Location: Hostel Bambu – Foz do Igaussu, Brazil
From where I sit and write this on the balcony of the Bambu hostel I can see 3 countries! Brazil - the country in which I am sitting, Argentina & Paraguay. This cereal setting is due to my current location at the Iguassu falls which are not only the world’s largest (by water volume) waterfalls but also the focal point for the meeting of the 3 borders of the countries above. I have come here to view the falls not only because they are one of the modern 7 wonders of the natural would but also because its almost halfway between Rio and Buenos Aires which is my next destination.
Although there is an airport here, I decided to come by bus from Rio and endure the 22hrs travel it took. I have made a conscious decision to travel all of South America without flying where possible as I feel that it will allow me to see the countries better and also give me a proper appreciation for the vastness of the size of the countries I will visit. Flying is great but all you see from aeroplane windows are clouds! So taking the bus it was, however it is important to note something about South American bus travel – it is very hard to organise online!!! Essentially its very old school as you go to the station, you buy a ticket and you get on the bus! There were 2 companies offering service to Foz do Igassu, Kaiowa and Pluma, Cardille Du Nord offer a service to Puerto Iguassu which is on the Argentina side. I chose Kaiowa as they were the cheapest had had the earliest available departure and although they were the cheapest it certainly wasn’t cheap! $120, my lonely planet guide which is only 4 years old (2007) quotes $50! Now there’s an example of how expensive Brazil has gotten in such a short space of time!
The bus journey itself was quite funny; even though it was only half full I was stuck in the seat behind the god damn Brazilian texting champion 2011….. She loved to text – all the time… which was fine except she did so with the key stoke noise on.. beep…bebep…beep…bebeep… is all I could hear non-stop! This didn’t really bother me as I had a set of head phones and thousands of tunes on the old ipod but I knew it was the type of noise that was going to bother someone else much sooner than it was me …. And sure enough I was right…. About 15 mins into the trip the man from the seat in in from of her had words and peaceful tranquillity was restored, except of course for the periodic sudden screeching of the brakes from the lunatic “on a death wish” bus driver who had once again tried and failed to gain that extra 5mm he so craved in the lane parallel to us! The trip was going all to plan, we would stop every 2 hrs or so for approx. 10 mins and at 1.30am we pulled into a rest stop roughly an hour past Sao Paulo. Expecting the usual 10min break (as he had turned off the engine and announced something in Portuguese) I jumped off went inside to use the restroom returned to the bus about 4 mins later and discovered ……. NO BUS! It was gone, vanished, disappeared!!! Picture the situation, pasty Irishman who speaks less Portuguese than a young lad from Tallaght trying to get into the pants of a local “young’un” in a night club in the Algarve, stranded in Brazil with only what he has on him….. khaki trousers, sandals and a Saw Doctors t-shirt!!! Everything else I had was now traveling solo to Buenos Aires! So as I sat there and contemplated my new passionless life I came to the only logical conclusion I could, that even if it takes until this time tomorrow another bus will have to come along at some stage……. And with that bright lights appeared around the corner….. it was the bus - MY BUS! Apparently he had just gone to re-fuel… that was what he had announced in Portuguese when we first stopped. He was laughing at me as he opened the door, I think he new he had given the “Gringo” a fright, I could only laugh at myself also!
Just after 1pm the bus pulled into its destination here in Foz Do Iguassu and with just one more local bus to take I arrived at the Bambu Hostel where I stayed last night. The hostel is clean, spacious and well-staffed but is a little expensive at $R38 ($25) per night. No time to waste I had a shower and headed for the Falls – what a sight! Now just to put things into perspective here, I've been travelling for 17 months and ive seen a lot of fantastic and wonderful things but nothing could have prepared my for the awe-inspiring view the Falls do Iguassu gives… its simply breath-taking. I instantly knew it had been worth the 22hr trip to get here. In many ways they are actually indescribable, the English language lacks the nouns verbs and adjectives to describe the sheer force and power of nature being displayed before the eyes. It is very easy to see and understand why it has been shortlisted as one of the potential seven natural wonders of the modern world. I spent 4 hours watching its views and walking the various trails in its surroundings but I honestly could have spent a week in its thunderous glory – its that impressive!
Last night at the hostel I met an English guy who has also been traveling and blogging his way around the globe, please check out his blog at http://www.marcooseontheloose.yolasite.com
Today I plan to have breakfast in Brazil, lunch in Paraguay and dinner in Argentina……… I'm very serious! Until tomorrow.