Massive update pt2

13/08/09

So I got as far as the river spot yesterday, and that was about it for the day. By the time I got back to the campsite I had walked 18kms that day!

When I got back to the campsite I got some apples, cheese and bread and went and had homemade ploughmans sandwichs on a little bit of the beach that hadn´t been covered by the rising river. When I got back to the tent a guy came over and asked to use the electrical point as his wasn´t working. We sat around and chatted for a while and he ended up giving me a bunch of stuff, including oranges, tissues and a small water heater. It´s like the filament of a kettle, your just pop it into some water, plug it in, and it boils it for you, making it safe to drink. I tried to refuse but he wouldn´t have it and just told me he had others!

14/08/09 + 15/08/09

Got up really early, 06:00 in the morning, packed up and started the trek to the small town, to catch a bus to the big town, and then catch another bus further up north. About 2km down the track a Ranger pulled over and gave me a lift to the fire centre (complete with mental dog still). Another 2km down the road from there and a guy pulled over and gave me lift all the way to the small town, cutting out about 12km of walkng all in.

Spent the rest of the day travelling and waiting. I got to Concordia at about 13:30, and the bus to Posadas wasn´t until 19:15, awesome. There wasn´t a bag drop at the terminal either, so I had to wait there with my bag for hours. Then the bus was late by 2 hours, so that just added some more time! Joy. On the upside, whilst I was waiting for the bus I got talking to a guy called Eliseu who was on his way upto Iguazu.

Got to Posadas at 05:30, found a cheap hotel (no hostels there) and cleaned up. For the first time in 4 days I had a room, a bed, and my own bathroom, luxury. Took a walk around Posadas, there isn´t really much there though. Sat reading at the river front for a while and then chilled out in the evening watching English language films with Spanish subtitles, which actually helps my Spanish!

16/08/09

Got up, went to the bus station and bumped into a Welsh guy that I breifly met in Rosario, had a quick chat to him, then jumped on the first bus to Iguazu. Got off at the hostel I was shooting for at 17:30, a huge place set in an old casino, with a pool, bar restaurant, etc. Lots of people about chilling out, including Eliseu from Concordia! Spent the evening having a few beers and talking with him, a British guy Paul, and a Swede, Magnus.

17/08/09

Went for a quick walk into town as I had no money left, and there was a torential storm last night and for most of the morning so I didn´t want to do the falls today. Went down to the ´3 Points´ at the edge of Iguazu where you can look out over the river to Brazil on the right and Paraguay on the left. Each of the corners has its own little obilisk and the river marks the borders between the 3.

As I walked along a row of market stalls selling the usual tat and rubbish I spotted what looked like a little trail running off behind so I decided to go exploring! In hindsight, probably not the best idea as the ´trail´was nothing but mud, rocks and roots, all turned slick by the rainfall, but there we go. On the way down I started to hear a rush of water, and about 10m later I was greated with an amazing veiw over the river in front of me, and to my side a small waterfall. I grabbed a few photos and then moved further down, unfortunatly I was stopped in my tracks by the trail turning to nothiing but mud. I would have been able to slide my way down to the river side, but theres no way I would have got back up again!

Made my way back up the trail and into town. Grabbed a Lomito (an excellent steak sandwich!) and then walked back to the Hostel.

I think that brings it all up-to-date. Take care,