AFS Iguazu trip

This trip was possibly the absolute best trip I have been on! Not just because of the cool things we did but because of all the amazing people I shared it with! I was even lucky enough to meet two other kiwis! I had no idea any would be going so that was an awesome surprise! Oh how I miss the Kiwi accent... They also said there is about 6 kiwis in total in Argentina, and I will be flying back with them in January!
Along with them there was about 30 of us in total, from all over Argentina. A lot of Italians, girls from Thailand, people from Scandinavian countries, Germany, France, USA, Japan and the Czech republic. Every day everyone got a lot closer and by the end it was quite sad saying goodbye! It was amazing how I went only vaguely knowing someone, but by the end I made so many close friends! Definitely the best part of the experience!
So it all started on Friday the 24th. After a day of school I got ready and left Roca on a bus with Alessandro to Neuquen at 3.30pm. We got there about an hour later and met with all the students from Neuquen or those further south. Here is where I met Rosie! She introduced herself as a New Zealander and I was a little bit in shock, I was like huh? I was so stoked! Then I met Sanami from Japan and they turned out to be some of my good friends on the trip!

The first Bus sunset

Selfie with my fellow kiwi Rosie!

Petrol station breakfast #classy

The Bus trip to Buenos Aires was very fun! We basically met everyone and chatted about random things until we got tired and attempted to sleep. The bus had 'semi camas' which are pretty much like lazy boy recliners in the bus! Pretty comfy until it came to sleeping for many hours.. The bus was Double Decker and all the students were on the top level :) The trip was around 16 or so hours, we stopped quite a bit for meals so it broke up the time a bit luckily.

25/10 Saturday

We arrived at about 11ish in Buenos Aires and went to the Victory Hotel! This was quite a flash hotel so that was a bonus :) After lunch we had free time so we explored the centre of Buenos Aires. First stop was obviously starbucks, were we had Dulce de Leche Frappachinos! Ultimately a white iced chocolate with delicious caramel swirled through! ♥ Then we went shopping at Galerias Pacificas a beautiful 3 story mall

Galerias Pacificas ♥ Such a beautiful building

Starbucks! Even got to write my name on the cup!

Florida Street in Buenos Aires

After that we went on a city tour that was about 3 hours with 3 stops. We stopped at 'La Boca', a big park where there was a massive market and another just to walk around.

Buenos Aires!!

Some of our group, walking towards the 'TRAVEL' bus at the back of the picture

La Boca

Tango Show

Amazing gift shops here!

So colourful

26/10

After a night in the hotel recuperating, we woke up early and had breakfast at 7.30am to have Media lunas (croissants) and hot chocolate. A standard breakfast we would have on the trip. We had a free morning again so more shopping and starbucks! After lunch we set off again to Puerto Iguazu on a 17 hour bus trip… Out of bored-ness we tried to learn Japanese from Sanami and she wrote our names on our arms in Japanese!

Sanami!

Tish and Sanami in Japanese

27/10

After another night in the bus we arrived in san Ignacio at 10ish, where it was soo hot! 35 degrees at least, the heat there was like an oven. It was like a smothering heat! We looked around a cave where there were mineral formations and got a tour around the mineral pools as well. After dying of heat we left to Puerto Iguazu and finally got to our hotel! It reminded me so much of Rarotonga. The hotel, pools and just the feel of the place was very ‘Rarotonga’. After swimming in the beautiful pool we went into the centre and explored while eating the ice cream! So cheap here, only about $3.50NZD for a 3 scoop ice cream, step up your game NZ. 

San Ignacio

The Lobby of Hotel Carmen

28/10

Today was by far the hottest, full on, best day of the trip! We went to the Argentinian side of the falls! This involved 36 degrees of humid heat most of the day, keeping our faces nice and sweaty! We walked around so many different tracks and areas to see all the different views of the falls. I have so many photos but these are some of the best ones. It was so breath taking. I never thought it would look that good in real life! Looking at photos online or in tourist books you think of course it can’t be like that in real life but it actually is the same if not better! There were very cool lookouts that were so close to the falls that just by standing there you would get drenched! I also did the ‘Aventura Nautica’ which was a 30min jet boat ride in the lake and under the falls. Yes under the falls. They called it the Baptism of the Cataratas. It was amazing and so powerful that we couldn’t see a thing when we had our ‘shower’ but so wonderful! Such a great way to cool off J Also Iguazu have these animals called Coaties which are very vicious and have no fear of humans. Here we were eating ice creams when a whole mob of them came over trying to climb on our seats and bags! They just wouldn’t leave us alone, so freaky!

A Police Motorbike

Hoy (Thailand) and I 

THE KIWIS

Mara (Germany) and I

Coaties, disgusting things...

These signs were everywhere!

To finish the day we went to the 3 fronteras, where we could see the coast of Paraguay and Brazil. Such a spectacular sight! I couldn’t believe how close we were!

29/10

Today we to the Brazilian side of the falls! So in doing this we crossed the border into Brazil, I even have stamps in my passport to prove it! It took such a long time at least 40 minutes going in and even longer going back into Argentina. The city was called Foz do Iguaçu. Here we could see the whole view of the Argentinian side as well as the waterfalls located on the Brazil side. This side was a lot more commercialized, with buses running to different parts around the park. This meant there was so much more people! At times there would be people literally pushing you out of the way so they could get through. You can imagine we got sick of that very fast! There was a lot of walking on one single track that zigzagged down a hill taking us closer to the panoramic views of the falls. We also got to go on a platform where we got drenched by water which was really refreshing! For me the Argentinian side was better because there was more things to do and see but I guess it depends what its like on the day or what you like doing!

The Border crossing

New Zealander in Brazil!

Looking back to Argentina 

30/10
The adventure hadn't stopped just yet, today was the day we went to Iguazu Forest. Here we got a Jeep tour of the back roads of Puerto Iguazu, walked through the forest (while being annoyed and bitten by so many insects!!), ziplined and abseiled down a small waterfall! The Ziplining was so cool, even if the view was only forest the height and how fast we went definiely made up for it! It was amazing! The abseiling was awesome as well, we basically jumped off the small cliff then abseiled under the waterfall, covered in water, while slipping and sliding down the side of the waterfall into the lake below! Unfortunately I don't have any photos but another student took some, so you might see some soon!
Then that night we went to a show in brazil of traditional Latin American dances! Such a fun show :)

Start of the Ziplining platform

The third platform, so high!

31/10 1/11 2/11

The last few days were mostly travelling and getting ready to say good bye to everyone! We had a long bus ride to Buenos Aires overnight on the 31-1. Then we chilled there and did our last tourist shopping where I brought an Argentina top at last! We left early on the 2/11 to have a full day on the bus, taking photos and saying our last goodbyes until everyone meets again in January! It was sad saying goodbye but I made such good friends that it was all worth it!

Our last proper meal together! This is milanesa a traditional meat of Argentina. Could not eat it all, it was massive!

The Thailand girls and Litizia from Italy

Rosie!!

Thank you if you managed to read this far, this was a massive post so congrats! This trip was honestly so amazing, thank you to everyone I shared it with and all the people that made it all possible :) Chau!