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I am planning a trip to South America for approximatley 8 weeks starting in Januray 2010. Most of my time will be spent in Buenos Aires, Chilie, and Salvidor for Carnival. I'm after some info on peoples experiences with Machu Picchu tours. I would like to do one that takes alot longer than the usual one day hike. Are there any that are like a week long? Also if anyone can reccomend anywhere to stay in Salvidor around Carnival time. I will be travelling solo so a hostel would be perfect.
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May 7, 2009 04:23
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dave diggler posted:I am planning a trip to South America for approximatley 8 weeks starting in Januray 2010. Most of my time will be spent in Buenos Aires, Chilie, and Salvidor for Carnival. You can see the Machu Picchu a bunch of different ways. You do not need to sign up for a tour unless you plan on hiking there. -Go by train. The most common way is to take the train to Machu Picchu in the morning, explore the ruins for a few hours and return to Cusco in the afternoon. -Go by bus -Hike the Inca Trail. The offical Inca trail tours are offered for 2 or 4 days. These are controlled by the government and pretty expensive. You will need to book this months in advance. -Alternative Hiking Route. You book a really inexpensive tour the night before in Cusco to hike an alternative trail to the Machu Picchu. I saw some really cheap ones, for like $150 for 4 days with everything included. dave diggler posted:Also if anyone can reccomend anywhere to stay in Salvidor around Carnival time. I will be travelling solo so a hostel would be perfect. I stayed at http://www.barraguesthouse.com/ last July and it was a really great hostel. Its tiny with maybe 10 people able to stay there at one time but its got a friendly atmosphere, great breakfast, cool owner, and a safe location. But I would still recommend that you stay in Pelourinho since you are going to be there during carnival. I think thats where all the action will be. I stayed at http://www.laranjeirashostel.com.br/, but it was nothing special. While I have not done carnaval in Brazil, people would constantly tell me that the carnaval in Recife/Olinda is their favorite. It is supposed to be more informal, where everyone participates rather than just watching it like in Rio or Salvador. Don't take my word for it though, as its only what I heard.
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May 10, 2009 00:02
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Bumping this here thread. I'll be coming from Australia or New Zealand to South America. What do you think is a good major hub that will be fairly reasonable in price? South/Central America will be the latter part of my 5 month trip as I make it home to California. (Might even visit Portland or Washington on the way back) At any rate. I'm going to have 3-4 weeks for the area. I have some family in Mexico and I've heard nothing but good things about Mexico south from the border. At first I was thinking Brazil but the visa issue is quite a pain. I figure aside from Mexico I'll have time for 2-3 countries. And I'm pretty much open to any advice or input on which to choose.
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May 23, 2009 02:22
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I'm headed to Machu Picchu the first week of June, I have a tour set up because even though I do speak Spanish, a tour seemed like the way to go for the #1 tourist destination in Peru... I'll be in Lima for a week after MP, I'll report back about how my tour went in case anybody else is interested, I booked it through the hostel I'll be staying at. The train from Cusco to MP is expensive, man.
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May 23, 2009 10:45
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Chillin in Lima right now, pretty cool city. Went like 6 hours yesterday without seeing any other tourists downtown. Still not entirely sure where I'm going tomorrow, but I'll figure it out.
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May 24, 2009 17:52
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kalicki posted:Chillin in Lima right now, pretty cool city. Went like 6 hours yesterday without seeing any other tourists downtown. Still not entirely sure where I'm going tomorrow, but I'll figure it out. Do you know if finding a flight to Santiago (Chile), or Cordoba (Argentina) is easy to get with little to no notice? I know theres daily flights to places like Cuzco and Iquitos where you dont have to book ahead, which is something I would like to do as well to those other locations when I head down to Peru in July. How long are you planning on staying in Lima, or Peru?
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May 24, 2009 18:23
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I'm sure you COULD find a flight, it would just probably be pretty expensive. Everything else is crazy cheap here, but flights still seem to be somewhat expensive priced. I've been in Lima since Thursday night, heading out somewhere tomorrow. Thinking either Ayacucho or Huacahina, I've got like a week to kill before I get to Cuzco. Should be in Peru for another month or so probably, somewhere.
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May 24, 2009 22:53
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I'm flying out to Venezuela on Tuesday. I've been reading through this thread, but have a couple of questions. Some people have mentioned just withdrawing cash there. How much does it cost to do so? Would you recommend withdrawing cash from ATMs or taking a load of cash with me? Whats the best way to travel between countries? I'm flying back from Peru, so need to make my way to there from Venezuela.
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May 27, 2009 19:09
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Atlasion posted:I'm flying out to Venezuela on Tuesday. I've been reading through this thread, but have a couple of questions. Venezuela is a dangerous country and so the safest thing to do is withdraw cash from ATM's so you are not stuck carrying tons of money on you all the time. But if you do that you have to go with the official exchange rate which is awful. There is a black market exchange rate which would allow you to get a far better rate of exchange. I think most people bring a load of cash with them but if you get robbed... Atlasion posted:Whats the best way to travel between countries? I'm flying back from Peru, so need to make my way to there from Venezuela. Bus or airplane. If you have time travel by bus and if you are in a rush travel by plane. The only risky border crossing is the one from Ecuador into Peru so be careful with that. If you want to take planes but save money you should be taking domestic flights and crossing borders by bus. This is cheaper a lot of the time than flying from one country to another.
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May 27, 2009 19:36
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DustingDuvet posted:The only risky border crossing is the one from Ecuador into Peru so be careful with that. Would you mind elaborating on this? Thanks.
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May 28, 2009 00:00
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boner school posted:Would you mind elaborating on this? Thanks. I have never done the border crossing myself but when I was in Ecuador I would constantly hear awful stories about it. Here is one quick anecdote: http://travelvice.com/archive/2006/09/ecuadorperu-border.php
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May 28, 2009 00:38
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I'm irrationally moving to Colombia next week. Starting in Medellin 
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May 28, 2009 02:33
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Adnar posted:I'm irrationally moving to Colombia next week. Starting in Medellin Good move I have from there who can show you around the city if you'd like. Send me a PM if you want me to put you guys in touch.
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May 28, 2009 02:43
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I have a couple questions about BA. I'm thinking about doing a 3 month trip over Nov, Dec, Jan What would be the price of a 3 bedroom apartment in a good neighborhood? Furnished? What is the best way to travel around BA? Would it be worth buying a car? What is the best way to network with people if you are not involved with studying abroad?
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May 31, 2009 22:39
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Tomcat1944 posted:I have a couple questions about BA. I'm thinking about doing a 3 month trip over Nov, Dec, Jan I have been living in Buenos Aires since february. 1. No idea. But if you try and rent one with an agency before you get here you are going to be paying a lot more. If you can, you will get the best deal by finding one when you get here. Also, it depends on what you consider a good neighborhood because there a quite a few to recommend. Do you mean a neighborhood that is safe? Or a neighborhood in a good location? etc. Tomcat1944 posted:What is the best way to travel around BA? Would it be worth buying a car? No, it is not worth buying a car because the transportation is pretty good here in my opinion. There is a subway that goes all over the city, taxis are everywhere and cheap by our standards, there is a train that can be pretty useful, and tons of buses. Tomcat1944 posted:What is the best way to network with people if you are not involved with studying abroad? It depends how old you are. But here are some options: -Live in a hostel -Live in a student residence (you do not need to be a student to do this) -Volunteer somewhere -http://www.saexplorers.org/clubhouses/buenosaires/ -www.CouchSurfing.com -http://www.pubcrawlba.com/pub/index.php?lang=en
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May 31, 2009 23:08
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About accomodations: I guess this would be a place to ask for your advice. Is it better to be near the Río de la Plata? I'm looking for the best location regarding the night life and city scene. My compatriots and I will be 26, 24, 20. Palermo perhaps? Not including housing what do you consider the cost of living (including going out and eating out a few times a week) per month in USD? Also did you pick up any tango dancing? Is there a bohemian part of the city? Tomcat1944 fucked around with this message at 23:35 on May 31, 2009 |
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May 31, 2009 23:23
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Tomcat1944 posted:About accomodations: The area you would be referring to around the Rio de la Plata is a neigboorhood called Puerto Madero. "Just like the London docklands, the antique port of Buenos Aires has been renewed and now represents the latest architectural trends of the city." This is one of the most expensive areas of the city with some of the best restaurants, bars, and clubs. I have actually only been here at night to go to one of the clubs a few times but my general impression is that its an area you would like if you are in your late 20's-40's. I think its also pretty far and not connected to the subway. It depends what kind of nightlife you are referring to since Buenos Aires has so many options. If you like hip bars and small clubs then an area like Palermo would be a good area to live. Recoleta, San Telmo, and downtown are other areas to look into. But I really think that Palermo is the area that would match what you are looking for most. Tomcat1944 posted:Not including housing what do you consider the cost of living (including going out and eating out a few times a week) per month in USD? I don't have a budget because I am still working so I have not been keeping track of my expenses so much. But a night out at a big club like Pacha will cost about $20 cover and maybe $8/drink. Or there are some nice bars with good happy hours where you can get 2 drinks for about $3.50. But nothing needs to cost that much. For instance, I never pay cover anymore since its not to hard to get on the list of most places. So for instance a night out at Asia de Cuba in Puerto Madero would cost me $2 to pregame at my house, $8 in a taxi roundtrip split with 3 others, free entrance, and maybe I would buy 1 beer for $5 because I would smuggle in a small bottle of whisky. I live in Belgrano, which is like an middle/upper class neighborhood and the restaurant and can go out to eat for between $5-$15. Tomcat1944 posted:Also did you pick up any tango dancing? I am currently taking a 2 hour group tango lesson once a week and still suck at it. But no, it seems like Tango is more of something for tourists now with the tango shows and people dancing tango on the most tourist streets for $. No, they won't be playing a random tango song that you would have to dance to in between a pop and reggaton song at a nightclub. In my opinion its not worth learning. Try learning salsa if you actually want to learn something that people actually use in real life. Tomcat1944 posted:Is there a bohemian part of the city? I think you could argue that there are actually a few bohemian areas; Palermo Soho, San Telmo, and Boedo. R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 23:51 on May 31, 2009 |
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May 31, 2009 23:47
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Hum for some reason I thought salsa and tango were the same thing. Foolish me. Is salsa popular? It looks like Palermo is the way to go, of course I will work things out as the trip gets closer. What are we talking about for rent though? How did you manage to get on the list at clubs? Thanks for you help DD.
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Jun 1, 2009 00:02
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Tomcat1944 posted:Hum for some reason I thought salsa and tango were the same thing. Foolish me. Well, salsa is not popular in the way that you would be dancing to Buena Vista Social Club in a random club. But its really useful because it will make you a great dancer which is important here because at any club if you are able to find a girl to dance with you you will be twirling her around the entire night and salsa will help you be able to do that well. With that said, you better have game because the women here are the toughest to approach out of anywhere I have been. I don't know so much about renting a place since I decided to stay in a student residence and am paying about $250 a month. It would be best if someone else could post about it in the thread. I was able to get on lists at clubs through things like meeting promoters at the clubs, the owner of my house gets passes for some clubs, some friends I go out with get us on the lists somehow, and finding the email of promoters on the internet.
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Jun 1, 2009 00:24
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Through my work I have the opportunity to move to a few different places and I had narrowed it down to Argentina or Brazil. I'm leaning heavily towards Brazil right now. I've lived in the US for most of my life, save for a few military tours or trips to Canada and Mexico, but I've never been to SA. Would it be difficult to adjust for an American moving to Sau Paulo? I plan on spending a lot of time seeing sights or going to the beach, but I'd still like current luxuries like high speed internet or xbox live or some other type of indoor entertainment. Are these things available or easy to come by? And last, are all the women really as smoking hot as the internet would lead me to believe? Because I'm definately not planning on bringing sand to the beach, as they say.
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Jun 1, 2009 16:46
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hammer niner posted:Through my work I have the opportunity to move to a few different places and I had narrowed it down to Argentina or Brazil. I'm leaning heavily towards Brazil right now. The developing world is not as technologically backwards as you think. High speed internet is widely available in every city I have been, including Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires. No matter where you go as long as its a city, you will have no trouble with the internet or xbox live. Buying new electronics and anything imported is much more expensive though so you ought to bring things like you computers, xbox, cameras all there with you. It depends where you move in Brazil since its huge and really different in parts of the country. Sao Paulo can be compared to New York city and you will have no trouble adjusting. Same goes with Buenos Aires. If I could pick 2 cities easiest for an American to adjust to it may just be those (except for the language barrier). The beaches in Argentina are not so tropical and its also seasonal. But there are good beaches nearby like in Punta Del Este which you could easily go to each weekend if you wanted. I believe the beaches are a but further away from Sao Paulo but are definitelly nicer and more of the steriotypical South American beach you would be thinking of. The girls in Argentina are some of the most beautiful but are hands down the most difficult to approach anywhere I have been in the world. In Brazil the girls are very easy to approach and kissing a girl in a club is really easy. But I never went out in Sao Paulo and heard its not as liberal as in other cities. Though Sao Paulo is supposed to have some of the best nightlife in the world. I would pick Brazil over Argentina in general. But if the choice is Sao Paulo or Buenos Aires, i'd go with Buenos Aires.
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Jun 3, 2009 22:44
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DustingDuvet posted:The girls in Argentina are some of the most beautiful but are hands down the most difficult to approach anywhere I have been in the world. In Brazil the girls are very easy to approach and kissing a girl in a club is really easy. But I never went out in Sao Paulo and heard its not as liberal as in other cities. Though Sao Paulo is supposed to have some of the best nightlife in the world. I'd definitely agree with you here. I stayed in Buenos Aires for a little while, then funnily enough for a week in Sao Paulo with a girl I met clubbing in B.A, lol. There's some really cool places in Sao Paulo like Ibirapuera park, liberdade, paulista avenue, Samba is great fun etc. The best of the nightlife there is just insane (insanely expensive as well, but it's worth it) and girls are a lot more friendly/hot and easy to approach than other places I'd been. 'The beach' is like a five hour drive away though. I preferred Buenos Aires though because it's a lot safer, I enjoyed the normal everyday nightlife buzz more and as it's a smaller city it's easier to get around and you can get to know it quicker. If it were between the two cities I'd pick Buenos Aires, I'd go there when I go back to South America over Sao Paulo. Spanish or Portugese is an important question as well though. I couldn't stand Portugese which would factor into my decision.
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Jun 4, 2009 08:06
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Well I have the Rosetta Stone software for Portuguese and Spanish, and since my possible move is about 5 months out I'd want to decide on either Buenos Aires or Sau Paulo as soon as I can. I'll just keep reading what I can on the Internet about both and see which would fit me best. The climate is a factor since I'm from Michigan originally and anything too hot (90 F and up) tends to bum me out.
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Jun 5, 2009 22:29
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I plan on moving to Buenos Aires after the summer and I would like to get in contact with someone who's living there. :] I plan on getting an apartment and live there for 6-10months. I understand that getting an apartment in the centrum of Buenos Aires for around 300$ each month isn't impossible. How much money should I expect to be spending on things like food/alcohol? Let's say I will go out 2-3times each week and cook 90% of the food myself. I heard that the average salary in Buenos Aires is around 500$ each month :S So I guess that it's possible to live very cheapLY there. Am I right? Edit: I'm 19years old, will that cause any trouble? When it comes to renting an apartment etc. Triiarii fucked around with this message at 07:06 on Jun 6, 2009 |
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Jun 5, 2009 22:58
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I guess I've read a bit of this thread and I'm reading "every place is awesome." I have FF miles to cash next year sometime and it results in a free trip to Europe (been there, done that a few times) or exciting South America! From what I'm reading, South America is much cheaper anyway and I'd probably spend 3 weeks or so there. If I end up going a month, I'll probably try to see two cities. My dates are relatively open, but I'd likely want to go there sometime between June and August. Brazil seems like a pain in the rear end, applying and paying for a travel visa. Is Carnival there still worth the pains in getting there? Any other suggestions? I'm thinking of hitting up Cusco for hiking (that alternate route sounded like a deal!) because that's what I like to do, so it would be Cusco and X. What is Cusco like in winter? Money isn't really an issue, but I like to stay cheap. I certainly always spend less than I can afford when out. High-speed internet is pretty crucial. I also like to feel safe. I tend to get incredibly upset when I feel like I'm being hustled or shaken down and do irrational things, starting with not being a punk and not giving them the money. I don't know if that flies in SA. I only speak English and I can't dance, but I'm a 6'2" half-Korean, half-Dutch and have never had a problem finding attractive women who will put up with my miserable dancing. Thanks! Blinkman987 fucked around with this message at 05:57 on Jun 10, 2009 |
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Jun 10, 2009 05:42
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I spent six months living in a small town near Cusco, I'll try my best to answer that and any other questions people have about Cusco/Machu Picchu etc. Cusco in the winter... Isn't particularly cold. It's not really far enough away from the equator for the seasons to have a huge effect - it's colder at night (sometimes frost) but during the day the sun warms everything up quickly. Hikingwise, definitely don't do the Inca trail. I did it when my sister came out to visit and insisted; was horrendously expensive and overcrowded. If you are of the 'adventurous' persuasion don't feel you have to pay for a guide at all - at the SAE clubhouse in Cusco you can buy detailed maps of the surrounding areas, and there are tonnes of member reports of hikes with directions (I left a few as well). You can hire tents etc. for peanuts in Cusco. Maybe not such a good idea if you are travelling alone or aren't acclimatised yet, but still they are the best people to talk to if you need a guide recommendation. In general the guided walks tend to be a bit on the slow side, I guess they are prepared for unfit and unacclimatised tourists. For example from Yanahuara to Lares took 11 hours but I saw it advertised as a three-day walk in an agency in Cusco. You don't have to be superman but as long as you are reasonably fit a guided walk probably won't be very taxing. There are hundreds of internet cafes in Cusco, they all work and are all cheap but are not exactly lightning-fast. Many people are inevitably going to try and charge a gringo more than what they should, especially if you can't speak Spanish. There is no point getting angry about it, you can probably afford it and probably won't know what the right price is anyway. That said if someone is trying it on with a ridiculous price, walking away is probably the best thing to do.
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Jun 10, 2009 13:59
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DustingDuvet posted:It is supposed to be more informal, where everyone participates rather than just watching it like in Rio or Salvador. Don't take my word for it though, as its only what I heard. I live in Recife, and this is entirely true.
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Jun 12, 2009 16:04
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Planning a couple months in Colombia (Medellin for a month and then stay there for the 2nd month or visit somewhere else). Even though my mom doesn't tell me what to do, she's trying her best to prove to me that its unsafe to go, even though that's only based on her perceptions from the news instead of researching actual travel to the big cities. I've continually reassured her that all the research I've done suggests I'll be safe. She just sent me this link though http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_941.html , a US state dept travel warning against going to Colombia. It basically says what I already know which is that you shouldn't travel to small towns in FARC controlled areas, but also says that "it can be" unsafe in the big cities. What do you guys think of this, and do you have any experience dealing with worried family members?
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Jun 23, 2009 05:21
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Hi everyone, awesome thread! I'm off to Argentina and Brazil in a few days. We're planning to go to a Flamengo football game in Rio while we're there, and I've heard mixed stories about how safe these are for us gringos. I'm planning to get seats with the Flamengo supporters - where the most exictement is. Anyone have some advice on this they could share? edit: also sleeping bags, yay or nay? We'll be staying in standard backpacker hostels.
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Jun 25, 2009 05:41
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charlie c posted:Hi everyone, awesome thread! I'm off to Argentina and Brazil in a few days. We're planning to go to a Flamengo football game in Rio while we're there, and I've heard mixed stories about how safe these are for us gringos. I'm planning to get seats with the Flamengo supporters - where the most exictement is. Anyone have some advice on this they could share? Everyone tries to scare you and get you to go on the 80 real tours where you feel like a git in the bottom tier seats. Get there early (via the metro), work out which section is Flamengos and get a ticket and then just hang around until you see a bunch of people with drums and stuff and follow the crowd. Obviously dress down and don't take a huge SLR (like anywhere in Rio) but you'll be perfectly fine. Use your judgment, each home end has different groups and some might be a bit 'heavier' than others. You're pretty free to move around. This is from Vasco Vs Flumininse I went to earlier in the year on my own: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=221420&id=906520136&l=78bc10a97f http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=221420&id=906520136&l=78bc10a97f
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Jun 25, 2009 18:55
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I will be traveling in Brazil for 10 days next month. I fly into Sao Paulo and fly out of Rio. I'm rolling with a few buddies from college and we're looking for a party. I know it's winter and all, so I'm looking for a beach or rainforest spot that also has a good nightlife to hit in between the big cities. Recommend away! I've heard Recife is cool. Bahia. Jericoacoara (heard this might be an older people spot). I started learning Portuguese with Pimsleur mp3s once I heard about the trip. I'll only have about a month under my belt before arriving. I have a background in Spanish that will help once I get comfortable with the differences in pronunciation. I don't have any experience with Rosetta Stone. Could that be helpful to supplement before my trip?
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Jun 26, 2009 01:30
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September posted:I will be traveling in Brazil for 10 days next month. I fly into Sao Paulo and fly out of Rio. I'm rolling with a few buddies from college and we're looking for a party. I know it's winter and all, so I'm looking for a beach or rainforest spot that also has a good nightlife to hit in between the big cities. Recommend away!
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Jun 26, 2009 02:13
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roflcopter thief posted:There's a small beach town 3 hours southeast of Fortaleza, it's called Canoa Quebrada. It fits what you're looking for, but it's farther away from SP/Rio. I haven't been to Jeri myself but I always got the impression that it's more scenic beauty, less party. Are the northern beaches way better than things around Rio? My friends want to party hard in Rio and that would leave only 2 nights, maybe 3 if I pushed for a northern beach spot. Many of the places are a 6+ hour plane ride (with stops) followed by a bus ride of 3+ hours. Jericoacoara is a plane ride, up to 7 hour bus ride (really?), followed by a dune buggy ride over the dunes. The dune buggies would be awesome! Canoa Quebrada is also a plane ride + bus ride which will kill a couple days in travel. That's a big investment for an unsure benefit. Buzios is supposed to be a cool beach and it's close to Rio. That eliminates a plane ride and saves the day for chilling on the beach instead of cooped up on a bus. It's not in the north, so the weather will be 75F highs instead of 85F. We've been in 100+F Texas so that doesn't seem that bad for chilling on the beach. Am I missing anything by going to Buzios for a couple days? Also, we're currently planned for 5 nights in Rio. My group is ready to party hard and their friends that have been around Brazil a bit (likely not as much as many in this thread) recommend spending more time in Rio. Is 5 nights too long? Here are some places around Rio that one friend recommends: quote:Grumari
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Jul 1, 2009 03:59
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A friend and I are going to Rio in December 29th for two weeks. We've seen prices of hostels for $60/night/person. Is that realistic, or are we just looking in the wrong places? Also, where else should we go within our two weeks allowed? We're mainly into hitting clubs and meeting people rather than seeing landmarks and stuff like that.
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Jul 2, 2009 14:58
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September posted:Are the northern beaches way better than things around Rio? My friends want to party hard in Rio and that would leave only 2 nights, maybe 3 if I pushed for a northern beach spot. Many of the places are a 6+ hour plane ride (with stops) followed by a bus ride of 3+ hours. Jericoacoara is a plane ride, up to 7 hour bus ride (really?), followed by a dune buggy ride over the dunes. The dune buggies would be awesome! Canoa Quebrada is also a plane ride + bus ride which will kill a couple days in travel. That's a big investment for an unsure benefit. In regards to the heat, Rio can get just as hot and hotter than the places in the Northeast. Northeastern cities average 85f air temperature but there is virtually no deviation from this. Rio has more typical weather. By the way, the views from Pao de Acucar and Cristo Redentor are both breathtaking. To the other guy about the hostel prices, where (which bairro/neighborhood) is that hostel located? roflcopter thief fucked around with this message at 21:21 on Jul 2, 2009 |
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Jul 2, 2009 21:18
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Awesome roflcopter. I appreciate your information. We'll be in Rio July 22-26 (Wednesday-Sunday). My Portuguese will be limited. I've completed all 90 Pimsleur units for Spanish then speak it with people in Texas. I'll have 32 Pimsleur Portuguese units complete by the time I step foot in Brazil. I usually get proficient enough to handle a conversation around 60 units. It'll probably be basic skills + throwing in Spanish and hope for the best. I'd hop on Rosetta Stone too if I could find it. I'm hoping for better weather on Pao de Acucar and Cristo Redentor this time. It was clouded over so I'd lose people 20 feet away. The only time I've been to Rio was in high school with family so I'm excited for this more independent experience. Do y'all have any suggestions for lodging? One chick my friend knows recommended an Ipanema hostel: quote:Here is another hostel that I have been to. Ipanema Beach House Hostel http://www.ipanemahouse.com/ . Our friend DJ'de here one night, and it is a really cool place with a big courtyard. It's in Ipanema, a GREAT area, my suggestion for hanging out during the day is to go to 'Posto' 9 here in Ipanema. It is where everyone gathers on the beach to drink caipirinha, hang out, etc..but there are a lot of tourists here so don't bring all your money to the beach and dont smoke pot at posto 9, you can get a ticket, hahaha. I have seen this happen to way too many people!
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Jul 2, 2009 21:44
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Kovner posted:Planning a couple months in Colombia (Medellin for a month and then stay there for the 2nd month or visit somewhere else). I had the same issue when I was 19 and wanted to travel around Ecuador alone. I argued that I was paying for the entire trip, created a very detailed itinerary (even if I was not going to follow it) with each hostel I would stay at and what U would do each day, promised to call/email each day, and provided her with research about safety including what I would do in various situations (say I lost all my credit cards, etc.). What really helped in getting her approval was calling her each week to discuss it for at least 4 months before I planned to show her how important it was to me. In the end even if she does not approve, you need to decide whether it is worth it to you to ingnore her wishes and just go (still create the detailed plan and everything else) and hope she just gets over herself. Remember that if you give in this time, it will probably be harder to go away the next time. As far as the travel warning for Colombia, as long as you stay clear of the areas with a Farc presence (really easy), you will be fine.
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Jul 3, 2009 00:24
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September posted:I will be traveling in Brazil for 10 days next month. I fly into Sao Paulo and fly out of Rio. I'm rolling with a few buddies from college and we're looking for a party. I know it's winter and all, so I'm looking for a beach or rainforest spot that also has a good nightlife to hit in between the big cities. Recommend away! You will not have enough time to venture outside the distance between Sau Paulo and Rio unless you fly or want a really rushed vacation. So that rules out Bahia, Recife, and especially Jericoacoara. If you are looking for a party you should know that Sau Paulo has arguably the best nightlife in the world. I was actually disapointed with the nightlife in Rio and expected it to be a lot better. In Rio, I really reccomend the Lapa street party (go into a club later on) and also one of the Favela Funk parties (Castela Das Piedras was one of them). One thing you should know is that in most nightclubs they give you a magnetic card or a slip of paper that tallies your drinks. You present that card/slip when you want to leave and then pay the total. If you lose this you will pay a fortune in order to leave. They will also put the cover charge on this card so be aware. The beach in Rio was perfect for me around this time of year. I would go out at night and then lie on the beach to recover from drinking. You must check out Posto 9 on Ipanema beach if you want to see a collection of the most beautiful people in one small area.
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Jul 3, 2009 00:34
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Nfcknblvbl posted:A friend and I are going to Rio in December 29th for two weeks. We've seen prices of hostels for $60/night/person. Is that realistic, or are we just looking in the wrong places? Unless you are getting a private room that is way to much. I remember most hostels costing around 30-40 Reals in a dorm room when I went last July. If you want a party hostel than Stone of a Beach is alright. I had a blast staying at El Misti which is a smaller hostel but really great for meeting people and going out at night. Some thinks I really enjoyed in Rio are going to a soccer match at the Maracana, touring a favela, going to a Favela Funk Party, Lapa on friday night, riding the bonde through Santa Teresa, lying on Ipanema beach on Posto 9, seeing some Capoeira, and hiking through Tijuca park.
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Jul 3, 2009 00:40
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Are there any goons in western South America right now? I'll be arriving in Lima on July 20th and have no concrete plans outside of eventually seeing Macchu Picchu and Iquitos.
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Jul 12, 2009 21:46
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