"Just a few miles from the border was the Iquazu Falls, by far the most overwhelming in the world and the second most beautiful sight of my trip. And the more I walked round the many footpaths  and viewing points on the Brazilian side, and looked across to Argentina on the other, the more overwhelming it all seemed with water plunging in 270 falls over a frontage of about 11/2 miles, the water tumbling down through the dark green forest causing clouds of high mist and the bright sun creating blazing rainbows. Add to this the beautiful orchid ferns, and for me the best of all, the most magnificent variety of butterflies I have ever seen, and I had a sight I will never forget. I think what made it even more exciting was that I had heard very little about the falls beforehand, it was all a nice surprise.
 
I only had one day at the falls as there did not seem to be any cheap accommodation in the area, and also I had met some Brazilian students of English who offered me a lift to Ponta Grossa, about halfway to San Paulo, which seemed too good to miss. The students, two couples in their early twenties, seemed glad of the chance to practice their English; I enjoyed being able to talk with them, and the journey went by quite quickly, rounding off a most interesting day.
 
After a night in a small hotel I got the morning bus to San Paulo. It had rained hard in the night and there were large puddles everywhere, the dark red earth having turned into mud, and though it had stopped raining the skies were dark and it all looked very dreary; the only thing of interest for me on the journey were the strange trees with flat tops looking more like umbrellas." - MH