Travel in Central and South America

Over the past six months I have been asked a few times for recommendations about both Central and South America- whether to go it alone, with a friend, with a tour...which countries to visit...how much money to bring...points of interest and so on. So in an attempt to summarise such a sheer amount of information, I will try to keep the answers brief yet informative.

Firstly, and I can not stress this point enough, do not book a tour. Logically, does it make sense to pay someone to tell you when to wake up, what things to see, what time to arrive, when to leave or where to eat? The magic coinciding with backpacking is the freedom to do whatever you want. The ability to stay in a location for that extra day should the mountains strike you so, the food tempt you or the women (how scandalous!) indulge you. These whirlwind-do six-countries-in-one-month-affairs are not only limiting, but cost sometimes four times the sum of money it would amount to had you have done it yourself. If this has not yet deterred you, and your still hell-bent, screaming for some stability in the far lands that be, then I urge you to pay me to be your guide. I will do it for half the price as Contiki and throw in local parties and local friends for free.

Next, with a typical six month holiday, the decision to visit Central or South America (or possibly both) is crucial to the experience- because well...it is the experience. With six months it is possible to see both Central and South America; however I would strongly advise on choosing one or the other. For a start the distances in South America are far greater than those found in Central America, and its not uncommon for a bus ride to last anywhere from 10-24 hours. However these pre-conceived grievances slowly fade when you realise that all a 16 hour bus ride entails is a 5pm departure, a couple of movies, a sleep which pulls one in with the bends of the road and the callings of song ( a charged iPod is crucial...as is a blanket, hammocks make great covers as well- I still do not fully understand the concept of their air-conditioning systems, but rest assured you will FREEZE), and then a sunrise- the soft lapping of warmth glinting through windows and stroking one to consciousness in time for an hour or two sight-seeing before exploration of the new town or city at 9 am can take place.

Now, both Central and South America are beautiful- each with their various points of interest and exhibits of natural beauty. Climbing volcanoes in Guatemala and roasting marshmallows from flowing liquid magma rates just as highly as ascending (along with the entire village) the principal sand-dune in Jericoacoara (Brazil) and watching waves lap the vertical sand cliffs while all around the light dims as the sun, that fiery ball of life, diminishes beyond the horizon bringing light to the night. Lonely Planet does a pretty good job of listing points of interest so I will not delve to deeply, however some personal favourite experiences of the Americas include: The San Blas islands of Panama, the hike to South Americas new lost city (Ciudad Perdida) (and also an insight into the production process of Cocaine- and how it has shaped, both positively and negatively the outcome of the country), the Inca Trail, the harsh mines of Potosi in Bolivia, Buenos Aires, the ski fields of Chile and Las Lenas, Iguazu falls, and seeing Amazonian kids paddle out in home-made canoes to bob and float in the resulting wake of our steamer- but more than that...their smiles.

Ultimately, you could read as many guidebooks as there are printed, watch as many documentaries as there are filmed and read as many blogs as there are written- but each person´s experience is going to be different based on the people that they meet. Fellow backpackers and locals alike have the ability to make or break places, and I would argue that it is the people, rather than the locations themselves, that leave a lasting impression of places visited. I have never met a group of people more hospitable, instantly accepting, naturally happy or excited about life as the Colombians- my reasons exactly for choosing Colombia as my favourite destination of the Americas.

Also, do yourself a favour and learn Spanish. The first time I travelled South America I had no grasp of the language at all, and so, missed out on meeting locals in the process. With the understanding of the language you no longer feel as if you’re viewing countries through a spy glass or some sort of window. You will save money, meet amazing people and enjoy the various rewards of travelling to a much greater extent.

As far as money goes, on the whole, South America is most likely slightly cheaper than Central America but that depends on the locations visited. Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Belize, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama are going to require roughly 30-60 dollars per day (the exception being Brazil where, if moving quickly, the aforementioned prices can be doubled due to the exorbinate- almost mafia like- prices of the Brazilian bus systems. More often than not it can be cheaper to take a flight, especially when travelling from Rio to Salvador). Whereas in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru, Argentina and espeically Bolivia, it is possible to survive on roughly 15-30 dollars per day. Now this budget assumes you stay in cheap guesthouses or backpackers, eat at local restaurants (maximizing your money by asking for the menu of the day) and drink or party very little. It is the same all around the world; countries can be as cheap or as expensive as you want to make them.

It is possible to work in hostels along the way to save money. However, don’t expect to earn anything either- typical rewards for working behind a bar or front desk include: free accommodation, free evening meals and 50 percent off at the bar. With savings like these it is possible to live off next to nothing considering the expenses you no longer have to fork out for. Loki hostels in particular are great at employing people and I had the pleasure of working at both the backpackers in Cuzco and in La Paz. Working ski seasons are next to impossible unless you already have both a fluent knowledge of Spanish and the ability to teach skiing or snowboarding. I stayed in Las Lenas (Argentina) for 5 months snowboarding everyday without working. How? For accommodation, try the website www.laslenasski.com as I rented an apartment for about 1000 dollars for the season. Ski passes cost approximately the same, however its possible to sell them to other travelers should you leave early. But why ski in Argentina? Well Las Lenas, and its fabled Marte chair, provide some of the best backcountry skiing and snowboarding in the world and the riding that I encountered their (people to powder ratio) rivaled, if not exceeded the riding I have found in North America.

To conclude, your going to have an amazing experience no matter where you choose to go. If I could do it all again, I would probably choose South America solely on the fact that I have more local friends in that part of the world. You will get sick, you will be hungry, you will get tired, and you will also see some of the most breath taking sights in the world, change and mature as a person, make friends for life and find out why so many people fall in love with this beautiful region of the world. If you have any questions I am more than happy to help out further. Just book that plane ticket, throw some cloths into a bag- and go! xx