Iguazu Falls Nature Trail

Gorgeous day! I TOTALLY did the right thing by waiting! Wow! Just Wow! As you will see for yourselves in the pics. I got to the bus station at 730 in plenty of time for the 740 bus. The bus came at stoopid 8 o clock! I had my plan, given to me by a variety of people. Get there, get on the train to the highest viewpoint, do the 3 hour nature walk, then wander round the red trail then the blue trail. Sorted.

I'm only going to talk about the nature trail cos the rest speaks for itself in pics. There's a small waterfall at the end where I'm told is a small pool that you can swim in. Sounds good to me! This is a walk that most people don't do (and when I got back and asked the others they didn't do it). I have no idea why as it's so beautiful. I was given my info leaflet about some of the dangerous animals I might come across. A snake, a puma and a leopard. Re the big cats,
*stand still
*make yourself bigger ie stand tall or on a rock, don't lie on ground
*don't run away. They will see you as prey and attack
*retain eye contact
*when moving away, move slowly backwards

Wow! So the whole way round I'm hoping to see a puma! I'm walking as silently as I can. The bird sounds are enchanting. Enchanting - that's a good word! And are only spoiled by the passing helicopters EVERY 5 MINUTES! The moment I walked into the trail a HUGE lizard thing scarpered across my path and into the bushes. It must have been 2 feet long! An alligator almost! I'm told my my Aussie friends later it's a dragon lizard. They see them all the time. No biggie. Next to spring out at me is what looks like a hare, but bigger and much uglier! I grab my camera hoping there's another and just catch one before he disappears too. The walk is beautiful and very peaceful as I only pass a few people en route. The giant ants! Omg they're HUGE!! I've never seen anything like them. And they just appear every 15 mins or so, on their own. Not in a line like the usual wee cute ones carrying leaves 10 times their size. And butterflies. MILLIONS of them! So beautiful.

About an hour into this gorgeous walk I hear a sound in the undergrowth. It's not just a bird or a lizard like I've already heard. No this is something heavier. Branches crack under it's weight. OMG POLLY WE'RE GOING TO SEE A PUMA!!!! I stop dead. Listening. The thing stops too. Has it seen me? Is it eyeing me up as prey? s*** what are the rules again?? I listen as it starts moving again. I'm struggling to see anything as the trees and bushes are too dense. Then I see something dark. It's getting closer to the path right in front of me! CAMERA! WHERE'S MY CAMERA??? But I'm too scared to move! Then it comes out onto the path and stares at me. It's a wee Asian tourist coming out of the bushes after relieving himself!!