Lookout Point

Not far along the loop track the incline started to increase. Within a short while we were well above the sea. Even at that height we had a pretty good view of the bay & back toward the mainland.

Short Hike

Later in the afternoon the grey skies cleared allowing us to go for a walk/hike near Abrao. We managed to get a map of the island from a tourist information booth so we had a pretty good idea where to go for the afternoon. So we set off for a short loop track that started from the village and followed the shoreline for a short while.

Humming Birds

Ilha Grande is a haven for humming birds. The front garden of our hotel was a magnet for these busy little creatures. Aside from the huge hibiscus tree, the owners have a number of humming bird feeding stations hanging around the yard.

The Black ones are called Black Jacobins & the blue & green ones are Swallow-tailed Hummingbirds. The Black Jacobins are extremely territorial & the resident pair spent half their time chasing off intruders.

Abrao

The boat trip wasn't overly rushed or rough. It was kind of nice just kicking back & watching the world go by. You can see our boat above. By the time we reach Abrao (the main village on the island) the weather was threatening to turn very wet but we did manage to get to our hotel relatively unscathed.

Angra & Ilha Grande

Day 43 - Travel to Ilha Grande

We were on the move again reasonably early. We had to catch a public bus (pretty much a council bus) to the next port called Angra (pictured above). It's a much bigger town than Paraty and a bustling industrial port.

Once we reach Angra, we boarded a timber boat similar to the ones we'd seen in Paraty. After some stuffing around we were finally on our way to Ilha Grande (Big Island) pictured below.

Trinadade Beach

It was nice paddling around in the rock pools. The waves would occasionally wash a surge into the pools adding to the interest.

Rock Pools

We had some lunch & boarded a couple of small aluminium boats (pictured). The driver launched us through the very waves we'd been surfing a few hours before. I've done this countless times in the Surf Life Saving rescue duck, but it's a completely different game in these things. We made it out & the kilometre or so to the rock pools across the bay. The only snag was me catching my foot trying to get out of the boat & opening up a nice wound.

It was nice paddling around in the rock pools. The waves would occasionally wash a surge into the pools adding to the interest.

Surfing Time

This photo may not show it, but there was the odd decent wave rolling through. I spent as long as I could in the water body surfing. I hadn't caught a wave since we left Australia 18 months previous. I was in my element! The others were all trying to get body surfing lessons off me. I tried to help, but you can only teach so much in a couple of hours.

Trinidade Beach

Day 42 - Trinadade Beach

After a good night sleep we were ready & raring to go to Trinidade Beach. Most of the group piled into one of the crazy local vans & half an hour later we were at the strange little beach side community of Trinidade. The weather was a bit overcast but it was still warm enough. We set up camp & took to the water.

Paraty Streets

That afternoon & evening we wandered around the town checking out the white colonial buildings & the shops etc in them. At least the shops were a bit more interesting than most of the towns/cities we visited. They were having some sort of carnival while we were there as well (note the blue & white banners)
Somehow Vixy managed to sign herself up to be an extra on a movie or TV series they were shooting when we were there. She ended up blowing it off to come with us to the beach the next day.
We had a nice (and a bit boozy) seafood dinner at one of the restaurants. It was so good to taste fresh seafood again. That night was another crash & burn night after loosing sleep on the night bus. We needed the rest for a busy day following.

Paraty Harbour

Paraty itself isn't overly interesting other than the stark white walls of the buildings in the heart of the town. The owners of the various shops & restaurants have to maintain white wash walls as part of council by-laws.
Paraty's attraction is the beach & surrounds where the Atlantic meets the jungle. There are lots of similar towns all the way along the coast from Sao Paulo to Rio (and probably beyond).
Pictured is the Paraty harbour where a flotilla of colourful timber boats take people to wherever takes their fancy, be it an isolated beach, an island or just out in the ocean.

Paraty

Day 41 - Travel from Sao Paulo to Paraty

No sooner had we got off the night bus than we were on a private van that would finally land us in the coastal town of Paraty some 5-1/2 hrs later. At least it was the last of the long bus rides, but it was a doozy!

Under the Falls

They took us for a spin up close & then under the falls. They put us under a couple of times before heading around to where we boarded the boat then down river to the pick up point.
We had to get a wriggle on after that. We had to get on a bus that evening and we had to get back across the border, shower & change, and get to the bus port. We had enough time to say our tearful good-byes to Em & Gem for the second time in a couple of weeks.

For more photos from the Iguazu Falls, click here. It's the one place in Brazil that's a must see!

The rest of the day went by pretty quickly & before we knew it we were at the bus port. We had enough time there for Suellen to make some enquiries & send me off in a cab to a depot where my jumper was waiting for me. I'd left it on the bus from Bonito & they'd stashed it in the lost & found. That's both of us that had left a jumper on a bus & been able to recover it (and the camera). Maybe South America isn't such a scary place after all. Those things would be long gone in Oz.
The night bus sucked! We boarded around 5ish in the afternoon & didn't get into Sao Paulo until 11am. The less said about it the better.

Jet Boat

Time for some fun. We all climbed aboard a jet boat with some other randoms for some fun & games. We had to put anything we didn't want wet in a big water proof bag and don whatever water resistant clothing we could find. It wouldn't be enough.

From the Bottom

We wound our way down the cliffs to the river bank below the falls. We were about to board a jet boat for an extremely close look at the falls. Since the time in Canada I've been of the opinion that waterfalls are far more impressive from the bottom.

Up Close & Personal

These falls were some of the most impressive of the lot. Some crazies (including Kerri) couldn't help but go out onto the platform to get closer to the falls (why?) only to come back soaked again! I'll let the photo talk now.

Twin Falls

After lunch we set of down the last unexplored path in the park. It runs along the mezzanine level & let us have to first decent look at the falls from below. This pair of falls weren't as tall as the Twin Falls we hiked to in Yoho National Park in B.C., but the volume of water easily made up for it.

More Falls

The falls in picture are the same ones that are in the first photo I posted. They are at least as impressive up close and with the clearing weather the scene was improving by the minute.
After walking across the top of these falls for a while we headed back to the entrance of the park for lunch. On the way, we bumped into our old friends, Emma & Gemma who'd left us in La Paz. By a freak of co-incidence they were at the falls on the same day & crossed paths with us in such a large place. It was their photos I was talking about from the main falls.
They had lunch with us & it was so good to catch up & hear about what each other had been up to. They tagged along with us for the rest of our time at the falls.

Butterfly

We survived the rafting trip OK. We headed to a part of the falls we had seen from Brazil two days previous.
The butterflies weren't as prolific as they were in Brazil but they were certainly about. This one was by far the most colourful one we saw on the trip.

Monkeys!

At last! Monkeys! I was starting to believe that monkeys were a myth in South America & had started telling people so. I was thankfully proven wrong.
It was very difficult to take a photo of these fast moving animals from a moving boat. It was like trying to take a photo from a jumping castle.

Alligator

After the main falls we came back to the mainland & boarded rubber rafts. You've got to be a bit concerned about what happens if you go to far or take a wrong turn, but we were in the hands of our paddler/guide. We were in a bit of an isolated part of the park were people can't walk/overrun so there was way more wildlife. This Alligator was chilling out taking in a few rays (the sun was coming out at last).

We saw some of its reptillian cousins as well.

Main Falls

It was quite a long walk out over the huge expanse of water at the top of the falls to the overlook point. This cloud maker is where the most water comes crashing down into the ravine. We're right next to the border with Brazil. Unfortunately the weather was still overcast, but I've seen photos taken later that day when the sun came out & the scene is spectacular! The ones I saw had rainbows & the whole bit. The weather is the one thing that you can't control on a holiday.

Park Train

It was a rush to get though the gates when they opened. Everyone wants to get on the first train so that they have time to see the park. I was hoping we would see some wildlife along the way, but I guess the train scared everything off. The train took us to the end of the park where there was a walkway out to the main part of the falls.

Welcome to Argentina

Day 40 - Iguazu Falls Argentina Side

I should make a comment about breakfast in Brazil. It's not your run of the mill cereal & toast type of set up. Normally you can get those, but there is also a big spread of tropical fruits & cakes. Yes cake for breakfast . It's what they do over there. It's a bit of a sugar rush early in the morning & a shock to the system until you get used to it.
After breakfast we were back in the van & off to Argentina to see the other side of the falls. The border crossing into Argentina was a bit of a drag & we had to let our passports go with the driver. It was all fine, but it was just boring sitting in the bus.
We were eventually on our way again & quickly reached the national park that surrounds the falls.

Paraguay

South Americia - Day 39

Paraguay Shopping

We slept in late this morning. There wasn't much point in getting too exited because it was a Sunday and the city was shut. Not to mention the rain was still hammering down. We were supposed to go to the Argentina side of the falls today but our local guide decided we would be better to delay it until tomorrow. Considering the torrential rain it looked to be a good call. It would mean that we wouldn't have as much time there the next day, but it would at least be fine weather.
The alternate option was a trip into Paraguay. Iguazu is at the corner borders of Brazil, Argentina & Paraguay. We weren't going to go when we saw it on the itinerary as it was pretty much just a shopping trip, but with a whole day to kill we figured why not? Nothing better to do. Turned out to be a waste of time anyway. The shopping wasn't any cheaper than the US & there would be no warranties on the gear. To make things worse, on the way back we were told to fork out money for the use of the bus! I was already getting frustrated with Suellen's ways & this was a classic example. One or four of us were very angry at her after that.
The afternoon dragged on with nothing to do. Kerri, Nic & a few others went to the mall near by. The rain had backed off by that point.