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Published: December 27th 2008
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Well another long bus ride brings me to my second blog!
I'm en route to Parati, Brazil in what is expected to be a 20hr ride! So let's go back a few days to where we left off...
I sadly departed Colonia after only 1 1/2 days to Montevideo, which I have to say was a massive non-event! We were gonna head to a beach resort 2 hours away for the day but thunderstorms were predicted so we all did our own thing. Joel and I headed to Rio Negro, one of the major strets in Montevideo for some lunch and to check out Plaza Independencia. Under joels supposedly amazing navigational skills we went entirely the wrong direction, but even when we realised that the streets around us weren't even on the map he insisted we continue, and I insisted I ask a local where on earth Rio Negro is! One nice woman pointed in the opposite direction we had walked in for the last 15 min. "but noooooooo" Joel insisted "half the time the locals don't know what they were talkig about". If only joel knew what everyone back home knows - I am wrong only on rare
Helado!!
Ice cream (helado) is everywhere in south america and sooo goodd! A common way to buy it is to get a cup and a spoon, serve yourself, then take it to the counter where they weigh it and charge you by the kilo! occasions :P
Anyway pretty much spent rest of the day in the hotel playing cards and talkig with other people in the group. Caught a bus into Salto, Uruguay where we all went to an AWESOME water theme park! The water slides were awesome particulalrly this one where it was black and enclosed so you can't see where your going and then all of a sudden you're 90 degrees on a sharp turn!! Best part about it was that you go on blow up inflatable boats with 3 people so you really get some speed going and then all collapse on each other at the end. I lost a bit of skin off my elbow and I think I maybe dislocated my jaw haha and only got a little bit sunburnt. One of first days in Mar Del Plata I got soooo burnt just sitting down in a cafe reading my book and I got the worst tshirt tan ever as you will see in one of the pics! Went out that night and had some top quality local beer for about $2 per litre!
After strugglig to do my university timetable schedule from over here we got
Argentine/Uruguayan Border
First customs on the road that Emily and I had ever been to! woottt! on a bus to Foz de Iguacu (iguacu falls). Bloody long bus ride and the air con was sooo cold it was impossible to sleep! I have come prepared to this bus ride with multiple clothes layers and my sleeping bag. Before I forget I just ate the worst food of my life at some cafeteria the bus stopped at for dinner. Everything was deep fried, even the bloody frankfurts were crumbed and fried!!
Anyway so we crossed the border into Brazil and arrived at the nicest hotel I have stayed at (and most likely ever stay at) so far. After 2 hrs respite after the 12hr bus ride we were off to the Brazillian side of the falls. Iguacu falls is part of a river system that seperates the two countries and Paraguay is only a couple of hundred metres downstream. The falls were quite simply the most amaZing thing I have seen in my life. The sheer size and raw power of them is incredible and the wildlife and nature surrounding them is incredible. On the second day we crossed back into Argentina for the best day of my trip so far. The argentinian sde really let's
you get right up close to the falls. I won't describe the because that's boring ad there are photos but I will say that the jet boat ride under the falls (as in actually underneath the waterfall getting soaked) was awesome!!!
After that massive day in Argentina we crossed back into brazil for a siesta and then after dinner we crossed back into argentina to have a massive night out in a club near the border. Funniest night ever!!! We all ended up dancing terribly on the stage to YMCA and it's safe to say the locals absolutely loved us! Every subsequent time we went back up there was a huge roar! Got picked up at 4.30am and crossed the border one last time back to the hotel. That was last night so we will all sleep very nicely on this bus!
Today we went over to Paraguay to the Black Markets for a few hours where all the brazillians go to do their shopping (particularly during Xmas time) as the shops their don't pay any tax to their government for some reason. Bargains everywhere! I showed restraint and bought a memory stick for my photos, some headphones
Colonia
Nice sleepy photo of Colonia (courtesy of Leo) with a microphone for my iPod so I can call home really cheap using the internet (update: ive lost them already!) and some new undies. The whole experience was good fun but the whole area is so dodgy and most of the country is entirely corrupted. Our guide was telling us that there is a huge trade in stealing brasillian cars and taking them back to paraguay away from the jurisdiction of the brazilian police. The prime minister of Uruguay drives a stolen brazillian car! Oh I forgot to tell you the funniest part! All the aussies need a visa for Paraguay but the guide said they may not check passports or if they did he would give them some $$$ and all would be forgiven haha ended up just driving right through the border!
Spent the rest of my day in the Hotel pool and playing cards with the group. Am currently 4 hours into my massive 20hr bus ride and what's worse is that we are going to a beachside town but there are thunderstorms predicted all week!
I feel like I've forgotten something but maybe not! Hope you like the photos! Ohhhhhhhhhh of course! That's
Group pic @ Iguacu
just hanging out with the gang! Our tour guide took this photo 15 times - one for every person (except me coz my battery died after the helicopter flight!)! right! I went up in a helicopter over iguacu falls and it was amazing! Worth the AU$120 easily just for the experience of being in a helicopter let alone over the spectacular falls!!
Love you all and keep the emails coming I like to hear from you!
Jimbo xoxoxo
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