Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
I´ll just start by saying - I took this rainbow picture! Even looking at it now its amazing, obviously in a non arrogant and purely appreciatting the scenery way... So this is Iguazu falls from the Argentinian side. Basically we crossed over into Brazil as thats where out camp site was and firstly saw the falls from the Brazilian side as they are much less impressive, plus it bloody rained this day! This counted out the helicopter ride that most of us had planned but never mind. The falls are amazing and even in the rain you can still fully apprecciate them, you get soaked anyway! We then crossed back into Argentina the following day (they have some agreement that you can just pop over for a day without any major passport hassle, weird). The views from the Argentinan side are SO much better and made even better by the fact that the sun was shining beautifully, plus I got to speak Spanish again. It would appear that Brazil got screwed a bit with their section of the falls as you only need a few hours there and its no where near as spectacular as the Arge side where you need all day and even then we didn´t see everything. In the morning we walked across a number of bridges (all above the water, cant believe I actually just wrote that but thought Id leave it in for your amusement! Obviously the bridges are above water!) and at the end of these bridges is what they call the Devils Throat as its such an extreme drop. You end up stood right next to it and absolutely drenched from the spray, hence the waterproof jacket in the sun!
As we didn´t get to do the helicopter ride we all opted to do a boat ride which is basically going into slightly more advanced blown up dingy and then heading towards the falls! They take you right next to two of the falls and once again you get soaked! Then in the afternoon we walked around the top cicuit of the waterfalls which really showed you how huge they are, definitely dead if you go over the edge! Iguazu falls are SO stunning and breathtaking because of their sheer magnitude. I even think they´re more impressive for me than Machu Pichu as we hadn´t built them up to be anything and hadn´t really heard that much about them before whereas pretty much everyone in the world had either heard of Machu Picchu or seen the famous photo from the top.
After Iguazu it was time to head towards Parati and the long overdue BEACH!!!! We hadn´t seen a coast line since Punta Sal in Peru which was about 10 days into the trip. 2 long day drives after Iguazu, 9 weeks in and in desperate need for a bit of warmth and a tan, we arrived in Parati! Believe it or not, South America isn´t as hot as everyone thinks, a fair amount of our time has been spent at high altitude which means it freezing and what with the hefty amount of travelling we did the only tan you really get, if any, is a t shirt sun tan! Anyway we arrived in Parati and because we´d opted to do the two long day drives it meant we had 5 nights here! This was our last stop before Rio which meant the last time having to put up the tent! It was a bit weird actually, (dont worry I didnt cry when I said goodbye to the tent!) but Anna and I spent so much time sleeping in the tent and putting the bloody thing up and down it was weird to think that we´d not do it again. I think everyone realised that we were starting to get to the end of our big adventure, especially the 8 of us who had been on the trcuk since the start.
We spent the first day wandering around the town in the morning which is a really sweet post colonial town with little cobbled pedestrianized streets, white washed buildings etc. Then of course it was time to hit the beach... such a nice pretty little beach without too many people. That evening we cooked around the campsite and just chilled ready for our booze cruise the next day... booze cruise indeed! We could take our own booze which meant we made a trip to the supermarket to buy litre bottles of vodka and beers. 1 litre bottle of vodka, beers and mixers and we were good to go...(Dont worry Mum, we didn´t drink it all and have actually donated some to the maid here in Rio!) The cruise was brill, the islands around the Emerald coast are beautiful so we cruised between about 5 of them over the space of about 6 hours whilst consuming the booze and catching a few rays, such a good day. It all went slightly downhill however when we got back to the campsite and continued to drink on the beach... I thought I´d lost my camera, went to the tent to find it and was there so long that when I immerged at sunset, I thought it was sunrise! Hmm... We then went for a really nice Thai meal which I think I can safely say was wasted on most of us! I figured the amount of alcohol and food consumed was ok as I did go for a run on the beach that morning plus, I can´t forget that Inca trek we did 5 weeks ago def still using that as an excuse...
The following 2 days we just chilled and I went for another run, for which I was accompanied by the dog we had made friends with (and the one I put a picure of one here). Mum, you would be mid guarantine papers now if you had been there. She was adorable. She followed us back from town on day (about 15 minutes walk) and then just hung out about our campsite and if we went to town she came, waited out the shops or restaurant and then followed us back. If we went to the beach she would follow us down and as I said, even when I went for a run! Luckily she wasnt there on the morning we left or I would have cried for sure! We left about half of our group in Parati as they had some extra travelling to do and wanted to hang around for the Caçhaca (lethal sugarcane rum) festival.
Next and final stop - Rio. We had about a 4 hour drive to Rio and left extra early as most of us wanted to hang glide that afternoon. It was the weirdest drive we´ve ever had as it was beautiful but nobody spoke! Everyone was feeling slightly reflective and thinking about the end of the trip and thoughts of going home, not concentrating on what we should have been - we were heading towards Rio! We did manage to cheer up when we got here and saw our nice hotel! We are literally across the road from Flamengo beach which is massive and beautiful. Unfortunately we couldnt hang glide as it was too windy so instead we headed for Christ the Redeemor or Cristo Redentor. You have to get a train which is hilarious as its so steep you nearly end up laying down. When we got to the top, sods law, it was cloudy! Whats the answer - have a beer in the cafe! So thats what we did and then it cleared enough for us to take some pics. It was quite cool (not sure if thats the most appropriate word to be using in conjunction with a religious icon) when it was cloudy though as it made it really eerie. After this we headed to the infamous Ipanema beach for a few drinks.
That evening was our final, last night meal! There was only 8 of us as most people had either stayed in Parati or already left. BUt luckily for me it was almos all the people I owuld have choosen to be there. We had a lovely meal and then headed out to experience Rio ngihtlife for Elle´s last night.... Firstly we had to say goodbye to our leader, Luca. He was amazing and it was weird for us all to think that he wouldnt be around to ask questions to or laugh at when he got drunk on half a beer. Plus this meant we would never see Mamasita (our mean machine truck) again, boo. Goodbyes over, we focused on going out and went to a bar in Lapa which is a bit of a dump but the best place to go out as the bars and clubs are actually quite nice. Then we found a place that didn´t charge about 8 quid to get in and it was actually a really cool jazz bar with a live band. Well, I say jazz, I´m sure they have a name for it here but it sounds a bit like jazz and blues ish. We stayed there until about 2 when we decided that Elle probably needed to go home, so nice when it´s not me! They have this really crap system in some places out here which where they give you a ticket (looks liek what you use to pick lottery numbers) and then whatever you drink they mark on there and then you pay at the end - dangerous! Plus you have to keep hold of your ticket or you pay a massive fine.
The next day was awful we had to go down to breakfast, still drunk, again! The sisters (as myself, Elle and Anna have been nicknamed) are somewhat notorious for rocking up to breakfast still with the effects of the previous night so for one last time we had to! I´m still reliving the shame of getting caught trying to nick some stuff for lunch from breakfast, damn it. Elle then left that morning which was horrible as with trips like this you spend so much concentrated time with people, experience the same amazing things and learn so much more about them than you would with a normal friend over the same time frame that when you then say goodbye it sucks. As you all know I´m not good with goodbyes anyway. That evening we went for dinner with Mark and Nes, the Aussie couple and then had to say goodbye to them. Bloody goodbyes. That left just three of us in big bad Rio... it´s not actually that bad we haven´t had any problems.
Next day the weather was crap so no hang giding. Instead we occupied ourselves by spending 3 hours at a market and not actually buying a thing - what the hell?!? The following morning the weather had cleared up so we went hang gliding! It was really cool as we could see Christ the Redeemor, well he towers over Rio so would have been hard not to! It was something I´d never done before and I really enjoyed it but definitely the rush from skydiving is better. Not content with having jumped off a mountain with a kite attached to ourselves,Anna and I wandered around town, well I say wandered we went on a 3 and a half hour non stop walking mission. We didn´t even stop for a beer as we realised how much money we didn´t have left! It was really nice actually as we walked all the way along Flamengo beach, around Lapa (dodge), Santa Teresa (which is a sweet little artesan area) and then back again. We did end up walking for about half and hour after sunset which wasn´t too clever but hey ho, we´re alive to tell the story! That eve we went and picked up some takeaway food like pasties and stuff, its amazing how anyone in Brazil can be skinny as the convenience food here is all pasties and cakes!
Mind I did see the next day as I spent about 4 hours on the beach how everyone is exercise crazy! The beach was packed with people jogging, playing volleyball, futevolley (volley ball but only with feet), doing sit ups, tai chi etc right in the middle of the day whilst I lay sweltering in the heat! That eve we decided to experience Sugar Loaf mountain at sunset and it did not dissapoint. Rio looks amazing with the sunset going down behind Christ then as the lights come on the city slowly starts to light up. Such an awesome view point from Sugar Loaf as well, way too many pictures!
The next day Anna and I wandered around the beach (getting a bit of pro walker status by this point) the old main square and then a big circuit and back again. 3 hours of walking down and it was time for the beach again followed by a few vodkas and a pasty! We know how to live! Then yesterday Anna left and I was officially on my tod... This meant I just chilled on the beach, went for another walk (standard) and then went for dinner on my own. Slightly weird considering I´ve just spent the last 2 and a half months with people 24 hours a day with no time alone. Today I packed, made the most of my last free breakfast and thought I would spend my time writing this instead of sweating on the beach before catching my flight homeward bound... South America is amazing, I´ve had the best time, met amazing people, seen and experienced so many wonderful things plus I managed to get a bit of a tan ready to come home with! Must go, got a flight to catch! X
- comments