And the heavens opened

I didn't think working on a Sunday would be quite as painful as normal, as this time I'd been switched to work with J. But lordy lord, was I wrong. It was the most despicable weather I have seen in my 5 weeks living here. Rain, rain and more rain.

I knew it was coming, as I sat eating my granola (American way of saying honeyed muesli) and yoghurt, watching the clouds devour every inch of the sky. If I'd been smart, I would have taken the annoying sucking sounds of my old man neighbour skinning (and sucking) bamboo as a warning sign that this day would indeed suck.

The boss wasn't around, not entirely surprisingly since anyone with half a brain was indoors as they say "fucking or sleeping" (glad to know my options are plentiful), so we were given our daily tasks as normal and expected to carry them out. Which we did... in time.

We had one lot of customers come - a cruise ship ride for J and 4 locals for me. Well, by locals I mean people living here. I didn't expect a tip, nor did I receive one. Most probably because just 100m into the ride my young horse decided to throw a tantrum and complete bonkers-out. It sensed the herd of non-working horses nearby and of course at that time that decided to gallop away, and he got all excited, jumping around and rearing up.

This did nothing to instil confidence in the 2 women already very nervous on their first ride, and the man with his young cousin. In fact, the young boy liked the excitement but I could tell the man was a little more dubious. Either way, no one came off, the one horse that bolted slowed and turned back quickly, and we were on our way again. I thought for one moment I would have had to dismount and change horses, but I pushed him on and he calmed down.

At that stage in the day, the weather wasn't yet raining horribly, just sprinkling, but it was windy. And the clouds were out, making views of the nearby islands impossible. It's always hard, too, when you have people that live on the island, to tell them things they probably already know. Our rides are really tailored to tourists, so when you have locals you really just have to have nice conversation.

And then I had the task of putting them in the right order - the young boy first, but then the scared girls in the middle and the older cousin at the back that probably wanted to be close to the young boy. Much more than meets the eye with being a horse guide. Most people probably don't even realise what goes through our heads!

As the rain fell around midday, J and I looked at the now murky water and thought it a perfect time to swim. Well, he was a bit uncertain... but I was keen, pulling off my t-shirt... and then he was keen haha.... amazingly, my white sports bra was thick enuf it wasn't see-through in the water. Was fun, though, going crazy in the rain. Afterwards, pretty much assigned myself lunch, as there was not much I could do without catching fever.

Had some people book a one-hour ride, then cancel, then another couple booking a two-hour ride (why????) then not show up... so I was on alert for the afternoon, praying they wouldn't turn up. Seriously... who books a ride on a day like today?? Ridiculous.

So obviously I made no tips today - the first time for me. No surprising, but still a bit of a bummer. This week I made a killing, though, so all good. Got a sympathy tip from J, who got a decent amount from his cruise ship ride - unusual - so maybe my freaky horse cost me some extra moolah. Oh well, off to the glue factory for you, m'dear.

At the end of the day - oh, how I longed for the end - the boss was there and congratulated us on getting everything done in the shitty weather. No problem. At all. Brrrrr. I rejected a lift from R and stayed around talking about the crazy hurricane weather of the island, how it'd changed in the last few decades and "Old Years" (what they call New Years Eve)... was quite interesting except that I was slowing starting to freeze still in my wet t-shirt. Seriously the first time I've properly been cold on the island. Was actually visualising sitting in front of a fire.

Came home and made myself entirely too much stir fry - in fact, I ate it all, as I always do. What was I saying about losing weight on this island?? Well, not much else to concentrate on really, is there? Can't shelter under trees like I did today thinking all kinds of sad things about not being with my love, now can I? Time to get crackin', let's get some of this weight off. Just the same, it's also easy to eat my way through the depression. Now where was that packet of M&Ms???

In amongst the waterfalls

Waterfall time. I woke to chatter in the common area of my hostel... some snippets of English here n there. Maybe I will find a buddy to see this water display. Ended up talking with the girls I met briefly checking in the night before, and ended up going together with them to the falls.

This is the first really touristy thing I have done in South America (besides Carnaval, but that wasn´t too expensive in the end) so I knew I would go over budget. Am working out a new budget tonight. Anyway, we paid to get into the national park and got a nice touristy double decker to the falls.

We were told the Brazilian side of the falls - literally, the river is divided in two with the Argentina and Brazilian sides (the town itself borders 3 countries including Paraguay) - was more restricted in the boat rides than Argentina so we kept to the boardwalks. First lookout I thought quietly to myself... hmmm, this is alright... but actually thinking the view of the blue-eyed (yay for the blue eyes of the south), olive-skinned Brazilian selling abseiling was mildly more entertaining. You can sail my rocks any day, boy.

About this time, I got a tap on my shoulder and English boy from yesterday said a bright hello! So with my posse of 3 in tow, we moved on to the next lookout, and the next, and the next... all the while sweating up a storm and posing for photo after photo. I must get those email addresses for those photos... The butterflies were the tamest I had ever come across, which is awesome becuase at one time I had 2 licking the sunscreen/sweat combo off my arm (that would´ve been a treat for them, probably actually poisonous) and we got some nice pics of that too.

Then came the finale... da da DAAAA!!! There was the boardwalk, leading out almost INTO the falls with mist falling at a deceivingly rapid pace on all the tourists. L had said to me, "Oooh, let´s go there, I want to get some mist on me." Several minutes later, her hair dripping and eyes almost slits trying to keep sunscreen from seeping in, I asked her, "Misty enuf??" It was a quick snap-and-hide mission for all cameras too, for fear of ruining them in the wetness.

We came out, soaked but happy we were no longer drenched in sweat, and headed out of the national park. Having faffed around probably more than necessary - but enjoyed ourselves doing it! - we had missed the opportunity to go to the bird park where apparently you could have a toucan put on your arm for a photo, we jumped on the bus and fought off sun-induced sleep so we wouldn´t miss our stop. Still, I ran out and didn´t have time to ask J for his email. Bummer! Hope we run into him at the Argentinian side of the falls tomorrow...

I wanted to leave the hostel in Brazil tonight instead of tomorrow as it would be much cheaper to split the cab cost across the border to Argentina than get a bus - with a bus, although it´s cheaper, you need to get off at every checkpoint and therefore wait for another bus after your passport is stamped. So I gingerly asked my hostel for a refund and a day-early checkout, and surprisingly the same awesome lady that changed my original stuff-up around without dramas said it was not a problem. Woot woot! First and probably last time that will happen in my life, I reckon.

We got across the border without dramas - it was just 15 mins away - but when we got the girls´ pre-booked hostel there was absolutely no room for me so I went to the hostel down the road and found a room. Plan to meet the girls tomorrow to check out the Argentinian side of the falls. Maybe convince myself it´s not a waste of money to get the rapido boat ride into the actual falls... ahh fuck it, I´ll just do it. Now... to get some bloody sleep... have to make the most of this free internet but I am so tired. The sun has DRAINED me.

Oh, and in the meantime, I have found some CS accommodation in Uruguay and already have some parties to go to on the weekend... just gotta find a way to get there!