From noon in Salto, Uruguay to noon in Iguazu Falls, Argentina, we experienced the extreme traveling states of elation and perturbation in 24 hours and a myriad of feelings in between.
At noon in Salto, we waited for a local bus which we were told would take us to one set of thermal hot springs that surrounded the unassuming town. We waited not knowing what to expect and a few minutes later, we paid our 75 cents and we were on our way to the "Termas". 40 minutes later we arrived at an inexpensive, public and clean beautiful facility of 10 or more pools of thermal hot springs. It was so easy and cheap to get to bask in calm thermal springs. Yea! Travel win!
By 5 pm, we had made our way back and to the port. At the port, we waited for a boat that would take us across the river to Concordia, Argentina. We hoped that after we crossed the river that we could make it by bus to Iguazu Falls. However, Iguazu Falls is 600 miles from Concordia and we weren't sure what we would find on the other side of the river. We crossed the placid river as dusk was settling into night and arrived in a very clean green area in Argentina. We made it through Argentinian migrations (our fourth time re-entering Argentina this trip). And then there were no taxis nor buses to be seen anywhere. We began walking with our huge backpacks towards the center of town in the dark. Darkness brings an unease to any situation, especially unfamiliar city streets. Every block that we passed, I looked eagerly for signs of taxi. Nothing. Then we passed a cadre of barking dogs. One particularly disagreeable dog sunk his teeth into Wilson's pants and would not let go until we yelled and bounced a rock off his back. Ugh!
Finally, we found more people and a bus. Still no taxis but at least we would no longer be at the peril of scrappy and deranged dogs. Happily, we boarded the bus after 15 or so people. Wilson had barely stepped on the first step of the bus when the bus pulled away from the curb at full throttle. Wilson yelled and I pushed the person in front of me so that my husband would not be thrown out of a bus with his three months of belongings on his back. The person moved and Wilson was able to get fully onto the bus. Travel loss narrowly averted!
On the bus, we made our way after another local bus change to the national bus terminal that we hoped would take us to Iguazu Falls. Luck was in our favor, at the national bus terminal, we found a bus company that went directly to Iguazu Falls. Even better, that bus company had a bus with available seats that was scheduled to leave in twenty minutes for the 14 hour journey to Iguazu. Yea!
After a comfy night bus, with a hot dinner and cama seating, we safely arrived at Iguazu the next morning and were able to see the truly incredible Iguazu Falls. Victoria Falls (that we visited last December) may be technically larger but Iguazu feels bigger. It's gushing, movement, and beauty ended our bipolar 24 hours with elation.
Posted with Blogsy
SOOOO happy you are enjoying Argentina! Iguazu is magnificent! Isn't it awesome how close you can get, almost like you can jump in! And I think I still have some PTSD from Argentine scrappy dogs, stinkin' mutts!
ReplyDeleteVisiting these areas are so much fun at the same time sticking to the things that increases our knowledge always thousand islands boat tours is what that stays helpful.
ReplyDelete