Rather than barrels full of toxic ooze being dumped under the cover of darkness, the Guarapari region is known for its naturally occurring low levels of radiation, believed to be radium (used for treating cancer) for those that are interested.

Just as uranium occurs naturally in the rock formations in Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory, so does a much less lethal level of radium in some areas of Brazil.

But before I get carried away with the concept of a life-changing trip to the beach, let's concentrate on Fernanda Motta and the lead up to her life-changing trip to the beach.

Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1981, Fernanda was the youngest of many siblings, and her extended family gatherings ensured that the youngest (and most adorable) of the children always received the most attention.

A lot of Fernanda's youth was spent enjoying time with her best friends, and who would have guessed that one of her favourite pastimes was hanging out at radium-enriched beaches? Not me. Of life in Brazil she remains very philosophical, saying "Life is really easy in Rio. Everybody works until four and then goes to the beach." That's nothing. I work until five then go straight to taxidermy class. Mounting dead animals is way tougher than going to the beach, believe you me.

So, when she was 16 Fernanda was relaxing at the picturesque Guarapari beach when a model scout spotted her and simply trotted up to the Brazilian beauty and told her what most women want to hear: your are completely and utter gorgeous. Wanna be a model??

The scout told Fernanda that she had a look that would go a long way in the world of fashion, and though she was initially aghast at the proposition, she took a punt and went for it.

Soon after being discovered, Fernanda's success in Brazil was instant, and she got plenty of publicity appearing on local television, and she also scored a small part in the Argentinean film Sólo Por Hoy (Just for Today) in 2001. And as Fernanda's star began to rise, big names took notice, particularly Victoria's Secret, of which the lingerie corporation appears to have a penchant for Brazilian models.

She landed contracts with Wonderbra Brazil as well as with shampoo giant Pantene in North America, and it was only a matter of time before before the big Western groups were scrabbling to get her face on their products.

First came her Brazilian Vogue appearance, followed by the cover of Glamour (US) in February 2004, not long after which she was plucked from mainstream obscurity to be thrust into the bathrooms of American males everywhere as she made her debut showing in the 2004 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Today Fernanda Motta lives in New York and name her hobbies as 'shopping'. Eventually she wants to move back to her homeland and start a family, and she also sees Brazilian stunner Ana Hickmann as a role model, saying she wants to have her own line of products like her established countrywoman.

by Sara Templeton