From Iguacu to Curitiba

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Right near the Brazilian entrance to the Iguazu Falls is a bird park. Very beautifully set in rainforest, immaculate paths, with an emphasis on conservation and bringing back endangered species, it is a pleasant way to spend half a day. Entrance can be paid by credit card and is only 35- Rials.

You can get them from the Argentinian side by using any of the tourist buses to the Brazilian side of the falls and doing a one way trip. You must tell the driver you are not returning as you need to have your passport processed both in the Argentinian and Brazilian side of the borders.

The staff as well as the signage is in Portuguese, Spanish and English, and the food at the park was realistically priced, 25Rials for a ciabatta with fillet Mignon and salad.

From the bird park we made our way via the local bus into Foz do Iguacu, which is a large grimy city. People recommended we stay on the Argentinian side of the border and it was good advice. Puerto Iguazu in Argentina is a pretty little city well set out near the bus station for tourists without too many traps. Go to Lemongrass cafe, the best 50- Arg coffee and cake deal ever.

From the local bus station we took a free bus to the long distance station called Rodoviaria. This is on the outskirts of town, but immaculately clean, with a couple of little shops and a cafeteria. We had bought our tickets in Argentina and had to get a boarding pass before we got on. Five people were busy handling our luggage into the under bus compartments, checking our tickets and the constant need to produce our passports.

At 9-30pm we were off in our cosy 9 seater part of the bottom of the bus. Fully reclined seats, blankets and a pillow, a snack and 7am this morning hello Curitiba. We had slept really well.

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