers available” … refresh, refresh, refresh.
Ten minutes of this.
A couple comes down from the viewpoint and stands near me for a while, also staring at their phones. When a car drops someone off, we all perk up, but it drives away before any of us can grab it.
I consider asking them if they’re also trying to get an Uber, or maybe asking them for a hotspot, but I’m not sure what language they speak. They wander away.
Finally, I ask a guy in an officialish-looking vest for help. Blessedly, he speaks a little English: “We have a service. We can take you down the hill to the Corcovado train station—40 reales.”
The same price I paid to get here from all the way across the city.
But what choice do I have?
So I say yes. His buddy, who’s been sitting there with a laminated brochure since I arrived, tells me to follow him.
As he’s backing out of the space, he stops to say something in Portuguese to the couple from before, offering, I gather, to take them down as well. I roll down the window and signal for them to get in if they want, which they do. At least I’m not the only one with a half-baked plan …
Once again, I consider saying, “So we’ll share the cost, right?” But I don’t.
What follows is… well, let’s call it a scenic route. We hit construction and sit in traffic. Finally, the driver says something to the couple, who respond, and then we’re off, circumventing all the cars and buses sitting there, and heading down the hill—through a favela.
As we zoom past the hodgepodge constructions and families looking quizzically at us as they dine outside on plastic patio furniture, I wonder if this is the way we would have gone anyway, or if he asked them if they were okay with this route.
I’ll never know.
At the bottom, the driver charges me the full 40 reales (I guess the couple gets a free ride?) and I get out (they don’t?).
Cell service is better, and I’m finally able to get an Uber since it’s a popular pick-up and drop-off spot, but of course the app mistakenly locates my pickup spot several blocks away. Fortunately, I happen to spot my driver dropping off some other tourists, and run to snag him.
Phew.
Sound familiar, Reader? Ever found yourself in a similar “oh shit” travel moment where you’re winging it and hoping for the best?
Here’s the thing: I planned this whole Rio trip with one week’s notice. In other words, I didn’t do all the research and make all the arrangements I normally would. Not ideal, but I made it work.
Mostly.
And this is exactly why doing your research and planning ahead is so important. When you wing it, you end up wasting time and money—and maybe stressing about whether you’ll be taking up permanent residence at a scenic overlook.
But I also know that researching and planning a trip can be overwhelming and time-consuming, especially when you’ve already got a full plate.
That’s where my travel planning services come in. I’ve been there, done that, sent the clients, learned the lesson, bought the T-shirt.
Whether you want VIP hotel perks, insider recommendations that actually matter, or just someone to handle the logistics so you don’t end up stranded, I can make your trip—and your planning—smoother, more luxurious, and more enjoyable.
If that sounds appealing, book a Destination Discovery Call. It’s the best way to get the ball rolling. You’ll walk away with clarity on your destination and an action plan to make your next trip the most unforgettable yet.
In a good way, not a “I got stuck on a mountain but it turned into a funny story” way.
P.S. Ready to skip the stress and nail your next trip? Book a Destination Discovery Call (I call them Disco Calls because it's more fun 🕺) and let’s figure out exactly what you need to make it happen.
P.P.S. I'd say this view was worth it, no?