This is what a hot dog looks like in Brazil.

This is what a hot dog looks like in Brazil:

Correction: this is only HALF a hot dog.

1.5 kg (3.3 lbs.) of mashed potatoes, corn, three types of cheese, chicken, pulled pork, peas, olives, onions, tomato sauce, potato chips, sausage, mayo, ketchup, and mustard.

Oh, and of course, hot dogs and the bun.

Ilhabela, SP, Brasil

This year’s trip to Brazil was more of a family visit rather than a sightseeing one. The only touristy activity I was determined to do was to spend several days at the beach.

I first had the chance to visit Ilhabela three years ago, and it immediately became one of my favourite places in the world. An island town off the coast of the state of São Paulo, the only way to reach it is by taking a ferry from the nearby town of São Sebastião, as there are no roads or bridges that connect it to continental Brazil.

View from the balsa en route to Ilhabela.

Growing up, my concept of a beach was the rocky sands and ice-cold waters of English Bay, so for me, Ilhabela — with its 41 tropical beaches — is nothing short of paradise.

Crunching Numbers

There’s no turning back now — I’m on a flight out of LAX — well out of range of the office — so if there’s anything that needs fixing, it’s too late. Yes, folks: crunch is officially over for me. Just in time, too, as working on this game has not had the most positive effect on my health. Observe:

• 11 white hairs, all of which sprouted up during production.

• 1 case of cervical arthritis. Oh, and my neck now curves in the opposite direction to how it’s supposed to be.

Necks are not supposed to curve in this direction!

• 11 sessions of physical therapy to deal with the consequences of sitting hunched over my tablet for 14-16 hours per day.

• 5 lbs. gained by the end of the project (I gained 20 lbs. on Uncharted 3, so this is actually an improvement).

• 35 bottles of wine consumed throughout production.

• 6 additional bottles of wine consumed the night of art lock.

This cute list is really only the tip of the iceberg. To be honest, this crunch was pretty brutal in a lot of ways, physically, emotionally, mentally, and I’m still in the process of recovering. All that matters to me right now is that, at the end of the day, all the personal sacrifice that I and everyone else put in to this game has paid off, and  I got to be part of what I believe is going to be an amazing game.

And I am officially on vacation.