Alone Again

so I cant remember if I told you that I have had company for the last week or so- first in the form of Moti, an Israeli guy that I met in Campo Grande, we picked up Melissa in the Pantanal and the three of us found Natasha from Switzerland on the bus going to Foz do Iguacu. It is nice to have a bit of company while travelling- I dont mean in the hostels as there is no end of people to talk to then (unless you are in Cuiaba where I was the only one in the room) but actually on the bus journeys.

This is not because I need to endlessly chat to folk while speeding along the highway (or unsealed road aka dirt track) but rather because it is lovely not to be the only one having to watch out for where to get off or worrying because you get a sudden attack of paranoia about having missed your stop. Also, it is a sheer joy to have someone to watch your bags for you while yoú pop to the loo or to get a snack os anything which would usually mean getting all backpacked up and walking around like a deranged upright turtle.

The company is nice too of course.

When we went to the Brazilian side of the falls on the first day here I went with the girls. It was amazing, there is something really special about being soaked by an enormous waterfall. The following day I went to the Argentinian side with Moti where we learnt that you dont know the meaning of the word soaked until you have been there.

The first day was so amazing but we had heard that the Argentinian side was even more impressive, we just couldnt see how this could be so given that the Brazilian side was so fantastic. Then we turned a corner and got a different view of the falls and turned to each other and said that now we understood.

There are two places where you can get thoroughly wetted on the Argentinian side and the second is a sheer wall of water with a walkway coming up to it. It is an almost spiritual experience when you stand at the end of the metal walkway (having fought off all the other tourists so that you can get a photo of you standing alone at the end) water penetrating to the very heart of you, the water crashing down behind you in thunderous applause and you laughing through sheer joy and excitment.. only later to realise that the dye in your jeans is not fast and so you will have wet jeans and a blue bum until you get home and shower. At least it got the ketchup from the day before out of my t-shirt! I am a class act and no mistake.

Of course the other bonus to being on the Argentinian side is that they speak Spanish! Joy! I could understand nearly everything- even when they told me a price for a sandwich and a drink which would have had Starbucks in London hanging its head in shame.

Today I went into the town to get some money to pay my bill here at the hostel, I am always secretly impressed with myself when I get a bus in town. It is easy to get intercity buses (provided you dont have to change too many times and it doesnt drive off and leave you at a rest stop somewhere) but it is far more difficult to get a bus from one place that you dont know to another that you dont know and it all happens so quickly. Usually.

Now I am just killing time until I have to go to the bus terminal to get my next bus.