Island Hopping - Take One

Yesterday, myself and two British guys decided we were too good for an organised tour, we should hire some canoes and spend the day paddle to some of the 65 Islands surrounding Paraty, Brazil.

I heard them come home sometime early this morning: with the hiccups. Error 1.

We all slept in until 9.55 (breakfast finishes at 10 so I ran out in PJ´s to eat (be cause breaky is FREE). Error 2.

We decided not to rush things (cause the boys were hung over), that a trip to supermarket so we could take a packed lunch and also stop see if we could get some snorkeling gear. Error 2. Snorkeling gear was really expenisve and we decided not to buy- so it was a waste of time.

Decideing to walk to the next beach for canoe hires (it might be cheaper) we saw the sign directing us to the beach via the forte on the headland.
We found a jungle path lkeading in the same direction as the beach . Error 3. The jungle path left us stranded on the headland and because the boys didn´t want to walk back through the jungle, so one of them swan to shore.
The plan was he would return with a canoe and return for us two who were minding our dry posetions. Error 4, he never returned.

The second British guy swam over to the beach looking for him. He never returned.

So then there was me, left with all out shit and a stray dog.

Lucky, for me, a local fisherman laying his nets nearby offered me a lift into shore.

Tomorrow, the canoes are already booked, from the beach right in front of our hostel, the boys have promised not to drin tonight (for their own welfare).

See below the picture of myself and my savour.... And hopefuly tomorrow, a better ending to our adventure!

The Fo(n)z

Legend has it that a god planned to marry a beautiful aborigine named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In rage, the god sliced the river creating the waterfalls, condemning the lovers to an eternal fall. Naipi as a rock and Taroba as a tree in the falls over looking his lover for eternaty.

Personally I think he was pissed off with the comercial value of the apparent slow flowing waterfalls of the times and decided 275 Waterfalls, some individual falls are up to 82 meters (269 ft) in height, 1746 Mean anual flow rate (m³/s) (thats more rainfall then any one Australian will see in their life time.* 250 types of butterflies (too many to photograph), 71 types of mammals, dozens of species of reptiles and amphibians, not to mention the sub tropical forest might just beef it up a little.




And he was right, there are a shit load of tourists at the falls.
Iguazú, the small town on the Argentinian side where most people stay, is a sleepy little place in comparrison. Who knew it packed in so many (dumbarse) tourists…. Sorry but I HATE crowds!! Its the pack mentality, drives me insane!

So with the promise of no tourists, monkeys and Jaguars, armed with aeroguard, sun block, the sexiest sun hat youve seen since Clint Eastwood this side of 60 and some good advice (if you see a jaguar, dont run, yell scream and make yourself look twice your height using clothes or what ever else is handy (flashes back to The Gods Must Be Crazy II), I set off on my own, to a hidden water fall and a swim.


Turns out… not so much alone. 10 metres on my tail was a little german ginga (aka red head) and there he stayed for the rest of the trek….and the rest of my stay in Iguazú...like every where I turned there he was ready to talk - usually when I was jjust about to leave, so then I would feel rude leaving.
On the trail it wasnt so bad, I walked quicker so was always in frount and was a very small man so it was lucky for him I was up front, scaring all the wild life away.

No monkeys unfortunately, just Coatis (see animal digging in a bin video? Thats a Coati) and a Tucuan. (YEAH!)


Ok better make this a short read. Today I went to the Brazil side. Was also good. Took some more photos of falls/butterflies. Got bit by Mozzies. Tomorrow going to Rio DJ, Brazil
See more photos of the falls etc here:
(Igauzo set http://www.flickr.com/photos/mybestfriendjen/sets/72157622869860593/)
Or see all sets here ...
www.flickr.com/mybestfriendjen


*Exclusive of Tasmainia and all other places in Australia where it rains anually.


PS. spell check not working and neither is the apostophy key. sorry!