BONITO QUE BONITO

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Have to drop by the Bambu hostel in Puerto iguassu to pick up my bus ticket for Campo Grande, after getting dropped off at the Brazil customs i tried to get a bus quickly but the 1st bus that came by refuse to take me, I was in the bus already and the driver wanted me out, he said my voucher is for another bus, I offered to pay the fare but he said no, then the women in the bus started telling me I should go to customs first, i did that already, then they said take another bus, i said I wanted to take this one! Finally exhausted and frustrated i got off and the driver explained that he is prohibited from taking passengers as he does not issue tickets stubs, ok so after the bus left i decided to walk to the main road and take a local bus to the center, i just dont want to wait for an hour like the last time and not getting as ride. As i was walking a woman on the other side of the road summoned me and told me a bus is coming! so i hailed it, showed the stub again he said different company, showed him my money and he let me in. Finally am on my way to town, i requested to be dropped off at the front of Mcdonalds. Found the hostel, talked to the dude about the ticket, had lunch then off again, i somehow took the wrong bus, instead of the main bus terminal it went to the local terminal but an English speaking local girl helped me out and she said i can take a bus to the bus terminal for free when we get to the local bus station, so that's what i did, i told the lady ticket seller to drop me off, I have to walk 5 minutes from the drop off point.

The bus did not leave on time and I was told I have to change bus somewhere. we keep stopping at towns, its a slow bus! And after stopping for dinner at arestaurant in the town of Cascavel we changed bus. early morning we finally arrived at Campo Grande, this bus stopped everywhere the whole night. at Campo grande i was told the next bus will be at 11am to Bonito, it's only 7am so i decided to take a walk and find the Hi hostel near the bus station, found it and got some info on Bonito from Mercel, the manager, nice guy he called the Hi hostel in Bonito to book me a place and we chatted a bit, he lived in Cape Cod years ago. I had breakfast at the hostel for 3 reais, and free wifi. Then hours later went to the bus station to Bonito, it is a bit cold here as well. The bus was late, and like the one before it stops a lot and takes 10 minutes every time before leaving again. at a junction i have to switch to a small bus, it was waiting for me. off we go again and after an hour I arrived and at the bus station Ronaldo picked me up, he works for the hostel. Got sorted and met my roomies, 3 friendly Brazilians from Sao Paulo, then later on the German Harald, we had a few drinks that night chilled out and had pizza for dinner, we are doing tomorrow a day trip to a fazenda called Boca das Oncas, lots of waterfalls and nature to see.

After a sumptous buffet breakfast we got picked up to go to the Fazenda, about 60kms away, we had tea and coffee before we started the walk, this place is awesome! very cozy and modern, imagine in the middle of nowhere. we followed the trail with a guide and we were shown different waterfalls this place is really nice, lush and green, the first waterhole we were allowed to swim is Baraca da macoco, awesome, the water is so cold but after the initial numbing you get used to it, you can go and swim under the cave and get to the other side, really cool waterfall! And there was only me and Harald as the Brazilians did not know how to swim, then as we are leaving the area we saw a snake! brown with black stripes, we were all surprised that no one took photos, it went away quickly, the guide said it is poisonous! Then on to the next waterfall, walking gingerly and being careful where to put my hand or where my next step would be, am terrified of snakes! our last destination was a superb high waterfall about 100 meters!! the cascade is broken up thus making for a more attractive spray of water, we struggled to get the whole waterfall in the photo. we had a swim, very cold!! There are butres(vultures) flying about at the top probably waiting for us to die! After the swim we made our way back to the fazenda for lunch we are all starving by now. lots of stairs to get back up, really a killer! at the fazenda we ate like kings, lots of delicious food! chilled at the pool with fish in it then as the clouds started to roll by and darken the sky we left and on the road out we saw different wildlife, a toucan flying, 2 species of ant eaters and an armadillo! the 2nd ant eater we saw cross the road so we stopped but it went up a tree, one of the Brazilians, paulo, climbed the tree to try and pet it, it peed on him ! our driver could not contain himself he pissed himself laughing!!

My roomates booked a tour to Rio Sucuri, a half day snorkelling trip which eventually i did sign up for, we got picked up one hour late, around 9am, it was cold and breezy, it rained for abit last night and the forecast today is cloudy. We got to the river we got handed our wet suits, shoes and all, it was freezing cold and am having 2nd thoughts about doing it , we walked towards the river and took a boat and paddled upstream for about 45 minutes then we stopped and we started to snorkel downstream, lots of big fishies, the water is crystal clear but cold, I thoroughly enjoyed my time I rented an underwater camera cqasing from the hostel so I can use my camera and as usual i went crazy clicking away, halfway through though I felt very cold, and was uncontrollably shivering, relieved that eventually we reached the end, hurriedly changed to dry clothes and had a very hot tea. after coming back to town we walked to town for lunch, i need money and none of the 2 big banks in town would dispense money finally after lunch we found one that works, inside a gas station. later on Paulo and Danilo left to go back to Sao Paulo.

Had a rough night i had the chills and went to bed very early, my tummy was heaving, ouch! cant make out whether it was the freezing cold river that got me or the lunch we had. Tossing and turning, the door in the dorm opens up, Paul from Holland just checked in to our room, he is doing Rio Prata as well tomorrow so that saves me 80 reais for transport. I excused myself as I was not feeling well and off to bed. I felt a tad bit better early morning and slept a few hours, had a big breakfast as i skipped dinner then off to the river, we stopped at a parrot place thing the locals in our group went to see them and the backpackers waited outside. I keep walking to take my mind off my tummy as it is heaving again! When we arrived at the Rio da Prata we have to go in small groups ours is the 2nd one, so I chilled and sat in the sun then later our guide came running looking for me and another person, he forgot about us!!
We hurriedly got fitted for wet suits and boots, rushed to the waiting truck and off we go. At the drop off point we have to walk a good 30 minutes through the forest, really cool, we arrived at the site and got ready, put our goggles on and snorkelled. We have to follow the guide and keep our distance from one another about 2 persons away! Fantastic sight, lots of huge fishies, amazing! The snorkel took us to different places some shallow some deep the water is nice and warm and it is a sunny day so not so cold, we got to a point where we have to get out of the river and walk again to the other side, we got to a deeper water and the warm and cold mixed, we were given a choice either to swim or take the boat to the end point, I swam 500meters with some people, it is really deep and I panicked a bit especially when I remembered the guide said sometimes they see caiman or anaconda swimming, yikes!! We had a sumptuous lunch waiting for us, I chatted with Bev an English girl that was grouped with us but not from the hostel, she stays at hotels rather than hostels, no wonder she does not meet a lot of people, so gave her tips on which hostels to stay in places. we chilled for a bit after lunch saw some wildlife, toucan, parrots and other birds, then on the way back we stopped a few to see the ant eaters. back again in town and is cold again.

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Photos

BONITO
THE OTHER WHITE MEAT!

BOCA DA ONCA, BODOQUENA
BURACO DO MACACO

BOCA DA ONCA, BODOQUENA
CACHOEIRA DO FANTASMA

BONITO
HI HOSTEL

Comments

[Diogo Zamut]

HI GIL !!!!
Hi Gil !!! heres Diogo !!! so nice to meet you in this trip, what place you still now ?? if is in Sao Paulo, call me , and I show you nice places !!

[levi falcao macedo]

lindissimo
E SIMPLESMENTE THE BEST O RIO DA PRATA, VALE APENA VIVER ESSA AVENTURA.