WorldTravelReynolds

Goodness gracious 4:00 am sure comes early. Especially when you just laid your head down 3 hours ago. I actually woke up with leg cramps around 3:20 so I started getting ready while Chuck slept a little longer. Our hike yesterday through the park and falls equated to 3 miles and 8500 steps. Our bodies just need more sleep than this! But, are we going to miss out on one of the most amazing creations that God made? No way! We can sleep when we are dead, as one of our friends on this cruise keeps reminding us! I keep reminding him that he is much younger than us!

We all checked out of our hotel and made our way to the park and hopped on an open train to reach the Argentina side of the falls. We walked down the trail a little ways after exiting the train to watch the sun rise above the water and listen to the roar of the water. I couldn’t think of a more amazing place to be at that moment, except Heaven, of course. It was the second best place.

We walked along the walkways and saw more places where the sun captured the beauty of nature. This has been by far the most amazing experience we have ever had. It will be hard to imagine any other world wonder topping this experience but I’m sure they will all have a beauty of their own.

We finally had breakfast of sweet croissants and sweets with hot coffee provided by our tour guide. He also had a musician playing a harp with beautiful music.

After breakfast Chuck and Karl, (another friend we made this trip) stayed at the entrance and rested while Karls wife Laurie and I made the 3+ mile trek through the Argentina side of the falls. The experience we had yesterday was more than doubled today with so many beautiful falls within this forest.

We saw Capuchin monkeys along our trek. They were so cute and we even saw one with a baby on her back. We were careful not to feed them (didn’t want to get bit) but truly enjoyed their swinging in the trees. A few were enjoying some bananas.

Burrowing owls are plentiful and looked like they were sleeping. A toucan was spotted in several locations but you had to be quick to catch a photo.

Coaties? Oh my goodness, they were everywhere. They have a ringed tail like a raccoon which fits since they are part of the Raccoon family.

The guide told us jaguars and anaconda snakes are deep in the forest but we wouldn’t see any. I’m ok with that!

Laurie and I had a wonderful time and had to push each other to get up and down the sometimes rough and slippery stairs. I had a fall yesterday so I’m sure I’ll be sore for a few days. It was quite a hike.

Our bus got us to the airport on time, we had a much needed lunch at Hard Rock Cafe and walked onto our home (the ship) with 30 minutes to spare.

I could go on and on about how this experience affected Chuck and I but I think I’ve said enough. I’m so pleased and blessed with the opportunity to be on this world cruise.

We will rest the next two days before arriving in Puerto Madryn, Argentina to see the penguins.

May God bless you always!

Chuck & Lea Ann