From Anchorage to Ushuaia by Bike

We left Terra del Fuego wearing our fleeces and when we arrived in Buenos Aires, all we wanted to do was take off our t-shirts! Traveling with the bikes went perfectly, we had no problems at all and didn’t have to pay anything extra.

Like Anibal’s incredible generosity in Terra del Fuego, Ezequiel and Liesje welcomed us in Buenos Aires and agreed to take our bikes during our little adventure.

After 13 hours in a bus – all inclusive, meaning dinner with drinks (whisky and sparkling wine), breakfast and a totally reclining seat – we arrived in Posadas, almost unbearably hot and humid. Posadas is the jumping off point for visits to the Jesuit missions in Argentina and Paraguay. We went into Paraguay to see one or these missions, and added it to the list of countries we’ve visited.

Now we are in Missiones Province, where most of the mate that Argentineans drink all day long is grown. Then four hours by bus to Puerto Iguazu, the closest village to the falls. The falls are on the border between Brazil and Argentina. We decided to stay on the Argentinean side where the prices for accommodation were a little more reasonable. We had a hard time swallowing the entrance fee – once again we paid three times more than Argentineans… another form of discrimination against foreigners. And the reason for it? Since we’re on the euro and one euro is worth five Argentinean pesos, we should pay five times as much right? All the Argentineans we’ve met have said the same thing…! Well, if that’s the way it’s going to be… sheesh!

The falls were really spectacular, totally worth the detour. On the Argentinean side, the many walkways allow pedestrians to get close to the falls, close enough to feel the spray – !!refresh!!ing, especially with temperatures of 35°C plus humidity. We almost went over to the Brazilian side, but in the end we didn’t have to. One of the walkways went so close that we were totally drenched, and able to fully appreciate the powerful waterfall. Like at the Perito Moreno glacier, we felt incredibly small compared with the forces of nature.

Next up, Florianopolis, in Brazil on the Atlantic Ocean, only a short 14 hour bus ride away!

In case you might be wondering, yes, we miss our bikes. We much prefer traveling by bike since we can take our time and be more flexible. These little hops by bus mean that we skip from town to town without really appreciating the landscapes and the inhabitants along the way.

Sara et Sébastien