Cataratas de Iguazu

It took 17 hours to get to Iguazu by coach – it was easy. Big chairs that lay completely flat, private tv with films to choose from, 3 meals, champagne...a right touch.

Puerto Iguazu itself is a hole - lots of 3 legged dogs – but the hostel was cool, I had my own room, and its 20 minutes away from the most ridiculous, beautiful thing I have ever seen – the Iguazu Cataratas (falls).

Around 275 individual cascades, the highest with a drop of over 80m, make up the stunning falls – infact its stunning before you see the falls - you hear the roar, from miles away, and the mist thrown up, 30m high, forms a series of rainbows. The anticipation itself is fantastic.

I was assured that Iguazu is by far the largest, most spectacular falls in the world - the horseshoe shape means that you can stand with the water almost crashing around you. At the heart of the falls is the 'Garganta del Diablo' (the devils throat) – I can't describe it in words....its obscene...apparently 1800 cubic meters of water per second hurtles over the semi circle of rock, and as I say the walk way means you stand within meters of it.

The falls are surrounded by protected jungle, full of exotoc wildlife – toucans, bright butterflies, monkeys – and the catwalks and paths mean that I saw all of it. For me the highlight was the speedboat ride – driven by an absolute lunatic, we were taken through the falls and down the river. It was just brilliant.

I'm so glad I took photos and videos of it all. I wasn't so chuffed that I managed to delete all of them...I almost cried. The bottom lip wobbled. The next day I spent 6 hours, and 60 pesos, at the local Kodak shop watching some poor sod trying to recover them – she did (God bless her), albeit on a dvd disc...which means I only have a few to show until I get back to England. But thank God I have them!