Photos (view the last pages as we have added Iguazu Falls)

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/761513822

Day 15 - BA

We really just chilled today. We took a walk along the river and the posh part of BA but basically waited till the evening when we went to catch the bus to Puerto Iguazu. Another 16 hour bus journey but we went for the Cama seats, so it's not so bad. The seats were big and we got food (Maries order of vegetarian even arrived) and we got a relatively decent night sleep.

Day 16 - Puerto de Iguazu (PI)

We arrived just before midday and went to the hostel. Bit more like normal hostels, which was a shame considering the last one in BA was really good, it was still basic but it was new and well kept. This one not so much but it would do.
Went for a stroll round town and got some information about getting to the waterfalls and the tours on offer. We also realised that a group of bikers from Brazil were over for the weekend. Looked like it was going to be a big weekend for some.

We also got some information on Brazil. Everyone that we have met and people from before we went away had told us that Brazil is the most expensive South American country. We realised this straight out when we were looking for hostels and then when we found out the bus from the Brazilian side of the waterfalls to Rio (20 hours) was £100 each. That's double what Argentina would be for the same time journey. We started to discuss over a great calzone pizza the idea of skipping Brazil. It is more important that we do Peru and Equador (Galapagos) than Brazil and you can get there relatively easy from the UK. That and the part we were going to do was pretty small, so it would be better to come back, fly between all the places and include stuff like the amazon. With that decision made and both feeling a little relieved and pleased the decision had been made, we started to look for flights. We found a flight from PI to Lima, via BA for less than a flight from Rio to Lima. This again made the decision feel right. So we booked up and it was done.
We got an early night as tomorrow was a whole day at the waterfalls.

Day 17 - Puerto de Iguazu

Up early, and on the bus to see the waterfalls on the Argentinian side. We turn up and pay our money and check into the tour we had booked with a few activities. It started with an 8km drive through the jungle on an open truck. Unfortunately, this didn't exactly thrill us. We saw a couple of spiders but that was it. We learnt a couple of bits though. It dropped us all off at the docks and we boarded a boat. The boat went a few kilometres up the river and for the first time we saw the waterfalls. They are split into two sections with the main, spectacular one being named the Devils Throat. I won't waffle on about how good they are, you can see the 100 or so pictures and the 3 films!!! The boat took us up and allowed us time to take pictures. Then it was time to put everything away into the dry bags supplied and get ready for the soaking. They take you up as close to the falls as possible without it actually hitting you (obviously it would kill you !!!). It wasn't like a shower, it was like someone dropping loads of buckets of water onto you. We had come kind of prepared and had our rain coats on but Martin was pretty warm when he got on the boat so left it open at the top and yep, forgot to close it up. Marie did her explorer look with the coat on and hood up. We got taken up to both waterfalls twice, so you had no chance. It was quite amusing to see the different cultures, with the Asians all in jeans and sweaters, with their full on rain covering macks and then the Europeans, all stripping off to barely anything.

Anyway, we got off the boat and Marie pulls out her dry clothes and gets changed in the corner. Martin stands there wet and after going to the toilet and ringing everything out (including pants), he was still wet !! Thankfully the sun was out, so it only took about 2 hours to dry properly !! Some people are sensible and some are not.

The trail after the boat is called the lower circuit and is just that but it only shows you the non Devils Throats (can't remember the name) from below. You then climb to the top.

After a quick lunch and drying session, we went to the upper circuit, that shows you the non Devils Throat from the top. You get to walk all along the top of it on board walks and look down at it. It really is quite spectacular. We then took a train up to the top of the national park and did the walk to see Devils Throat. Again, it is along board walks and you get to look down at the waterfalls. It is incredible, there is so much water flowing over the edge at any one time and there is so much mist that you can't even see the bottom of the waterfall. We stood and took it all in for sometime.

On the way back, we took this nature tour, where you get into a large rubber boat and they drift down the river, thankfully not near the waterfalls !! It was meant to be showing and telling us about the nature of the national park but it turned out the man spoke no English, so we got to see a river!! We did pick up a few bits and we did see one large alligator, well, the back of it as it had shoved itself into a bush and you could see the tail and part of the back. Not sure we'd have taken it had we known there was no English.

By the time we'd finished this, the day had passed and it was time to go home. We were both quite tired and when we got to town, it looked like it was going to be a night missed as there were all the bikers on the beers.

Day 18 - Foz du Iguacu (Brazil)

We'd seen the Argentinian side but everyone had told us to see both, so today was another early start to catch the 8:10am bus to see the waterfalls from the Brazilian side. We were told that the bus company was Cruz del Norte, it went from platform 7, costs 45 pesos and departed at 8:10. What could go wrong!!! So after quickly getting some money out and running to the bus station, we turned up at 1 minute before 8am. There was a little coach of Cruz del Norte on platform 7 with Brasil and Foz du Iguacu in the window. Say to the man, Foz du Iguacu to be certain and get the Si reply. Perfect. We board and it costs 7 pesos. Hmmmm. Then the bus departs. At quick check of the watch, it's 8am and not 8:10am. Worrying but may be they'd given us the wrong time and it costs more from the Brazilian side…..

We get to the Argentinian border and we get off the bus, get stamped out of Argentina. As we're boarding the bus, the driver starts to try to have a full on conversation with us. We picked up nothing from it. Luckily, an American girl (never did ask her name, so let's call her X) spoke Spanish and told us that we'd have to get off the bus at the Brazilian side with them as it didn't go to Foz du Iguacu. Turns out we may be on the wrong bus. The bus to the falls would be along in 2 hours!! So we get dropped off on the other side of passport control at a bus station. So there we stand debating what to do and then realise that we are in Brazil but not actually stamped to be in Brazil. We really owe a lot to X. She went off and spoke to people and got the options. We could stay and get that next bus or we could walk down to the freeway and try to get a bus. Then we saw the Cruz del Norte bus that we should have been on, so she went off to speak to him. Didn't care a sausage. She found out though that the other bus was actually going to Foz du Iguacu town, so they got off it incorrectly as that's what they wanted. Could imagine that would go down well in Europe, same company etc but nope, he would not take us unless we walked the 3kms or so back to the Argentina side. A quick check on a taxi dismisses that as an option. Then we realise. We left Argentina but have no stamp for Brazil, so we are kind of illegally in Brazil right now. Off she went again and spoke to passport control (they apparently spoke better English than Spanish as they are Portugese speakers) and got our passport stamped and managed to find out a hotel was about a km or so away.

During this time, our hitch hiking attempts failed. Everyone seemed to be saying that they can't pick up at the border, so we started our walk (thankfully we didn't have our backpacks). We got to the hotel and find out there is a local bus to the falls from just outside, so we're sorted. The others could also get a bus to the town, so we said a big thank you and left them to it. Wasn't long before the bus came and we were off again. The only good thing about this all was that by this time it was only 10am, so we still had loads of time and though the big scare was over, we were still in Brazil and needed to be in Argentina for the flight tomorrow.

Over all this time, we also found out that our fundamental mistake was not to ask for Parque Nacional Foz du Iguacu. We only asked for Foz du Iguacu!!!!!

We get to the falls and found out that there is basically one trail that takes you along to see both the waterfalls. There are loads of activities to do but since we'd done things yesterday, we didn't really want to do anything so we thought it would be a reality short trip. We walked along the trail and the real difference is that at devils throat, it takes you out to see it from the bottom as opposed to the top, looking down as on the Argentine side. It was good, we saw the falls again but since we had taken the boat the previous day, we had got photo's and seen it from this perspective. It is summed up by saying that we took 14 pictures on Brazilian side and around 100 on the Argentinian side.

After about 2 hours, it was time to get back. After a while, we see the bus from Cruz del Norte and it was the man that didn't care a sausage at our troubles at the border. So we know this is the right bus and follow some girls getting on it. The man doesn't ask for a ticket, so we don't show one. We got back easily and smoothly with the added bonus that we didn't pay anything for it. So it cost us about £4 for both of us return. Happy Days!

Day 19 - Back to BA

We got up, got collected and transported to the airport and got on the plane back to BA. The 16 hours on a bus were replaced by 1h45 on a plane. Which one is better we debated !!!

Got back to BA and took the public bus back to the same hostel and were greeted with a big "Hola, your back" from the staff !! We'd decided to take a dorm (the first of the trip), so who would be our room buddies. We take a peek and find that it is Michael and Lucy, a couple we'd met before and knew were coming back to BA today. Couldn't have worked out better for us all. A little later in the day we saw John as well, a Spurs fan we had met at the football. It was like coming home in a weird way, we knew people and had friends there. Weird at the same time though.

In the evening, we went out to what we had come back for. La Bomba del Tiempo. A group of professional drummers. We turned up and got a beer. Well, it seems that beer comes in a 1 litre option and in a plastic cup. Marie wondered about sharing a bottle of wine and thankfully we didn't, that came in a 1 litre plastic cup!! And you could have a cocktail - guess what size that came in !!

The drummers were amazing. So pleased we came back for this. We stood, watched and danced to them for 2 hours. If you ever go or if we ever go back, go see them. Well worth the £5 entrance.

After the drummers, we went to a bar to meet Lucy and Michael. We finally got to bed about 3am. Well, when you're in BA you have to live like everyone else! It was a really good night and we had a good laugh. It's a shame that they'll be living in Newcastle but only a trip away. Martin did kind of agree to run the Great North Run in September but we'll see.

Day 20 - BA to Lima

Spent the day relaxing. Managed to watch part of the Spurs vs Man City game. Nothing to talk about there again. Late afternoon, we went to the airport and took the flight to Lima, arriving at 11pm their time. We had booked a taxi with the hostal and we arrived safely.