Rio was great, but a bit to big. language barrier a bit of an issue as well. still - we were right next to Copacabana and quite near all the main sights. A place I'm glad I saw, but not somewhere I'd worry if I never saw again. They were also in the midst of local elections with campaigning that would put all in Killarney to shame! Some highlights - boat trip round a tropical island , that big Christ statue up in the clouds you see in all the pictures and the two main beaches.

Foz Dolguacu (Brazil) 14 to 17 Sep 2004 >>>Map 1

After 5 days in Rio we caught a bus & made a 24 hour journey to a town called Foz do Iguzua on the border of Brazil - Paraguay & Argentina. Sadly I decided to pick up a stomach bug here (not sure how, as there's only so many vegetarian options around!), but the time there was good.

The town was a bit like something you'd see in an old western - but the waterfalls there were the reason for our visit . We spent two days strolling around them, under them, over them etc.>>> in the sun and they were truly impressive - nearly as good as Torc!

We left there and headed to Asuncion in Paraguay - which could be the hottest place ever - too hot to do anything and nothing much to do there. They do however have the maddest drivers ever - our bus journey consisted of 6 terrible hours of the game chicken - the only good bit being we were bigger than all the other traffic. Accommodation - we were looked after very well by an English couple who made lots of tea - so not all bad (plus they had football on their TV - no Torquay though).