Iguazu Falls without Brazil Visa... Argentina side is awesome!

31 October 2010
Iguazy Falls, Argentina

   Iguazu Falls is just amazing! Travel mate Karolyn (from Germany) and I got there on one of the first buses of the day, and spent an entire day there. We were very impressed by it. We also loved the Jungle Boat ride into it.
   I only explored the Argentine side and I think that with the boat ride view it was enough. I also took the attitude that Brazil can get stuffed.
   The problem for me with going to the Brazilian side was that as an Australian I need a visa, and Brazil are being (in my opinion) completely silly about it. This isn´t about the money, it is about needless regulation. As I understand it, Brazil requires us to have a visa because we (Australia) require Brazilians to have a visa. But unlike Argentina and Chile who simply require us to pay a reciprical fee to fly in, Brazil, in most cases requires paperwork and time.
   When I wanted to get the visa in Colombia I was told in Bogota I would have to wait 5 days to get the visa. I didn´t have 5 days to spare, so I flew to the border town of Leticia (I was going there regardless), but there I was told I would have to wait 3 days more (I had already waited the long weekend for the consulate to reopen).  This blew my plans to continue travelling with a Dutch friend as she couldn´t wait and so I decided to go back to Peru, instead of passing the next 3 months traveling in Brazil.
   In Montevideo I decided to try again, because I had heard how in Puerto Iguazu they would issue the visa in 30 minutes, no questions asked (just pay the money, but, like I said, the money part doesn´t bother me), and so I thought that perhaps the rules would be more relaxed in Montevideo too. They weren´t. I still needed to wait 3 days and provide proof of ticket into and out of Brazil. At this point Brazil would have been a good way to get to Iguazu Falls.
   The fact they can do it in Puerto Iguazu (30 days visa, extensions issued inside the country) so easily, but make such a job of it elsewhere says to me that it is just stupid and senseless regulation, and I think that for that they deserve to loose some tourist dollars.
   Brazil, of course, is completely entitled to make their senseless rules, just a I am entitled to say they are silly and decide not to go there. And, if Brazil really thinks that it is wrong of us to ask their citizens for visas (I believe Australia asks for visas for legitimate reaons) then perhaps they need to learn what I was taught as a child... that 2 wrongs do not make a right. Tit for Tat is, afterall, considered childish.
   Iguazu Falls was fantastic! And I am not sad that I didn´t see it from the Brazil side.

Feel the excitement! Karo and I getting ready to ride a boat up some rapids and under some mighty powerful falls. I had a poncho on.... but it had a hole in it (of course, where my neck goes) and I got soaked under it anyway.

Last chance to snap a photo before getting drenched.

There is a boat like the one I was on. It seems like they are powerful boats that head full power into the falls, but get forced back by it´s power! I was shreaking with the fun the whole time!

As soon as I unwrapped my sandwich this coati climbed the umbrella pole 

and onto my table, but I refused to share. 

Then it headed to another table where a tourist was too busy filming him 

and didn´t realise that he was about to swiftly steal his lunch!

Niagara doesn´t have anything on Iguazu Falls! They are wow!

Me, somewhere under the rainbow where dreams come true.

Wow!

Notes

Accomodation, Hostel Iguazu Falls. Comfy and just a block and a half from the bus terminal. I recommend it!

Bus and Entry to the Falls is about $US25

Boat trip through the rapids and into the falls about $US55. Recommended for the fun, though if your budget is tight you could do the half price option which doesn´t include the rapids.