The Travelling Miles Incredibility Awards - South America

While I've got some down-time here in Melbourne now I'm jobhunting and sorting my life out, I thought a bit of a reflection of my three months in South America was in order.

I loved my time there, and I can't put my finger on the best bit, so let's try for best bits. 

I can only comment on where I've been, so the following delightfully TMI Awards will be allocated to Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia and Chile, and cities/places within. 

Best cities: 

1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

The sun, the sand, the parties. I miss it already. 

2. Valparaíso, Chile. 

A vivid graffiti-infused seaside culture bomb. 

3. Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

Sexy tango dens mixed with European-style glamour. 

Worst cities: 

1. Uyuni, Bolivia. 

The only reason to go is the salt flats. 

2. Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. 

The only reason to go is to get the passport stamp. 

3. Lima, Peru. 

The only reason to go is to leave. 

Most impressive natural wonders: 

1. Iguassu Falls, Argentina-Brazil border. 

Unforgettable sights at every turn. The Devil's Throat is unmissable. 

2. The Amazon Rainforest, Peru (for me). 

A wonderland of natural beauty, calm waters and life as you've never seen it. 

3. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia. 

A pure, surreal landscape dotted with glowing mirages. 

Most impressive manmade wonders: 

1. Machu Picchu, Peru. 

Not original, but nothing else beats it for me. 

2. Rio Carnival Samba Parade, Sambodromo, Brazil. 

The most colourful, insane night of my life. Stay til sunrise to get the most out of it. 

3. Humberstone, Iquique, Chile. 

A deserted mining town now half-reclaimed by the world's driest desert. 

Best beach: 

Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

Hands down the best. Watch sunset from the rocks - absolutely gorgeous. 

Best mountain scenery: 

Bolivia. 

The volcanic colours were fantastic, against a backdrop of pure blue sky. 

Best landscape: 

Valle de la Luna, San Pedro, Chile. 

Watch sunset over the smoking volcanoes and watch the yellows turn to reds and purples over the pockmarked desert valley. 

Best sunrise: 

Machu Picchu, Peru. 

It's an unconventional sunrise, but the shafts of golden light illuminating the city on the mountaintop was a sight to behold. 

Best sunset: 

Middle of freakin' nowhere, Bolivia. 

I don't need to add anything to this photo. 

Easiest Spanish to understand: 

Peru. And everyone loves the Colombian accent. That's where I'm going to study it, in my dreams. 

Hardest Spanish to understand: 

Chile. Like, seriously. 

Most welcoming people: 

Chile. Like, seriously. 

Least welcoming people: 

It's a toss-up between Peru and Bolivia, which I think is linked to the poverty levels. 

Safest country: 

Chile. But still watch your stuff. 

Least safe country: 

Peru. I felt unsafe in Peru more than any other place. Just exercise caution. 

Easiest country to get around: 

Peru. Extensive bus network, and you can book online with ease if necessary. 

Hardest country to get around: 

Brazil. Foreigners can't book buses online, and also the country is massive, but that's not Brazil's fault. 

Places that most deserve a re-visit: 

1. Argentina. I want to explore so much more of that beautiful country, especially Patagonia in the south. 

2. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. What can I say? I fell in love with that place. 

And 3. The whole damn continent.

#TMIawards #TMI

Iguassu Falls

I know I`ve already raved about the Falls on my previous post, but today we went back to them, this time to the Argentinian side. And oh my god it`s even better than the Brazilian side.

While I would still recommend doing both (same as everyone), the Argentinian side is fit to bursting with stuff to do, including boat trips and easily accessible walks. And the walks don`t last 9km like one on the Brazilian side.

We did all of the walks (being three) and also got a combined ticket for two of the three boat trips. We went for the Aventura Nautica and Paseo Ecológico for AR$300. The other boat trip available was the Gran Aventura, but that takes about 80 minutes. Who has time for that.

The first one we went on the 20-minute Aventura Nautica, which takes you right up to the Falls in two places, and gets everyone in the boat soaking wet. You do get a waterproof bag to put your things in, and I changed into my swimming shorts (I was wearing them under my shorts) and flip flops because I`d heard how wet you get. And you`re literally as wet as if you`ve jumped into the river. But it`s so worth it. The views from the very bottom are incredible (when you can see through the spray) and it`s exhilerating to bounce your way up the rapids towards the cataracts and see them so close up.

We finished the day with the Paseo Ecológico, which was a relaxing boat ride along the forested waterways on top of the Falls. That was a really nice thing to finish with as it`s very calming and you get to see some wildlife along the way.

But right before we did that, we did the actual best part of the entire thing. Seeing the Devil`s Throat from the Brazilian side was fantastic, seeing it from the Argentinian is mind-blowing. You get so close to it you feel like you could be hovering over the semi-circle of pouring water, spraying mist and thundering noise. There`s an omnipresent rainbow here as well, which makes it all the more impressive.

This, for me, was the absolute do-not-miss of all of the Falls. In fact, I think it`s the most impressive natural thing I`ve seen in my life. The world will have to do very well to top it. You do get very wet from the spray coming up, but you don`t care because the sight is amazing. Milena`s review is: "IT`S SUPER AMAZING". That says it all.

We are slightly disappointed though, because we found out while we were here that you can do moonlight visits to the Falls for the five nights surrounding the full moon. Which starts tomorrow! So close...

But tomorrow we`re getting on the overnight bus to Buenos Aires (another 20 hours on a bus, how delicious...) but we paid for `cama` (bed) which looks a lot more comfortable than the Convencional we had coming here from Sao Paulo. Very much looking forward to Buenos Aires, I`ve heard very good things about it so let`s see.

Three Countries, One Day

Being at Iguassu Falls gives you the opportunity to visit all three countries that meet here at 'Tres Fronteras' - Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. 

Yesterday Milena and I went to the Brazilian side of the Falls, and they are breathtaking. Such an amazing sight. As we rounded the corner of the forest trail and caught our first sight I couldn't help but stop and point. I'm pretty sure my mouth fell open. What a loser. But it was a view I'd wanted to see since I was a child, and it was worth the wait. And the 15 hours on the bus to get here. 

We did the whole trail, crescendoing with the awe-inspiring, and soaking, Devil's Throat. There are platforms that go right to the lip and look down over the pouring water. And the best part was the rainbow stretching across the canyon at the foot of the falling water. Absolutely beautiful. 

We are going to the Argentinian side of the Falls tomorrow to do a boat trip and do the other activities on that side. But today we decided to stay dry and go to Paraguay for the afternoon. Casual. 

We took the bus from Puerto Iguazú, Argentina to Ciudad del Este, Paraguay this afternoon, and found that the bus went back through Brazil to get there. Although we didn't have to stop at the Brazilian border, so we just got our Argentinian exit stamps and Paraguayan ones. 

Ciudad del Este seems to be an electronics and shopping mecca for people from all the surrounding countries. As soon as you're through the border you're confronted with markets, department stores and street-sellers peddling everything from handbags to iPhones. It reminded me of Akihabara in Tokyo. And I actually found an iPhone 5S for the equivalent of £108. I was so tempted. But no, if something was wrong with it, I'd never get that money back. So I refrained. 

The interesting thing was that, being on the triple border, most places took a variety of currency. The place we had lunch asked if we wanted to pay for it in Uruguayan Guarani, Brazilian Real, Argentinian Pesos or US dollars. Spoilt for choice! 

The ATMs also give you the option to withdraw US dollars, which is very handy, as you can exchange dollars on the black market in Argentina for a much more favourable rate than the official rate. The current official rate is 7 pesos to the dollar, whereas you can get 13 pesos by talking to the "right" people. 

Leaving Paraguay, we had to wait over an hour at the border for the bus back to Argentina (via Brazil of course) so that was a bit of a grind, but we got back eventually, our passports even more overflowing with exit and entry stamps. 

It was interesting that Ciudad del Este was the first place I've been to in the last three weeks that I've actually felt was a developing country. Everywhere else in Brazil and Argentina could have easily been Spain or Italy. I need to get used to it though, I imagine Peru to be quite similar. But I'll find that out in just over a week! 

15 Hours on a Bus

And I survived! It's the longest I've ever been on a mode of transport, including flying, so it was a bit of a trial. We had to go for the Convencional bus, which is the cheapest, so it got us from Sao Paulo to Foz do Iguacu for 30 pounds, which is really good. But it also meant limited legroom, a slightly reclining seat and not a lot of other comforts. But it was actually fine. We had regular stops for toilets (there was a toilet on the bus though) and we even went to a couple of roadhouses where they gave us all an electronic card and we took food from a hot buffet and then paid our tab on the way out. Not too shabby!

For me, as someone who is prone to travel sickness just driving down my road in Birmingham, I was worried that it would be a hellish journey. I took a couple of travel sickness pills before we left, and if they did anything then they worked, because I was fine, and even got a few hours sleep.

We have another long bus journey coming up soon, from Puerto Iguazú (on the Argentinian side of Iguassu Falls) to Buenos Aires, but we're going to splash out the extra 10 pounds and go for a semi-cama one, which should recline to almost bed gradient, and apparently they serve you food too!

Overall, as quite an uptight traveller, I was impressed with the journey and am no longer worried about going long distances by bus. Which is handy really, as I have a hell of a lot of them coming up! But not Buenos Aires to Peru. That mother of a distance is getting flown.

Tomorrow Milena and I are finally going to visit Iguassu Falls themselves (on the Brazilian side) so I can fulfil that dream. Along my trip I have several glowing hotspots that I'm really looking forward to seeing, and this is one of them. Hopefully it won't disappoint!

São Paulo

So São Paulo does not have a good reputation. It's billed as a massive smog-choked metropolis with not much to see, but with good food and a booming nightlife scene. So I was expecting a grey, depressing city that stretches to the foothills of Mt. Doom.

And when our bus pulled into Tiete bus station last night, it was smog-filled, and it was grey. But then when we were leaving for the nearest metro station (with bus tickets for the following day to Iguassu Falls - yay!) the clouds parted and the sunset bloomed over the pedestrian squares and skyscrapers, and it was actually a lovely sight. I love cities anyway, so being in the largest city in the southern hemisphere probably suits me. Now I've lived in Tokyo and been here I've completed the set and been to the largest cities in the both the northern and southern hemispheres. Cross that off my list!

This city seems to work better than Rio. Rio is very relaxed, and while São Paulo is still very Brazilian, it seems more efficient, with a much more comprehensive and user-friendly metro system, recycling bins (!?) and an overall sense of organisation.

And interestingly, the people here seem friendly than in Rio, which really surprised me. You'd think that in sun-soaked and beach-surrounded Rio, people would be more relaxed and more willing to give a smile, but they seem relaxed and also cold. I have only spent one day in São Paulo, so I might be being too quick to compare, but that was my first impression.

Last night Milena and I went to São Paulo's Japan Town for dinner (there's a huge Japanese population here), which is something I've been really looking forward to, as I haven't been to Japan since 2010. We had onigiri, gyoza, and I had tempura udon for my main. Oh what a feast. I took photos of everything, obvz.

Today we're going to take in some of São Paulo's museums - Milena is keen to see a building within a building (don't ask me...) so that sounds worth a look. And we found a Sukiya (a Japanese restaurant chain) right by our hostel, so we're definitely going there for lunch!

I'd actually really recommend the hostel we're staying in. It's Hey Hostel, near Faria Lima metro station. It's near some funky bars and seems like a safe neighbourhood (which is very important when choosing a hostel in this city). The staff are nice and helpful, and the building is clean and secure. Definitely a winner.

Here are some photos of our second day in the city.

Tonight I'm spending the night on a bus for the first time in my life. This could be terrible, but we'll see. The blow should be softened when we arrive at Iguassu Falls tomorrow. I can't wait to see them. That's one of the points along my journey that I've wanted to see since I was a child, so bring it on!

"Don't worry, take it easy."

Seemingly the Brazilian mantra. So many people have said that exact phrase to me. When I asked the owner of my last hostel in Santa Teresa, Rio whether she wanted paying now or later for the laundry she laughed and said "You're so funny! Don't worry, take it easy." (I took that to mean she didn't want paying. I was wrong).

Other Brazilian things I've noticed: 

No one will happily accept a note larger than R$20. To put that into perspective, the next note up (R$50) is worth £12.50. Drives me crazy. 

If a taxi driver doesn't know where a place is, he will kick you out of the taxi. 

Flip flops and shorts are the national uniform. 

Spoken Portuguese is nothing like Spanish. If you think it is, you're wrong. If you think speaking Spanish will help you understand when someone speaks to you, re-evaluate your life. But on the bright side, written is generally okay. I basically just need the phrase 'I don't speak Portuguese, but would you mind writing everything you want to say down in my handy notepad?' 

Oh! And as a side note, more about travelling in general than Brazil. I'd read that when you're backpacking you meet people and then keep bumping into them along the tourist trail. I was like 'Yeah, maybe once or twice...' In the last two days I've bumped into four separate people I've stayed with in hostels in other cities. I'm currently in Paraty (a lovely colonial town four hours or so outside of Rio) in a dorm with two people who were in my first hostel in Botafogo, Rio. There's a storm outside, and the roof is leaking, but that's a story for another day.

It's a gorgeous place though.

Tomorrow Milena and I are going to São Paulo, with a change on the bus because you can't book in advance in Brazil without a Brazilian tax code (need to sort that out before foreigners descend on you for the World Cup/ Olympics, Brazil) or by paying commission to an English language bus middleman. And the plan is to be there for just one night before getting a bus to Iguassu Falls, but if all the buses are booked we might be there longer. (Again, sort it out Brazil!) 

Can't wait to see the Falls! Hopefully I'll sort my life out and get some photos up soon. 

Beyoncé Party in Copacabana

'Nuff said.

Sambadrome Parade

Wow.

On Sunday night Milena and I went to the Sambadrome (Sambadromo in Portuguese) to see the highlight of Carnival. 

And wow. 

It's where all the major samba schools compete and do hour-long (ish) parades in an effort to be crowned champion. 

It started at 9pm, but Milena and I had been told that the best ones parade after midnight, so we slept for a bit (which was easy as we'd had a massive feijoada lunch at our friend Nicky's house earlier that day) and then went for midnight. We took motorbike taxis, which I hadn't done before. It was great fun to cling onto the back of a motorbike for dear life while the driver goes one-handed to take out his helmet, readjust it, and put it back on. At one point his phone rang, and I was thinking 'You bloody dare'. He didn't, thank god. But it was actually quite exhilarating. 

And then the show. Dear god, it was fantastic. I have never seen anything as colourful, dramatic and fabulous as that parade. Anyone who says that you can go to Carnival and just go to the blocos (street parties) and experience it all, is wrong. The blocos were fun, and I enjoyed seeing that side of it, but the Sambadrome was on another level. Even if you get cheap tickets for a less-good view, do it! 

We stayed til the end, which I was glad about, because the last two were the best. And we saw the sunrise over the last parade as well, and it finished at 5.30am. 

Getting a taxi home was a laugh a minute, but we managed it in the end. And we arrived in time to have breakfast at the hostel! Nothing like a toastie after five hours of parade watching. 

I will upload photos when I have the chance, but at the moment I'm draped over a beanbag chair in a hostel on Ilha Grande, an island just outside Rio. Life is hard. 

Tomorrow we're going to explore the island and then on Friday continue our travels along the coast towards Argentina. Will post again when I can!

And here are some photos to prove just how incredible it was...

Booking Brazilian Buses and Collecting Carnival Tickets

Okay, this is when I knew travelling would be a bit more stressful than being a beach bum. Actually trying to make things happen.

I'd heard of foreigners having trouble booking buses online because you need to input a Brazilian tax number (CPF) when you pay. I was keen to book in advance because Milena and I are going to Ilha Grande on Wednesday, straight after Carnival, and a lot of other people I've spoken to are planning to do the same thing. So my friend's mum booked it for me with Costa Verde and I gave her the cash. We had to provide our passport numbers, but because Milena was on a plane at the time we put my passport number in for both passengers. So tomorrow we're going to have to go and explain that we need to change that passport number, just in case they refuse us boarding to the bus on Wednesday. So fingers crossed we can sort that out. (My friend wrote out an explanation in Portuguese, so with any luck that will be sufficient).

And then I thought, okay, let's make this a productive day, I'll go and collect the Carnival samba parade tickets I ordered for me and Milena from Rio Carnival.net for this Sunday. I found the place without trouble and handed over my photocopy of my passport and the debit card I used to buy the tickets. The man disappeared for a second and then came back. He waved me over to the side and then said "There's been a bit of a problem". Right.

Apparently they are waiting for more tickets for Sector 8 (which I ordered because it's meant to have one of the best views of the whole parade) to arrive, so he offered me two tickets for Sector 7. Now I knew that Sector 8 was one of the most expensive sectors, so I told him that that wasn't good enough, and he insisted that the sectors cost the same. So I said I would return on Sunday, which is when he said they'd have more Sector 8 tickets. (I checked when I got back to the hostel, and did the sectors cost the same? Did they my foot.)

I asked the woman at the door when I left the collection point, and she said they might get more Sector 8 tickets tomorrow afternoon. Conflicting information! So I might go on Saturday during the day and see if they have any. But considering today is the first day we were able to collect the tickets, it's pretty poor that they didn't have enough for everyone.

My worry now is that they won't have ordered enough Sector 8s and we'll miss out. Of course I'll kick up a fuss if that's the case, and ask for more than the CD of samba music the guy offered me as a "present". But will I end up regretting not taking the Sector 7 alternative and cutting my losses, when I'm stuck in Sector 1? We'll see.

Anyway. Here's a picture of the sunset at Copacabana yesterday. That's just nicer in general.

Favela Tour of Rocinha

Yesterday a group of us from my hostel did an escorted tour of the largest favela (shanty town) in Brazil, home to 300,000 people. We did the tour with a company that the hostel is linked with. (I think it was Inside Rio, but I could be wrong about that). It cost us R$75 each, which is just under 20 pounds, and that included private transportation from outside and hostel to the favela and back again.

The favela culture is widespread across Brazil, and the government lets people settle on hillsides in and outside major cities simply because it's cheaper for them if the people build their own houses. Then the government will bring electricity and public services such as schools and healthcare to the areas (although these are renowned for being sub-par).

There are 1,024 favelas in Rio alone, which is incredibly difficult to comprehend, even for me being here. 900 of those are still not pacified and are run by drug dealers and gangs. The government has put into place the UPP, a sub-section of the police force designated for the pacification of favelas, but with 900 still to go, there's a lot to do before the World Cup and the 2016 Olympics here.

And even Rocinha, a pacified favela, still has outbreaks of violence. I found out from a Brazilian friend last night (after having been round Rocinha) that two weeks ago there was a shoot-out in the area and there were a couple of deaths. Oh, thinks I.

I studied Rocinha in Geography in Year 9, so I was really keen to go and see it while I'm here. So I was very happy when the tour guide told us that's where she was taking us. She did ask us not to take photos of people, but that views were fine. I had heard about trouble from locals when tourists ignored these warnings, so I made sure to avoid having any people in my photos. Overall, the locals seemed really happy to have us there, and many wished us a good day as we walked past. Children were a bit more disparaging, with a couple of choice phrases shouted at us, including a particular quote from Team America. None of us were American, but okay.

The first stop was a row of craft stalls, overseen by a group of armed UPP officers. One of the reasons tourists are welcomed to areas like this is that they bring in revenue to the local shops (of which many wouldn't have looked out of place in my local area in Birmingham).

And from there we walked over the top of the hill and down through the favela to the other side. It was a real mixture of areas, with some nice brick buildings, many colourful apartment blocks surrounded by trees, and narrow, winding, cockroach-ridden alleyways surrounded on all sides by rubbish, dripping water and people's front doors.

These photos should give you an idea of what it was like:

Seeing the favela was a really good experience, and I'd definitely recommend doing it. But even going round a pacified area in the middle of the day I could tell that it wasn't an area to wander into by yourself, and it would be easy to get lost. Definitely a big part of Brazilian culture to experience if you have the chance though.

First Few Days in Rio

Oh Rio! Oh Rio! What a place. It's a soup of energy, beauty and excitement. The last few days have been a blur of beaches, cityscapes and amazing food. And when I call Rio a "soup", that may be because it was 38 degrees by 10am this morning. I'd been using factor 30 sunscreen until yesterday, but I was still burning. (Some may blame my weak British skin). So I bought some factor 50 today and that seems to have done the trick. The sun is so intense here. You have to be really careful.

I've done quite a few touristy things, including the beach. On my first full day at the hostel I'm in at the moment I went for a wander along Copacabana and Ipanema, and sat on the beach until I overheated and had to run into the shade to drink a coconut. Life is hard.

Ipanema is definitely my favourite beach in Rio. And possibly the world. It is so beautiful, the way it stretches along the front of the tall buildings, ending in the 'Two Brothers' mountains. A friend and I went and sat at the opposite end of Ipanema last night to watch the sun go down behind them. I felt like the world was completely at peace - it was lovely to sit on the rocks and watch.

 I also went up to an observation tower behind Ipanema to see the view, which was fantastic. But I did take a wrong turn and found myself in a favela (shanty town), albeit a pacified one. An old woman walking past me smiled and wished me a good day. So not everything you hear about the favelas is true! I did a favela tour a couple of days later, which you can read about here. 

Today I went up to Christ the Redeemer with two girls from Norway who are staying at my hostel. I'd seen it from various places around the city, but to see it up close was great. And again, fabulous views over Rio and the Atlantic.

So I have four days left before my friend Milena, who went to my Uni, meets me in Rio for Carnival! The big shabang! We're moving into a different hostel closer to the action on Friday, and then we'll probably leave Rio after Carnival finishes. So I've got plenty of time to keep soaking up the sun in this wonderful city. His name is Miles, and he fully intends to dance on the sand.

Touchdown!

I am here! I am so here! I've actually been here since Thursday night, but things have been such an amazing blur I've been neglecting my blog. The flight went surprisingly quickly, and I got chatting to an Irish couple who were going to Argentina to get married. What a nice thing to do! And then suddenly I found myself in Brazil. At several points I've had to check myself and think "Hold on, I'm in Brazil." But it's a wonderful feeling.

I got to my hotel without incident, although don't go to the first taxi company you find at the stands in the airport - they are much more expensive than the others! When I got to my hotel I found that I'd been upgraded for free to a Superior room, which had a sitting room, a bath, a shower and air-con. What a treat!

And now here I am, sitting in a hostel in the middle of Rio, sweating buckets but very happy.

Ready and Raring to Go

And that's that! I'm pretty much packed, I've crossed the final thing off my to-do list, and I'm actually really excited to get on a plane tomorrow and arrive in Rio. The great unknown! (To me...) 

It's feeling more like a holiday now than a huge humbling trip. It helps that the weather forecast for Friday in Rio is 31C and sunny. Can't complain! Well, I'm British. I'm sure I'll find something.

The last few weeks have been a manic blur of sorting things out, buying a ridiculous amount of stuff and seeing people for various goodbyes. And it's all culminating in tomorrow morning, when my family and I get up at 5am and make our way to Heathrow for my flight. I've got to have an entourage when I leave the country. Why break the habit of a lifetime?

Having done a practice pack a few days, I knew that everything would go into my rucksack, so I wasn't worried about that. But it was still a relief to see it all go in there. And it only weighs 13kg, which I'm quite pleased with. (I don't find it easy to pack light, so I'm happy with that. I still might lose some disposable things along the way, but from looking at advice online I think I've got the right stuff.

So now all that remains is to have a nice final evening - I'm about to have a bath, and then we're having pie and mash for dinner. Oh yes! That'll keep me going on the British food-front for a few weeks.

My next post will be from Rio, most likely tapped out on my iPod over wifi, so I guess let's see what happens between then and now.

Wish me luck, and I'll see you on the other side!