So I was sitting in a bus, ready for a 15 hour journey from BA to Iguaza Falls, and all I wanted to do was cry. My time in BA was over and I was happy to be moving on. But with change comes fear.
I got to the Central Bus Station only to find it about as busy as an airport. People everywhere and someone speaking very loud and fast spanish over the loud speaker. I had no idea what to do and no one seemed to speak english but I managed to get a few words of something sensible from a nice woman in a chocolate shop.
Long story short, I got on the bus. I was sitting in a very comfortable seat. And as the bus left I shed a few tears. What a stupid gringo I was. What idiot comes to South America without knowing a lick of spanish? What the hell was I doing here?
Some music came on the loud speaker. I found it odd that it was white 90s music. I smiled but still felt sad. And then I found myself humming along to the Eurythmics ... hold your head up ... movin on ... Sweet dreams are made of this ... Now I don't know what the song is meant to be about - if it's about sex I'll be really disappointed. Anyway, it stuck in my mind and I felt like for that moment it was my theme song.
You can do this girl!
So what if you don't know spanish!
Do it!
Do it!
DOOO ITTT!
(ok so I got a little pushy with myself right near the end).
Not long after this they started playing Elton John and I was busy watching nighttime BA out my window. I saw my first South American prostitutes hanging around dodgy roads and I saw a man on a scooter with 2 people on the seat after him and one tiny child perched on the seat in front.
My bus trip to Iguaza Falls was actually pretty great. I had paid a bit extra to get a comfy seat, and it was as big as a business class seat on an airplane. It reclined and had a foot rest and it is probably the best bus ride I've ever taken. And I've taken a lot in my time. They even fed me! I was so excited when I got a tray of food that I started shoveling it in my mouth before I realised I was also getting hot food!!! HOT FOOD ON A BUS! I tucked my crackers and cookies in my bag for another time.
So here I am in Puerto Iguazu. Today I took the bus out to the falls and walked all the scenic routes. It was an amazing experience to see something so huge and beautiful and wet! The spray from the main part of the falls was crazy and everyone was soaked and wiping off cameras.
I saw monkeys playing in trees, they threw berries at me. And I saw these weird possum like animals. Oh so cute looking but with teeth and claws that can really hurt. One of them stole my lunch and everyone who saw it laughed so hard. And I just grimaced and thought about how much I really wanted that lunch.
Tomorrow I take another bus, this time for 24 hours, to get to Salta. Thankfully it's cooler there because IF is about 40 degrees celcius and I'm sweating through my pants.
I have met some lovely people. I talked to some strangers yesterday and they shared their mate (mar-te) with me. It's a kind of tea which they drink cold up here. Everyone walks around with a cup full of the green tea and then a water cooler which they use to constantly fill up the cup. It has a metal straw (and you know how much I love straws!). They generally just have one cup and they pass it around to everyone. I tried not to think about hygeine as I sipped from the straw but it was a nice taste and the people were very kind to share with me.
I am enjoying not just the travel but the opportunity to stop and rest. Yesterday I ate ice cream and then bought a beer from the local supermercardo and sat out the front and people watched. And then on my way back to the hostel a man wolf whistled at me. I looked around to see who he was whistling at but he was looking at me. It's silly but it made me smile.
Until next time ... S.
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