Day 25 – January 19, 2026
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil → Raleigh, NC
We met up for breakfast around 9:15 am and decided to keep the day low-key. Marguerite was still doing some last-minute damage control, and Catherine and Scott were being picked up earlier than us, so after a bit of discussion, we opted to book an extra night at the hotel. Since our flight didn’t leave until 10 pm, it made much more sense than wandering around all day with luggage—and it gave all of us the option to use the room if needed.
After saying our goodbyes to Catherine and Scott, we headed out to grab some lunch. John and I ordered a rice dish with shrimp that was topped with cheese and then torched right at the table to melt it—simple but really good. Joe and Marguerite ordered the same. We popped across the street to wander through a market for a bit, but once the rain started rolling in, we made a quick dash back to the hotel.
Our ride arrived at 6 pm to take us to the airport, and we spent the waiting time relaxing in the Admiral’s Club before boarding. John and I were lucky again to have lie-flat seats for the flight home—a very welcome comfort after such a long journey.
We departed around 10:30 pm, with a flight time of about 7½ to 8 hours to Miami. Once in Miami, we had a 2 hour layover and then off to Raleigh!
It’s hard to believe how much we packed into this trip—so many places, experiences, meals, and memories. While it’s always a little sad to see an adventure end, we’re grateful for every moment and very much looking forward to being home. 🏡✨
Final thoughts:
This was an AMAZING trip and we are so glad we did it! Regent was spot on and Scott is now forever sold on it, lol! Catherine did an amazing job planning everything else afterwards (Iguazo Falls and Rio!) and we are forever grateful to her!
While we all loved spending time with Joe and Marguerite in Rio, the downside was Marguerite having her phone stolen and dealing with that. While Rio is neat, lively, and colorful, I think we can say that we’ve “been there, done that” and mark it off the list; we have no desire to go back.
Glad to be home – now time to work off the pounds from all the great food & drink we had! Until next time…..