La Cataratas de Iguazu and Brasil

Seems that computers still hate me, as this is the third time I´ve tried to post this but hopefully third time lucky.

I left BsAs just over a week ago, and found myself much sadder to leave than I was expecting. I´ve said it before and I´ll say it again, but BsAs is an absolutely incredible city and I´m looking forward to getting back there and seeing more of it and Argentina towards the end of my trip.

After BsAs I spent a relaxing 16 hours on a bus making my way north to Puerto Iguazu on the Argentinian side of la Cataratas de Iguazu, a series of over 250 waterfalls that ranks as one of the natural wonders of the World. I spent two very hot days wandering around the falls taking pics and enjoying the amazing views. Of course, the PC in the hostel hates me so I can´t upload any pics right now, but I gave my camera a pretty good workout and will post them soon. The highlights of the trip were taking a speedboat ride around and then under the falls, which was kind of like having a very big bucket of water poured on me, I emerged completely drenched but much cooler, The Garganta del Diablo, the main fall in the park which is absolutely huge and amazing, and watching a group of about 40 Costis (cute furry animals with big tails and long noses) crossing a desserted nature trail. Of course, I can´t post pics right now :)

For lunch both days I enjoyed Super Panchos, also known as hotdogs. While they were mildly enjoyable, they came back to haunt me half ways through a 16 hour bus trip to Florianõpolis and have stayed with me until today, but I think I´m finally better.

Florianõpolis is a beach town in the south of Brasil and is where I met up with Danny and Nicola again as well as Hamish and Kiera. In addition to feeling sick it was overcast, so even though we had the perfect beach house, I didn´t have a very good time. I was only there for a couple of days and the thought of another 12 hours in a bus trip to São Paulo was too much so I jumped on a plane and was here for aud$30 more and 11 hours less :)

Since arriving in São Paulo I´ve been hanging out a lot with William and Mauricio, the two Brasilian guys that I met when I first arrived in Buenos Aires. They´ve been very kind and shown me around the city, taken me to dinner and spent hours talking about history, politics and life in Brasil. São Paulo is an amazing city, with 13 million people in São Paulo proper and another 7 million in the surrounding suburbs, that´s the population of Australia in one city! There´s an amazing mix of people here, including huge Asian, Arabic and Italian communities, as well as every other nationality.

I´ve had a great time in São Paulo, but it´s time again to hit the road, and tomorrow I start the jounrey to Carnivale, first Rio de Janeiro and soon after Salvador Baia.

Chao!