I've been dating with little luck for over a year now and, having turned 30, I feel there's a bit more of a sense of urgency in my quest for love. And so when Matt, a man I had met at a mutual friend's birthday party a few years back, got back in touch by email to congratulate me on a new job, I suddenly had a wild idea.
Dating can be a lengthy, tedious process. It can take months to get to know someone. I wanted to take small-talk-over-dinner by the balls, shake it up and speed it up.
"Fancy coming to Brazil for a week, like on a really big date?"
Even though I'd only met him once, there was something about Matt. I proposed that we go away and get to know each other (much) better in a short time. Amazingly, Matt keenly accepted. He loved the spontaneity of a first date abroad, he said.
Three weeks and a few emails and phone calls later, and we were flying from Heathrow to Rio, then on to Fortaleza, in north-east Brazil.
Despite the fact that we obviously fancied each other, the tension when we took off was like that during the last few moments of building a Jenga tower. I realised I was going to be strapped into this situation for some time. But with all the films and meals and the excitement of travelling to Brazil for the first time, it went fine.
In the taxi we agreed to go on a date every evening, with a clause that we could just be friends if it got too much.
We arrived in the simple fishing village of Pontal de Maceió as the sun was setting at 5pm. We stepped out of the taxi onto a dusty path that led to our hotel, Vila Selvagem – which translates as Hotel Wild – where coconuts with straws were waiting to refresh us.
Most visitors to the coastal state of Ceará go for the sparkling, sprawling beaches which stretch unbroken for miles. We loved our hotel immediately: it overlooked the sea, Bob Marley was playing in the bar, and the owner told us that we were the first British tourists to pay a visit.
After spending a few hours settling in to our separate rooms, and chilling in the hammocks, we met for caipirinhas in the bar before dinner in the hotel's restaurant. Then disaster struck. During our chat Matt revealed that he wants a stay-at-home wife to look after the kids – my idea of hell. I'm a careerist, and possibly don't even want children. Nevertheless, we recovered from this tension and enjoyed each other's company … until Matt ruined it again by making a move on me. It was way too soon!
That put me in a bad mood the next day, and there was a subtext of tension to our conversations. We tried to relax by spending some time apart. I hung out by the pool while he made friends with the hotel owner. On day three, however, we went for a buggy ride along the sand dunes together. As the open-top Jeep lurched over the bumps, the driver played Elvis at full volume. Perfect, passive entertainment. Along the way, we passed sailing boats and kitesurfers making the most of the strong wind which the coast east of Fortaleza is known for. At the end of the ride we ate lobster at a beach cafe and the conversation picked up. I started to warm to Matt again, though I had by then decided we were probably incompatible.
But with holiday dating, you always get another chance. A boat trip the next day, from Fortim along the Jaguaribe river, took us along a route surrounded by rich mangroves, palm trees and carnauba trees, where we spotted crabs and tropical fish. It also took us to the Canal do Amor, but because no one spoke English, we didn't get to the bottom of what its exact love credentials were.
Never mind. We enjoyed a swim in calm waters redolent of the Amazon, and both got a little feverish playfighting like Tarzan and Jane. The local fishermen in their makeshift boats went about their daily work while Matt and I worked on capturing the date on our camera phones.
By the fifth day, we were both a little tired and decided to make use of the hotel's spa. Rather chivalrously, Matt offered to treat me to a facial, manicure and pedicure, while he opted for a sauna. The standard facial, reasonably priced at 40BRL (around £15), heralded good results and gave Matt the chance to caress my face, which was sweet.
Glowing, we perked up enough to head to the local town, Canoa Quebrada, for the evening. Following the hotel owner's recommendation, we enjoyed delicious fish at the Natural Bistrô. This diminutive restaurant stands out from all the brightly decorated places on the town's main drag as it is done out in white, French shabby chic.
That was date five, and we had eased into each other's company, but there was still no kissing or flirting. It was more like we were friends.
If we had been following a "normal" dating pattern, we would probably have gone our separate ways after date two, but we were away alone together in a very rural location, and with no one else speaking English. Being friends seemed logical.
Our final date was in Rio, where we had a stopover. A city so sensual, so known for its passion can't help but work its magic, and if the glittering, exciting metropolis was a far cry from our fishing village, so too were the dynamics between us.
We spent our time in Santa Teresa, the city's artistic quarter, drinking beers in the bohemian cafes with live bands playing and locals gyrating around us. Everything got very sexy in Rio. There was flirting and footsie that we didn't experience in Fortaleza, lingering looks and yes, even kissing. Suddenly the squashed and epic TAM flight back to Heathrow didn't seem so daunting.
But perhaps it was the cocktail of great views and hedonistic atmosphere that took my breath away. Back in Britain, Matt and I are still in touch, but as friends. While a long-haul date didn't herald love for us, it was the most memorable one I have been on. Brazil is truly beautiful, and it is impossible not to bond and fall in love just a little bit there.
• Matt and Erica stayed at Vila Selvagem in Fortim, Brazil (vilaselvagem.com). Doubles from 210BRL (£80) a night, including breakfast. Returns to Fortaleza from Heathrow with edreams.com, cost about £700. For activities in the local area, visit canoabrasil.com
• Matt's name has been changed
