Today is our last rest day before the finish in Rio and we find ourselves staying in a spectacular hotel, right next to the Iguacu Falls which just have to be seen to be believed. 550,000 cubic feet of water per second cascading over a complex of 275 waterfalls, it really is a marvel of the world and a huge contrast to the arid conditions we have experienced recently. It is in a sort of horseshoe shape, four times wider and higher than Niagara Falls, in the middle of a jungle eco system with Argentina on one side and Brazil on the other. High Force looks like an ornamental garden water feature by comparison.
This morning we mucked in with the marsalls and organisers and hired a big RIB which took us at great speed up the river to get closer to the action. We didn't realise quite how close we would get, the skipper took us under one of the waterfalls, of course we were soaked to the skin, but it was great fun.
Then we had a few hours checking the car over, we had been given special dispensation to bring our cars into the National Park, normally you have to leave your car outside and get a bus in. Our car park was right next to the swimming pool and a bit of a zoo. There was a Toucan making occasional flying visits, some lizards wandering around and a right nasty looking thing a bit like a small alligator, quite harmless we were told, could have been an iguana?
After a walk along the side of the river to see the rest of the falls close up and a swim in the pool it was time once again for a get together on the terrace for a couple of sundowners and then a nice meal the hotel restaurant by the pool with various members of our gang, Jon and Chris, Sean and Benny.
The rest day, as usual, worked out more tiring than a rally day, trying to squeeze everything in but very memorable and a wonderful place to be in November. How is the weather back home by the way? Hah!
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