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ephraim posted:For some reason I have 0 interest in seeing Bogota. I haven't really heard many positive things about it. My top 3 in Colombia are Medellin, Cartagena & Cali, and thats based on what both locals and other tourists were telling me on my recent trip to Medellin. Armenia & Pereira too, but those are both short-stay destinations imo. I know what you mean when you just have no desire to visit certain places and a lot of desire to visit others. For me, its basically based on the mood it puts me in when I think about a certain place. Medellin is the type of place you would want to pause your trip for and just live there. There is not much there at all for tourists though. Cali is an ugly, unkept city with little going for it other than its Salsa music. And Cartagena is a stunning, romantic city full of obnoxious tourists and the type of locals who like to take advantage of them. 3 days max and you will be dying to leave. Bogotá is simply amazing. Would you like me to convince you why you should go there?
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Soul Power posted:blah It must be a small internet. Did you just post in the Couchsurfing Barranquilla group? If so, I actually posted the thread you responded in 
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Dec 28, 2008 06:43
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Savahontas posted:I very recently decided to try to backpack South America with some friends. My family has raised concerns about 4 women traveling alone in South America. I'm pretty sure they've been watching too much cable news, but I don't know how to convince them that there are perfectly safe countries in South America. Show them that you guys are prepared. Write up a detailed itinerary (where you will stay, what you will do each day, etc.). Make sure you tell them about how you will purchase travel insurance, how you will register their trip with the embassy, etc. Write up a FAQ that explains how you guys would act in certain situations (i.e. you get your passport stolen). Write up a budget showing all your estimated expenses. Accompany those things with an emotional but logical letter explaining how important this is to you. If you do this all correctly and they still reject your plans, then just don't listen to them (assuming you do not still rely on them financially). Heck, I am a 20 year old male currently backpacking alone in Colombia...and this is my 3rd solo backpacking trip. If I can do it, anyone can.
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Jan 14, 2009 05:14
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Emmy Noether posted:I live in the US but am from a country for which all South American countries require a visa. I am planning an SA trip in late 2009, and plan to cover four countries (Ecuador,Peru,Colombia,Brazil). Is there an easier way of getting all the visas, other than applying to each of them separately? I think it'll take an inordinate amount of time that way. That is great you have decided to vacation in South America! You will need to apply for a separate Visa for each country. There are many Visa Service company's that will let you mail them all of the documents needed so that they can file them at the embassy in person. But you will still need to file for 4 separate Visas. Sorry.
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Jan 19, 2009 23:06
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Bobo the Red posted:What's the appeal of favela tours? It's a slum. A slum created by a myriad of social issues, and ruled by fear and greed by very violent men. Because you are a tourist and are traveling to see/experience things that are different. It's interesting to see how a huge population of Carioca's live and its much different than the slums you would see most other places in the world. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa...tBody;col1
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Jan 31, 2009 05:15
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Constantine posted:I'm planning on moving to a country in South America and live there for a year or two while studying Spanish (not full time) but still. You can definitely do that for under $1000 in any country in South America besides maybe Brazil or Chile. Here are some rough costs for Bogota: 1.$300-$450 2. $1.50-$6 3.$5-$10/hour or probably more if you decide to study at a university
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Feb 6, 2009 16:26
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kalicki posted:Planning a trip for a couple months this summer, just sketching out the raw stuff right now. If you have a few months and only traveling by bus, than the furthest you will probably get is Peru, depending on how fast you like to move from place to place. But that is perfect because Lima, Peru is one of the cheapest places to fly to/from. There is also Caracas which is very cheap to fly to/from is you are interested in Venezuela.
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Feb 11, 2009 12:29
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Molotov Yogurt posted:Has anyone done any diving in Colombia/Ecuador, or gotten open water certified there? I'm looking for a good, cheap place to do it. Taganga (15 minutes away from Santa Marta) is the cheapest place to get the PADI in Colombia. A good company to do it with is http://www.poseidondivecenter.com R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 22:03 on Mar 2, 2009 |
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Mar 2, 2009 21:58
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MC Scrillz posted:Has anyone who has been to Argentina recently been able to take more than $300 pesos out of an ATM? I am currently in Buenos Aires using a Visa debit card on the plus/star networks and am able to take out a maximum of 600 pesos.
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Mar 4, 2009 00:15
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Revelatos715 posted:I'm currently researching flights to visit my mother in Peru around May. Any suggestions regarding flying out from Minneapolis? They don't have a major hub so it will more than likely reroute to Miami or whatever major city normally departs to South America. So basically you want: Minneapolis-Bogotá-Lima-Minneapolis? Give me the dates you plan to be in each place so I can help you out.
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Mar 7, 2009 20:22
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Molotov Yogurt posted:One more question for those who have been there, were there any vaccinations or drugs you needed while down there? I keep reading that some places may require proof of a yellow fever vaccine, but it's easiest to get once there. It depends on what type of environment you are going to and the regulations of the countries you will visit. For instance, as an American going to Brazil you must have the yellow fever vaccine in order to even apply for a visa. But I would reccomend you visit a website like this that lays it out pretty nicely for you. http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/samerica.htm#1sta I would also recommend that you purchase drugs like Malaria pills in the country you are visiting as it will be far, far cheaper than back at home. Same goes for that prescription antidiareah stuff i think called Ciprol that some travelers bring with them.
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Mar 11, 2009 00:56
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Molotov Yogurt posted:Other than that Colombia owns. Im in Cartagena and heading up to Playa Blanca and Taganga in a few days. Anyone else in the area? If you end up staying the night in a hammock on Playa Blanca be warned that the bugs there are outrageous. But the herd of cows that roam the beach late at night is pretty neat! I was also woken up by a soldier who wanted to pitch his hammock next to mine...a bit creepy. And for an even better beach you need to go to Parque Tayrona which can be done from Taganga.
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Mar 22, 2009 02:56
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Kovner posted:OK, so I've been planning for a while to go somewhere in Latin America for a month or two to learn Spanish (I can hold basic conversations, and slightly more complicated ones if I can ask "que significa" and "como se dice", so I feel like 2-4 weeks of and immersion program and another 2-6 weeks of just getting around on my own will get me there). First off, you can make any city as comfortable as you like. For instance, hot showers are a standard in any decent accommodation wireless internet in homes is available easily. Internet access is just as good as the US in any latin american city, and ton's of cafe's have free wireless. To answer your question, I would choose Bogotá (I have spent time in each of those cities). I only spent a few days in Lima but I thought it was a nice city with lots to do and good nightlife. Though a lot of people will say its a shithole (and lots of the city is kind of lovely), but there are still some very nice areas. I would say if you are looking for a very comfortable city to live in, it would be Buenos Aires. However, the type of Spanish they speak there is much different than the rest of Latin America. Quito, Ecuador has a ton of Spanish schools and is a great place to learn Spanish. Its also such a small country that day/weekend excursions are endless with mist being no more than 7 hours by bus. Most foreigners stay in an area of the city catered towards foreigners so its pretty easy living. Its also very cheap there. La Paz, Bolivia will not be comfortable because of the altitude and infrastructure. Colombia is my favorite place in Latin America by far. Medellin is definitelly the safest major city in Colombia (safer than Bogotá). You have to remember than Pablo Escobar died more than a decade ago and things have changed a ton. Its a modern city with its own metro line, beautiful women, and some good nightlife. The city is not so interesting itself but there are some pretty interesting places to visit that are not so far away. The weather is also great with a constant spring feeling. Then you have Bogota which is my favorite city. There is so much character, tons to do, amazing nightlife any day of the week, and great living conditions. However, the weather is often pretty lovely. Venezuela is crap so don't even consider it. Let me know if you want me to expand on anything.
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Mar 27, 2009 10:52
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Thurlow posted:Does anyone have a link to the last big South America thread that was kicking around ask/tell a while ago? This is it. edit: Or maybe you were thinking about this one: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2979630 R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 20:43 on Mar 31, 2009 |
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Mar 31, 2009 20:33
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Kovner posted:Thanks Dusting. Here are some follow up questions: Cartagena is the most beautiful colonial city I have seen. The problem is that Cartagena has become to Colombia what Cancun is to Mexico. Its definitelly not nearly that touristy, but its still probably the only place that you will get hounded by people trying to sell you stuff on the streets, taxi drivers trying to screw you, etc. The beach in Cartagena is dirty and not a place you would want to hang out. Its also overbearingly hot and humid. Bogota is basically a cosmopolitan city, lots of students, great nightlife, tons of good museums, and nice people. Its got rich areas, poor areas, and my favorite neighboordhood called La Candelaria which is really bohemian with tons of cafes, rundown colonial buildings covered in graffiti, and more. Medellin is about 5 hours from the coffee region with cities like Manizales and Armenia, an hour from a tropical town with beautiful colonial architecture called Santa Fe De Antioquia, El Penol, and Jardin. Its a very comfortable city to live in with its own metro and probably the safest big city. Thats up to you to convince your Mom. I went when I was 19 by myself and my Mom was freaking out. I have returned 2 more times and my Mom was begging me to let her come visit me in Colombia. My Dad came and visited me in Cartagena for a week and loved it. The immigration will grant you a 60 day tourist visa when you arrive. I once got a 90 day visa so try asking for one. You are able to stay as a tourist for up to 180 days a year if you renew your visa after the 60 day visa in 30 day intervals. I am sure you will have no problem enrolling in a school without a student visa.
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Apr 3, 2009 20:19
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Mango Polo posted:Edit: I'll most likely spend two days in Lima, so to make the best of it I'd like to know if there are any particular restaurants or foods I should try? Actually, I'd like to extend that question to food in general. The seafood in Peru, especially Lima, was excellent. Try the ceviche (raw seafood marinated in lime juice and other spices. A few drinks to try are Chicha (alcohol made from fermented corn), Pisco Sour, and Inca Cola (local soda). chifa- Chinese restaurants which are a bit different than ones in the US Sancochado- beef/veggie stew Cuy- fried guinea pig The best thing to do would be to browse this link and see what looks appetizing to you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peruvian_cuisine
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Apr 6, 2009 15:15
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Molotov Yogurt posted:I still love Colombia, but I don´t know how much longer I´m going to stay now :/ That's a crazy story and its great you are safe! But don't say that. You went to the most dangerous part of Colombia, the jungle, where groups like the FARC and paramilitaries operate. You know its nothing like that in just about every other place a normal tourist would bother going. You'll be fine.
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Apr 6, 2009 22:11
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Kovner posted:I don't suppose any of you colombia-goers have ever taken an immersion Spanish program there. Lima will definitelly have a lot more Spanish schools than anywhere in Colombia. However, I am sure you can still get just as good an education in Colombia. I would recommend enrolling in one of the local universities for a Spanish course. One of my friend's did that and over a two year span his Spanish has become near fluent. The link you posted is basically a third party program that will be sending you to study at one of the local universities anyways. For instance, Nueva Lengua is directly affiliated with Sabana. http://www.unisabana.edu.co/unidades_academicas/foreing_languages/espanol/learn_spanish.html My friend studies at Javierna in Bogotá. I think your best option is booking a flight and asking around for a good Spanish program once you get to where you want to learn. I liked Lima a lot but if you are more attracted to Colombia, then go there of course. R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 20:27 on Apr 14, 2009 |
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Apr 14, 2009 20:25
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Kovner posted:I'm a bit afraid of handling official business in Spanish, so I'd prefer to have a Spanish school lined up and an apartment booked ahead of time. That also allows me to make sure I can get an apartment near the school. But you are dealing with schools that are in the business of teaching English, so there is no reason to "handle official business in Spanish", because each school has representatives that speak English. You can visit school's you are interested in and see if its organized and fits your style of learning, not to mention you will have a lot more freedom to negotiate prices. An apartment for $350 week is incredibly expensive. Thats freaking $4,500,000 pesos a month at that rate. And for that rate you could rent your own mansion or something. You are much better off renting a private room in a hostel or just staying in a hotel. It is really tough finding an apartment for cheap if you are not staying long and being a foreigner. Its probably not even worth trying. You don't need to find an apartment close to school. I would prefer one close to the school, but the public transportation in Medellin is really good. You have the metro which is fast and clean. Taxis are cheap. And buses are pretty efficient.
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Apr 17, 2009 00:02
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Eucibius posted:How can I avoid this problem? Were any of my precautions unnecessary, were my fears unwarranted? What can I do to make better use of my evenings on future trips, while still staying safe? You can avoid that problem by traveling to the country with only your first few nights booked at a hotel/hostel. Do that for a week while you visit various parts of the city that interest you. Then start looking for an apartment/homestay in the location that works best for you. For instance, I am currently studying in Buenos Aires and I did just that. During the first week I stayed in two different hostels and visited maybe 5-6 neighborhoods that I was interested in. I decided that I wanted to live close to my university and also the subway. So now I live in a hostel meant for long term stays with students only. I walk to my classes everyday, and 4 blocks away from the subway, and have people to hang out with all of the time from my hostel. Even if I did not want to live in a hostel, I very easily could have arranged a homestay through a third party program or from a list of families from the South American Explorers club lits, for instance. I still could have met with the family beforehand to see if it would work ok for me. What you should have done was move out of your homestay and rented an apartment/homestay for $150-$250 a month in Gringolandia where all of the nightlife is (i realize how far it is from Cumbayá where the Universidad San Francisco de Quito is, but at least you would have had a better social life. No, I do not think the precautions you took were that unnecesary, especially if you are a girl. Its never smart to walk down dark empty streets, alone at night. Its just up to you whether you would want to take a risk of being robbed or possibly raped. Like I said before, you easily could have moved to Gringolandia where the streets in the center are well lit all the time, even if its a bit dangerous. Other than that, you probably did the right thing taking taxis everywhere. Not all big cities are like that though. Cities like Quito, Caracas, etc. are known for being dangerous. There are other cities like Medellin, Buenos Aires, etc. where in many parts you can walk alone at night or take public transportation with little fear.
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Apr 22, 2009 21:09
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I have been following the backpacking in Southeast Asia for a few years now and really enjoy reading it because of the stories people post about their trips. Lets start something like that here in this thread to make it more interesting. I don't think I am a great writer but I hope my travel tales are somewhat interesting for you guys to read. I will start with the first story of my latest South American trip, which began in January. Check Him Good posted:Beep…beep…beep…what the…? I was surprised the alarm clock didn’t wake up the entire house. I left the house at 3:30 am on new year’s day for the Miami airport not nearly as excited as I should have been, considering I am away for 8 months. I was tired. R2ICustomerSupport fucked around with this message at 21:48 on Apr 26, 2009 |
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Apr 26, 2009 21:44
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Here is the next installment of my trip in Colombia, More from Colombia posted:
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May 3, 2009 20:34
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Wooh posted:Questions! Help with even one would be appreciated I have only taken a weekend trip to Uruguay (Montevideo, Punta del Este, and Colonia) so my advice is probably not the best. -Depends what type of people you like to hang out with. The clothes you mentioned sounds fashionable enough. Only tip I would give is to buy the more expensive clothing like jeans and nice shirts in the U.S. because any name brand clothing is a lot more expensive over there. -I noticed and was told many times that Uruguay is a very safe country. I never felt threatened. Depends how street smart you are and the type of situations you plan to use your camera in of course. But I would say you should be fine. -You really should get the Yellow Fever vaccine. I dont have the time to research it completely but it may be the case that the U.S. wont let you back in if you do not have it. Its something you should look into. -I have never tried to open a bank account overseas. But if you find a bank that gives you free ATM transactions you should be fine (PNC does this for instance if you have a minimum of $2500 in your checking account). Having your mom wire money is probably going to cost a fortune. Best and cheapest way besides bring thousands in cash is to just withdraw from ATMs. -I garantee that shipping your bike up there is going to cost a ton more than just buying a used/new one in Uruguay. Dont even bother. -Try organizing conversation groups through couchsurfing or something as a way to practice. Or trade english lessons for Spanish lessons. Or, find a girlfriend/boyfriend. -Going out at night is a great way to meet people. In just 2 days in Montevideo I was able to make a group of friends and we all went out the next night. -I do not think Montevideo is a popular destination from the U.S. It would definitelly be much cheaper booking a flight to Buenos Aires and then taking a plane/ferry/bus from there. Much cheaper. -If you will be studying at a university while you are there you can can student insurance. I went with http://www.hthstudents.com/ when I studies in Argentina for 4 months. The deductible was $50 so a routine checkup and things like that will not really be covered. -You will need to get a student visa is you want to stay there for over 6 months, i am pretty certain. 6 months is no problem though. Just take the ferry like everyone says for a nice weekend trip and a Argentina stamp.
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Jul 14, 2009 01:07
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I just wanted to share a few recent travel photos from the other week in Bolivia! Salar de Uyuni  Indigenous Cholita women wrestling  Riding a boat in the jungle 
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Jul 15, 2009 22:13
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Triiarii posted:I'm moving to Buenos Aires after this summer and I'd love to hear someone explain what it's like living there. I am a bit behind on my travel blog but my latest posts are about living in Buenos Aires (I studied there for a semester). http://jasonsinsouthamerica.blogspot.com/
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Jul 18, 2009 20:36
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Adnar posted:In Medellin at the moment, loving it. Has anyone been to the Flower Festival before? Have been here for 3 weeks and need to know if it's worth staying an extra couple for the festival. I went to the Feria de las Flores 2 or 3 years ago and it is definitely worth it. It was a ton of fun with parades, big concerts, lots of parties, special events, etc. I will be attending again this year. Maybe i'll see you there.
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Jul 21, 2009 20:50
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billy cuts posted:Just a note. Cholo/chola is a pretty racist term unless you're an indigenous person living in the city. I had no idea. It's what the company who runs the event calls it. http://www.cholitaswrestling.com/
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Jul 21, 2009 21:21
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Adnar posted:Sweet, I think we've decided to stay. Going to get an apartment, staying in a hostel is killing me. It just seems to be full of pedophiles and other shirtless old guys at the moment. Where are you staying? If it's the Pit Stop or Tigar Paw i could definitely imagine that. I would recommend trying either Casa Kiwi or the Black Sheep for the meantime while you are looking for an apartment. Those are more suited to young backpackers.
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Jul 21, 2009 22:13
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Wooh posted:Question about the return ticket that is usually required: Unless you get something other than the standard tourist visa you cannot stay in the country for more than 6 months per year (no matter how many times you cross the border to reset your visa).
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Jul 30, 2009 04:37
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