Tide Hiker Adventures: Iguazo

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

(I am composing this section of blog on the ship on our way to Montevideo – we do not seem to have had decent web contact for days. I will upload the file first Starbucks I find!)

We did not get to bed until about 1:00 AM Monday night. Which was silly because we needed to get up at about 6:30 AM to catch our plane to Iguazu.

But our phone alarms did their job and we were up and into the shower and out the door hailing a taxi by 7:30 AM. We left our cases behind, and were travelling with a back pack each and the essentials for 3 days in the jungle.

We caught up with Lyn and Tony in the airport restaurant with plenty of time for the plane. For some strange (but happy) reason Deidre and I were assigned window seats in rows 4 and 5. The flight was about 90 minutes, but with not much to see because we were over the clouds most of the time. We did glimpse muddy rivers and jungle as we approached.

The Iguazu airport only had two gates and was a bit run down. A driver was waiting for us with a big sign “Robert Oliver Blackman” so I assumed it was for us. The road to the hotel zone was surrounded by heavy and green bush – I assume can be called “jungle”. The hotel was a OK but a bit of a disappointment to me, as it had looked so exotic to me 2 months ago on Experian.

We grabbed a light lunch while we waited for our keys. Our room was a “jungle room” as advertised, but the whole hotel looked like it needed a bit of a spruce up.

We were planning to dump our bags and “hit the falls” but when we saw the bed, we decided to take a nap instead, and slept until dinner. We had booked a cab for 6:30 PM and picked up Tony and Lyn at their hotel on the way into town. By then they had already taken a tour of the Brazilian side and were suitable impressed.

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Breakfast was included in the fare, and it was OK. We cleaned a bit of information about the falls at breakfast and booked a cab for the Brazilian side. The cab was right on time and we headed for the border, passports and new Visas at the ready.

Ten minutes later at the park the driver guided us thru the process of buying park and boat ride tickets. The park seemed very well organized and we were soon riding a communal bus towards the falls, about 2 or 3 miles away on a well-cared for two lane road thru the jungle.

At the “boat ride” stop we were transferred to a rubber tired “train” that took about 40 people down to the river on a well-groomed dirt track. We walked the last ½ mile or so to a short funicular device that took us to the boat dock. All pretty slick.

We made a choice “wet ride” or “dry ride”. Sadly, we wisely chose the dry ride and off we went – only 6 oldies on a fast boat set up for at least a couple of dozen.

The ride was a fabulous experience. Last year we rode a fast boat thru rapids on a river in New Zealand. That was quite tame compared to todays ride. Because of recent rains, the Iguazu River was running about 30% faster, and was very muddy. There were places where the rapid waves were 15’ high. It was quite exhilarating.

The Iguazu falls are very extensive, and “all over the place” with seemingly no rhyme or reason. We approached several of the largest falls, but not too close to wet our cameras too badly or upset our perms. Most impressive display of nature at work.

The trip back to the main road was the reverse of the way out. We did not see any of the monkeys in the trees that people were pointing and staring at. I am ready for cataract surgery, I am sure! We caught the next bus to the main viewing trail and I resumed taking photos.

Dinner in town again with Lyn and Tony, who had spent the day on the Argentine side.

Thursday, March 21, 2019

We felt that we had seen enough of the falls and gave the Argentine side a miss. We vacated our room and took a cab to a promontory where the two rivers meet – Brazil on one bank, Paraguay on another and us in Argentina.

We were back at the airport in good time boarding passes in hand. We tried to pass thru security to the lounge, but were told “Wait till you are called”, so we went to the café and got coffee. Lyn and Tony turned up shortly.

Our flight was called 30 minutes later, we headed for security and entered into a scene of total bedlam. The line to security was now three times around the room and totally disorganized. At some point an official made an inaudible announcement and ½ the line rushed the gate. As the departure time for our flight wound down, we had little choice but to join the melee.

We popped in on Jan and Richard to pick up our cases, and thy twisted our arm (!) to stay and have a drink. We were on board the ship by 6:30 PM and rejoined Lyn and Tony for dinner.