Someone left the tap on! Iguassu-Argentina

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The alarm went off and I swear we could of pressed snooze.... It was a little before 0630 and bleary eyed, we made it to breakfast for 7am, having fruit, coffee and a toastie. We were leaving at 0730 today as it was a little bit further back across the border to Argentina. We met up with Karinas group again, and we had to go back to their hotel as one of the girls had forgotten her passport-luckily she realised before we'd gotten too far. This group were almost at the end of a 45 day trip around South America. They didn't really want to talk to us much, and had their little 'in' jokes. It was akin to going on a field trip with pupils from rival schools on the same bus where no one talks to each other! The Slytherin to our Gryffindor for all you Harry Potters out there!

Anyway, on our way we went. It was a little bit misty this morning, but it was clearing as we arrived at Iguassu, and the sun was coming out. We got on a train that took about 5-10 minutes to the first sightseeing area. This involved another 5-10 minute walk across a platform that stretched out across and over the river. People passing us coming from the opposite direction looked like drowned rats-I was glad we'd brought our rain coats. In the distance you could see the huge haze of spray coming from the falls, and the noise getting ever louder the closer we got. Eventually we reached the end of the platform which stood right at the top of the waterfall looking down into a cloudy abyss. It was an awesome sight. I could not get over the sheer size and volume of water pouring down before us. Birds looked like little dots swooping in and out, and I felt so tiny next to this huge body of water.



I was so glad my camera was waterproof, and Sam and I got some brilliant pictures with yet another beautiful back drop. Iguassu Argentina was just as impressive as Brazil, but in a different way, as we were seeing the falls from a totally different viewpoint. The only word that come to mind to describe it is 'thunderous'



Back on the train, we went to another viewing area whereby you could see the waterfalls as far as the eye can see. Where the viewing areas on the Brazilian side seemed to be in line with or below the falls, here on the Argentinian side, a lot of the walkways were on top looking down or across to the falls, and I liked the way you had the chance to see it from all sides. Karina caught up with us again here and we got some more pictures, it was great to see her for a second day (and in our 4th country together in less than 3 months!) there were so many butterflies on this side too, all different sizes and colours, and to think-non of this is man made. It really made me appreciate nature in a way I hadn't done before.



All this waterfall walking was giving us an appetite so we made our way to the restaurant area. Ideally I would have liked to have gone to the traditional Argentinian place that was a kind of steak house, but we were due to go to a BBQ this evening, so didn't want to over indulge! Instead I got a ham and cheese sandwich and Sam got a chicken roll. The other group from the bus came in and there's always one in every group-and in this one was a girl with a really high pitched American/Canadian voice with a laugh as annoying as mozzie bitten ankles. Out of everyone in the group it was always her you could hear and I hoped she didn't sit near us so we could have our lunch in peace. (Meow) I was relieved when Sam agreed she was a tad annoying, and this was further backed up by Jessie and Rachel, the two Aussies in our group, who confirmed, yes, she was annoying to them too. We agreed the other group seemed full of oddballs, and thankfully in true high school canteen style, they sat at the opposite end from us.



Not content with our sandwich, we treated ourselves to an ice cream as well, which when we paid in dollars, worked out mega cheap. We bought some postcards and magnets as well to use up the last of our Argentinian pesos and dollars, and made our way outside to sit in the sun for a bit and listen to Jessie perfecting her English / Yorkshire accent (eeeeee am ab-so-lute-lee stuffed!) can't think where she's heard that......... I tried my hand at Australian quoting from Muriel's Wedding (I don't think I'd pass as a local just yet) but we all agreed non of us can do the welsh accent (even after living there for 18 months and knowing Daryl for near on 4 years, my impression as are still as terrible as ever)



By one o clock, we met up again with the groups that were going on the boat ride. There was a choice of this or a helicopter ride, and we'd been told that this was probably the better one of the two to do (not to mention cheaper-once a northerner always a northerner) after passing a sign detailing some facts on the waterfalls. Iguassu is the 4th widest falls in the world behind Laos, Venezuela and gambon. Suddenly I didn't have the urge to visit Niagra as much as I had done in the past (that was ranked 9th) even the spectacular Victoria falls in Zimbabwe was 7th. Like I said Iguassu will take some beating. Literally translated, it means Big Water, and runs in a letter J separating Brazil from Argentina (and slightly more impressive then the Severn bridge separating England and Wales......) we boarded what I can only describe as the safari truck as it drove us to the part of the river to board the boat. It was about 20 minutes away and the rocking motion of the wagon and heat from the sun was making Sam and I look like a pair of nodding dogs. Eventually we got to the waters edge where we were given a waterproof bag to put our things in and a life jacket and off we sped. We got right up close to the falls and got some lovely pictures of the rainbows. Up on the path we could see Jessie and Rachel waving at us, watching what was about to happen.... Then it was time to get interactive. It honestly felt like I was in a washing machine as the boat steered right underneath the falls. I thought I was going to have a panic attack-I was laughing but gasping to breathe, and all at the same time wondering why we even bothered to wear our rain jackets. We were soaked to the bone. In and out we went and I managed to film most of it on my camera-what a sight we looked. We howled with laughter, my sunglasses skew whiff on my face and Sams mascara around her eyes. I held the camera up and got a great shot of the water pelting down. Underneath it all we looked terrible, but oh how we laughed! Honestly I've not laughed that much in ages! It didn't last long, but I was so glad we did it. Great pictures, great fun, great memories. (I'll try to load the video onto here if I can)



We had a damp walk back to the restaurant area to get changed, and as we'd bought postcards and stamps at lunchtime, we realised we'd have to post them here in Argentina, as after this visit, we wouldn't be coming back. Luckily we found a postbox and snagged a pen and managed to get them done before walking back to the bus for the journey home. As we were leaving we slowed down to pass the trees full of Toucans whose orangy, yellowy beaks stood out amongst the greenery, so beautiful. We were told that toucans only fly in pairs, which made my heart sink a little at the thought of my toucan I'd left back home beavering away over uni work. Daryl would have loved this so much. As much as I was enjoying my travels I was looking forward to the time when life is a bit more settled and we can fly together as a pair once again.



Back to the hotel after a long day, we had no time to rest as we were showered, changed and out the door again for a BBQ. It was 80 Brazilian Reals each (approx £16) for all you can eat BBQ and all you can drink ciprihanas. What-a-bargain. The odd ball Slytherin group hadn't wanted to come. Not one of them out of a group of around 10 or so, which was a real shame as it was Karinas group, it meant she couldn't come either. We met up with another group who had just flown in from Paratay that morning (our next destination) and within ten minutes we were all nattering away like we'd known each one for ages. It's funny how the dynamics can differ so much from group to group, but these girls were lovely and I got chatting to a girl called Emma from the midlands who was travelling with her friend Emma from London (which certainly made it easier for me as I am terrible at remembering names-not as bad as Daryl, but not too far off) anyway, we all seemed to get on like a house on fire, swapping stories of our travels and recommending certain things to do and places to go.



This is one of the things I love so much about travelling, just meeting people as you pass through life, place to place, country to country, continent to continent, talking to like minded people that tire of the routine of daily life and get away in search of an adventure. For years now I'd wanted to scratch this travel itch, and kind of resigned myself to toning my travels down once I'd got it out of my system, left the Air Force and got a 'proper job'. Yet the more I do it, the more I want to do, and I think I've accepted that there will always be some place in the corner of this earth that will be 'on the list' to visit, even places I'd never normally thought of, like China were starting to crop up and grab my attention in ways it hadn't done so before....



Anyway, onto the food! This BBQ was taking place in someone's back garden. Obviously it was above board and quite safe, we hadn't just rocked up at some random Brazilian guys house to eat all his food and sup his cocktails, but this is another thing I really like about this travel company. They organise things such as this which employs people from the local community so not only do our travels 'give something back' but also gives us the opportunity to experience the local culture as much as possible. The garden wasn't particularly huge but at the bottom was an undercover tiled area complete with built in BBQ and separate toilet area-a garden I'd like to have myself one day, in the hope it will be in a place weather permitting. It really did feel like you'd popped round to see friends or family, it was a really nice atmosphere.



The food was to die for, lots of lovely salad and the biggest slab of steak that was cooked to perfection. We also had sausages and chicken, but the steak was by far my favourite. Soon, the little boy who lived at the house came out carrying a small furry item, at what I first thought was guinea pig. My heart was in my mouth-I know they eat them in South America-was this one going to be the next dish??? Arrggghhhh nooooooo! Luckily it turned out to be a tiny puppy, that he plonked on my lap (which soon got passed over to Sam as I was still eating-cute puppy or not, there was a steak on the go!) the kid was really cute and funny, babbling away in Portuguese, he can't of been older than about 4. Next out came a cockatoo that he proudly sat on his arm, stroking the feathers as only a clumsy little boy can do-(the bird soon had enough and poked off) but it did look funny, the cockatoo was almost as big as the boy!



As most of us had finished with the food, Santi announced they had a surprise for us. In walked two girls all done up in proper carnival outfits, complete with the feather headpiece, thongs, and a bikini top that would put wonder bra out of business. For all the times I wished Daryl could be here, now was the time I bet he wished he was here too-a steak dinner and two busty samba dancers in feathers and thongs??! For as much as I wanted the paved BBQ area in my future garden, I bet Daryl wouldn't give a hoot if these were the neighbours!! Off went the lights and a disco ball appeared from nowhere whilst the samba girls did their thing. I bet it would be brilliant to be in Brazil for carnival to see everyone dressed like this (well, maybe not EVERYONE, but you know what I mean) they got Santi sat on a chair and danced around him and then got all us girls up in a circle. I felt like a short frumpy hobbit in my black leggings and cardigan next to the samba señoritas, in all their glitter and feathers but it was so cold on an evening, I don't think I'd of traded places with them!



We carried on the evening drinking and chatting with the other girls, but when the first bus arrived we decided to head home (I know-how times change!) it was 11:30pm and it had been a long day. We swapped contact details with the Emma's in the other group, and hoped to meet up with them in a few days time in Rio seeing as they were heading there too.



Waterfalls, rainbows, butterfly's, toucans, steaks, sambas, it had been a brilliant day, and South America was surely creeping into my heart, and making its way to the top of the podium, as what may just be my favourite continent so far.

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