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quiggsy on tour
So, like I said, I managed to delete a whole weeks worth of news.... Will try to update but obviously cant remember it all now...
So we were in Cordoba for another night, with the added bonus of being in a hotel. The truck was vaguely fixed but the gearbox was still not right so any time Geoff wanted to change from 4th to 5th gear we had to pull over and stop (yes, even on fast roads!). The boys had had a rather late night so stumbled in just as we were about to leave, having just left a club...... On the truck we got a book going - 'first drunken to fall asleep', all of us picking a time and a name. However, they caught wind of the book and after that there was pride at stake - none of them were going to lose. We consigned them to the back of the truck due to the smell but they still managed to be rather annoying after a whole day driving, and not one of them fell asleep until we had reached our campsite for that night - a random Shell station in a less than salubrious area in the middle of nowhere.
Due to our truck mishaps we had missed a day and so had to vote whether to go to the wetlands in Argentina, or spend a day on a beach in Brasil. Some may think an easy choice, but in the end we decided to go to the wetlands... A choice I am now perhaps thinking was not the best. But anyway, off we set. After another long day driving, and in the rain (the first we had seen for a good 4 weeks), we arrived at Carlos Pelligrini in the wetland area of northern Argentina. The next day we were somewhat cheered when we realised we were camping by a large lake (we had arrived in the dark so had no idea!). We went on a boat trip into the wetlands and saw lots of caiman (small croc type beasts), capybara (large rodents which look more like pigs), deer and lots of different birds. We also went on a walk in the afternoon to see howler monkeys but the most eventful happening was everyone getting eaten alive by mosquitos (we did see some monkeys but they were quite far away and are very shy).
The next day we set off for the Argentina-Brazil border. However, after about an hour on the (very muddy) road it became clear that we would not be able to get there by the quickest route (not helped by the gear situation and the fact that we had had a hole in the radiator when we got to Carlos Pelligrini). So back we went the way we had come, the long way round. After driving all day and half the night, and having our wing mirror smashed off by a rogue bus (in the middle of the road), Geoff decided to call it a night at about 10pm. Lack of suitable camping sites meant we ended up camping in the middle of a forest - proper bush camp. But the stars were amazing!
The next day we drove to the falls and got all the views from the Argentinian side. They were incredible even in low season (dry, not as much water) and their surroundings were beautiful. I was particularly impressed with the handrails and such like - all very comforting after my vertigo experiences due to the lack of such precautions in Peru and Bolivia.
We crossed the border into Brasil that night (after Geoff got harangued by officials), and my team cooked a much needed bangers and mash dinner. The next day was spent viewing the falls from the Brasilian side, which, although further away, gives a spectacular overview.
Anyway thats up to the falls...... I am tiring now....!
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