Back to BA on the 22hr bus to pick up our bags, quick change around and off to San telmo to a lovely French brasserie for lunch and to the airport to fly to Iguazu.
We arrived in Iguazu booked tickets to Floripa for the next night and found a (pongy) hostel and to bed!
Early rise and off to the falls. For those that don't know the bible informs me that the "falls" as I call them,
consists of 275 waterfalls and can be seem from Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay! Absolutely incredible... People go and stay there for a few days but Flom and I managed to do what we wanted in a few hours.
Back to the hostel quick dip in the teeny warm pool and then bus to the border, argentine stamp and back on bus. Off bus for Brazilian stamp. Flo goes through just fine... I on the other hand had a different experience. Hand over my passport and the woman types in my details. Long long pause and more typing... she starts blabbing away to me in Portuguese ahhhhh you what? Finally she manages to locate an English speaker who asked if I'd been to Brazil before?!? NO never... More Portuguese blabbing, a policeman is called over, takes my passport away. After what felt like half an hour, she merrily sent me on my way with a stamp? What was all that about? Il never know but there is obviously some maniac Rebecca smith out there...
We then go back to the bus stop to wait for the next bus to take us to the bus terminal. After half an hour it still hadn't arrived so - panicking about making our bus to Florianopolis, we ask another bus if it goes to the terminal - yes- boom! Thank you very much...
As we approach what appears to be the city, a guy on the bus asks where we are going - flora - well you are on the wrong bus. Instant panic. BUT YOU SAID THIS BUS WENT TO THE TERMINAL flo shouts out... Yes the terminal but not the one you want - he then jumps off the bus. Shit. Another man hears the commotion and tells us we need to get a taxi as we only have 20mins to catch our bus. A lot of English Spanish and Portuguese (all mixed together) was spoken and we eventually got to the right terminal just in time for our 14hr bus to Floripa!
Relief. About 30 mins into our 14hr journey flo and I are fast asleep. We slept pretty much solidly the whole way, we were so knackered from the past few days.
Arrive in Floripa and make our way to Submarino - the hostel where Al was staying. The next two days we just hung out at the hostel as the weather wasn't very good-savouring our last hours together. Rather excitingly Alice and flo both got tattoos whilst there!! Al had three stars behind her ear and Flo a star on her wrist. So we all have stars now!
On the 13th Flo and Al left me behind in Floripa to go to Maui to see their cousins. As you can imagine it was rather emotional! Not only was I leaving my travel buddy (who was the BEST you could get) but I was also going to be alone for 2 weeks. But onwards and upwards...
I cannot believe how quickly the past 3 months flew and the amount of amazing adventures we had. Someone said to me the other day "when you travel it's not fun all the time" well that could not have been further from the truth for me. Everyday there was a giggle...
The past 3months have been the best of my life so far and I have Florence to thank for that. I think we made a great team (which was pointed out to us by someone we met right at the beginning).
Wishing you the best for your onwards trips Flom, I miss you and I love you!
End of chapter 1
what a lovely thing to say about your travel buddy. aww. You guys have had a blast! keep going xxx
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