Report 12th of November
By Robert

We drive from San Ignacio to Iguazú Falls.
The engine has been repaired and we can drive again. De road is still quite hilly and each hill the Model T has to climb, we wonder whether he’s going to make it.
We stop in a village with many German emigrants. According to the sign, this village is famous for its German beer music. A man starts talking to us in German. It turns out he doesn’t only have a Mercedes collection, but he also plays in one of the six beer brass bands and he offers us a demo cd. Unfortunately the cd player of the Land Rover refuses to play the cd…
As we get near the Iguazú Falls, we get more and more warning signs with pictures of strange animals, but fortunately none of them throws itself in front of our car.

Tapir sign

In the afternoon we reach the falls, located on the border of Argentina and Brazil. We go straight to the Argentinean site to check the falls out. Before we see the falls itself, we come across some coatis and a capuchin monkey.

Coati

Capuchin monkey

The falls are impressive. The water flows over a 2,5 km long edge, so there is not just one fall, but a dozen small and big falls. Most of them fall in two stages, making it even more impressive. This is waterfall heaven!

Iguazú Falls

Iguazú Falls

Iguazú Falls

Whoever sees the first toucan has to buy a round of beer. Robert is the lucky one and after the first we see many more ‘flying bananas’.

First Toucan

Butterfly

Before we leave we get wet taking pictures of ourselves underneath one of the falls.

Dirk and Trudy under falls

Wouter, Liza and Robert under falls

Report 11th of November
By Robert

We stayed in San Ignacio, due to technical problems.
Dirk has worked very hard today to fix the bearings of the 3th piston rod. It rained most of the day, so we had to make a tent over the car.

Dirk working under cover

Dirk working under cover

With a bit of shim Dirk manages to fix the bearings.

Dirk cutting shim

We listen carefully when we start the engine, but is sounds perfect. We make a short trail run up the steep hill from the campsite. The engine runs well, we are ready to get back on the road!

Starting the engine for trail run

Report 10th of November
By Robert

Due to technical problems we drive only a short distance from Posadas to San Ignacio.
When Dirk checks the Model T in the morning, it turns out last days rough roads have caused some damage. A triangle at the front has broken in two pieces. The triangle connects the front axle with the chassis.

Broken triangle

Dirk removes the triangle and the receptionist of the hotel gives us the address for a garage. At the garage the triangle is neatly welded back together. When the owner hears we are driving for SOS Children’s Villages, we get the money back as a donation.

Dirk removing triangle

Fixing the triangle

Welding the triangle

In the parking of the garage, the triangle is put back under the car. Meanwhile the helpful receptionist tells us about the work he does with his wife, to keep children in Posadas from getting into trouble. We get another donation for SOS Children’s Villages.

Donation by receptionist of hotel Urunday

Around two o’clock we leave, hoping to reach Iguazu falls the same day, but we don’t get very far. The road is quite hilly and the Model T barely makes it up the hills, while making a lot of noice. Dirk thinks the bearing of one of the piston pins are worn out. We find a camping at San Ignacio and Dirk gets under the car for the second time today.

Under the car again

After a long search, it turns out it is not the piston pins, but the bearing of one of the piston rods. The rest of the day is spent working on the car.

Worn out bearing

Because Robert can’t even tell the difference between a screwdriver and a wrench, he sets off for the village to visit Argentina’s best kept Jesuit Mission.

Jesuit Mission at San Ignacio Mini

Report 9th of November
By Robert

We drive from Colonia Carlos Pellegrini to Posadas, mainly on dirt roads.
The campsite turns out to be a great spot to see wildlife. We see a kingfisher, a heron swallowing a 1 m tall eel and a sunbathing caiman.

 Amazone Kingfisher

 Rufescent Tiger Heron

 Black Caiman

Before we leave, we walk a short track in the forest. We spot one lazy howler monkey and a bird with a very long bill.

Howler Monkey

Red-billed Scythebill

The road is alright, but very sandy. The Model T has to work hard and the temperature of the engine gets very high. Dirk removes the bonnet to give the engine some extra cool air, but even then we have to stop several times to let the engine cool down.

Engine getting hot

The floor under our feet reaches a temperature of 175 ºC. Robert is co-driving today, and he needs extra protection against the heat.

Heat protection

Large parts of the road consist of two narrow, high tracks, with deep gullies next to it. It’s as if we are driving on a railway track. One mistake and we are stuck, but Dirk manages to keep the car on the tracks.
Meanwhile Liza takes pictures of the animals we see along the route, like a professional wildlife photographer.

Liza in Land Rover

Wattled Jacana

Burrowing Owl

Report 8th of November
By Robert

We drive from la Cruz to Colonia Carlos Pellegrini, on a dirt road.
We’ve got some problems with the tires of the Land Rover. Two valves are leaking and the third tire has a screw in it. The best place to go for these things, is garage Yacaré in la Cruz. They fix the tires quickly and for free as well, as a donation for the SOS Children’s Villages!

Screw in tire

Team from gomeria Yacaré

With fixed tires we leave the tarmac road and continue our journey on a beautiful dirt road, which passes a marsh.

The road

We see the most amazing birds. Burrowing owls, caracaras -a big bird of prey-, parakeets and vermilion flycathers.

Burrowing owl

Crested caracara

Parakeet

Vermilion Flycatcher

De road is dry except for a few puddles. Halfway we come across a stream. The Land Rover crosses first and it turns out the stream is deeper and muddier than we thought. Is the Model T going to make this? We estimate the best spot to cross…

Where to cross

…and put the pedal to the metal! We get safely to the other side, with only a wet driver and co-driver.

Crossing water

Just after the crossing we see the first capybaras, the biggest rodent in the world. They can get as big as a pig.

First capybaras

First capybaras 

We also see traditional gauchos.

Gauchos

Gaucho

Junction to Carlos Pellegrini 

De road gets more and more beautiful and we see even more animals, including marsh deer and black caiman. Just before sunset we reach the campsite at Colonia Carlos Pellegrini.

Bathing capybaras

Baby capybaras feeding

Great egret

Marsh deer

Black caiman