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The last time I left the blog we were due to travel from Paraty to Foz do Iguassu and boy was that one long trip!!!
Having booked our tickets for the bus to take us to Sao Paulo the day before we got up early and walked through the streets of Paraty with our bags. The bus to Sao Paulo was pure luxury!! It even made our previous bus journey pale in comparison! It transpired that even thought the bus journey was longer and cheaper we were travelling the equivalent of first class so each seat reclined back to a 30degree angle and there as a leg rest that came down from the seat in front. We had so much leg room that even me with my long legs couldn't reach the kick board at the bottom of the seat in front. Each seat then had a personal headset which had various channels and one of them was playing English music. About an hour into the journey we stopped for a 20 minute drink and toilet break and atfter that the driver put on a film (the Hunting Party with Richard Gere) whilst it was an English film it was
dubbed in Spanish with English subtitles however it was a good film and wiled away an hour or so. A second film was put on however it did not appeal so I reverted to watching the passing rainforests and amazing scenery.
We arrived in Sao Paulo within 6 hours and we then hunted around the huge bus station looking for the appropriate bus company that was going to take us to Foz do Iguassu - to put it into context there must have been over 50 companies each with stands offering bus journies to all over South America however we knew only two came out to Foz do Iguassu. We found one of the bus companies and booked our ticket. We ended up having a four hour wait at the bus station. Whilst we could have got an earlier bus it was going to cost us £20 more and we decided it wasn't worth the money for a few extra hours wait. A few games of shithead later and it was time to leave.
Unfortunately this bus wasn't so comfy nor did it have the same entertainment facilities nor leg room of the journey in the morning (it
still puts National Express to shame though!). We boarded the bus and set off on our 16 hour epic journey. To be honest it wasn't as bad as expected and both Sharon and I slept for 10 hours with the occasional wake up to move round into a different comfier position.
We duly arrived in Foz do Iguassu at 11.30am. We had our hostel directions in hand. We knew we had to get a local bus from the commercial bus station to the local bus station so went in search of the local bus and happened across the taxi rank. A taxi man came talking to us and I will confess that I was tempted to chicken out and jump in the taxi however Sharon said that we were capable of doing this ourselves so we set off. In all honesty we did manage it and it wasn't too hard. So three buses later and a walk down a dirt track to our hostel and we arrived drained and disorientated.
The hostel staff were really welcoming and couldn't do enough for us so after a quick lunch we just sat around and relaxed and talking to the various
staff. Later that afternoon three Ozzie's turned up. Two girls who were travelling together, Mia and Kate, and Peter who is travelling on his own. We all sat around and did the usual exchange of life and travel stories. That night we stayed at the hostel and had a Brazilian buffet for dinner. Oh my the food here is amazing!!! All the food is either grown at the hostel or sourced locally. We had beef that had been battered and there was also rice, green salad, cabbage type salad, carrots and potatoes, a deep fried root vegetable and the usual black beans. Then they produced a homemade chocolate cake that had dolce laite layers in between (the best way I can describe it is like a type of toffee spread).
We then sat around chilling and talking with each other and the hostel staff. The next morning we got up early to say goodbye to the Ozzie girls. Breakfast was as amazing as dinner the night before. We had individual trays each holding: a plate of fruit (melon, mango and papaya), a cold slice of homemade pizza, a piece of homemade coconut and mixed spice cake (they like their
cake for breakfast over here), three sucos (like a doughnut), ham, cheese and four slices of bread. On the table there was every type of jam, spread and anything else you can think of that you would want along with a toaster and sandwich maker.
During breakfast we had a new arrival turn up and he started asking the staff about how to get to the waterfalls by bus. So when we spoke to him we invited him to join Sharon and I for the day. Bastiaan said that he would like to join us so after he had eaten and had a shower we set off. Bastiaan is from Holland and is on a months holiday from work and is only travelling around Brazil.
We got to the waterfalls eventually (having waited for the local bus on the wrong side of the road and watch it sail past us we ended up getting a lift in a taxi). On arrival at the park we got accosted by a woman who started to try and sell us various boat trips around the park etc. Sharon and I decided that since we are going to see the falls from
both sides we would only do the walk and Bastiaan decided he would join us.
The walk to the falls was fascinating with all the wildlife in the rainforest around and then with the backdrop of the falls it was amazing. Unfortunately they have only had four days rain in the past few months and so the falls were quite dry but regardless the view of the Devils throat (the largest waterfall) was an amazing sight. The pictures speak for themselves.
At the end of the walk we stopped for some lunch and then decided to head back to the hostel. We arrived back at the hostel and ended up chilling in the sun and teaching Bastiaan how to play Shithead (I have now made another Shithead addict!). We also ended up playing sinooker (a type of pool although rather than spots and stripes you have to pot the balls 1 to 7 or 9 to 15) and table football. Obviously all this was done with beer and water to hand.
That night we had a few more new guests arrive and so for dinner we ended up a group of nine which was good fun. Dinner
was a Brazilian bbq so it was yet more steak, sausages and chicken with once again lots of salad. The food was plentiful and as much as you can eat - unfortunately at the minute I don't think there is any worry that I am not eating well or that I am losing weight!!!
After dinner we ended up having a few more sinooker and table football games with everyone and all sitting around chilling. Today we leave Brazil and move to Argentina. We are literally only having to cross over the river to reach our next destination Puerto Iguacu (as the crow flies its less than a mile away!!). We are staying at the hostel till this afternoon when one of the hostel guys is going to take us across the border and drop us off near our new home for the next few days.
Anyway apologies for the epic blog and 101 photos. The next time I write I will be in Argentina and speaking Spanish. Hasta luego.......
SHITHEAD SCORES:
Brim 25
Deirdre 23
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Elizabeth
non-member comment
I want to be there
Sun, good food and some beer, thats all a girl needs.. I'm v v jealous