Travel To South America: How To Start
June 8, 2010 / posted in category : south america
You set your mind and you’re ready to travel to South America, a
magical place of immense beauty where myth and legend continue
to walk hand in hand. I’ve traveled 18 months in South America
and can give you some tips on how to prepare yourself for an
unforgettable adventure.
Common Sense
We all hear the unpleasant stories and South America has a fame
of being dangerous. I traveled thousands of miles traversing
cities, jungles, islands and mountains. I survived 6 weeks in a
street child care center in the favelas of Salvador da Bahía
(Brazil) and had the party of a lifetime during carnival.
Nothing, I repeat, nothing happened. Use your common sense.
Avoid badly lit streets at night and if your sixth sense is
giving you the “something is wrong” sign then take a taxi to
your destination.
Travel Guide Book
The first thing that you will need is a travel guide book. It
will be your best companion in your search for adventure. I can
highly recommend Lonely Planet´s South America on a Shoestring
to get you started. The book covers all you need to know to get
the most out of your trip and is ideal to plan your journey
ahead. I’ve used the guide extensively during my 18 month
adventure. They offer excellent separate travel guides of all
the countries (besides using the Lonely Planet Shoestring I’ve
used their separate travel guides of Peru and Brazil). Their
guides are the most popular among backpackers.
Other popular guides are The Rough Guide to South America and
the South American Handbook. Ideal, but not practical because
you want to travel light, would be to enjoy the adventure with a
Lonely Planet and either the Rough Guide or the Handbook.
Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese
The most rewarding thing for me was the fact that you can travel
in a huge continent like South America with only 2 languages.
Spanish and Portuguese. If you plan to travel just for a few
weeks you can invest in a Spanish and/or Brazilian Portuguese
Phrase Book. English is not widely spoken and even a basic
knowledge of Spanish and/or Portuguese makes the trip so much
more rewarding (they’re extremely willing to help you, so don’t
worry, be happy).
If on the other hand you’re planning to travel for a few months
I can highly recommend taking a language course. Ideal would be
in a school in South America (I took lessons in Quito, Ecuador,
and had a private teacher for $2.50/h).
Walking Shoes
South America’s nature is overwhelming. You’ll walk for many
hours day after day. It would be a shame to walk in the
footsteps of the Incas with blisters on your feet. My biggest
recommendation is to invest in high quality walking shoes with
Gore-Tex.
Health Vaccinations
Yellow Fever (if you plan to go to the Amazon Basin), Typhoid
(consists of two injections taken 4 weeks apart),
Diphtheria-Tetanus, Polio, Cholera (only when necessary),
Smallpox
Medical Kit:
Depending on what you plan to do you can include the following:
Antiseptic cream, aspirin, lomotil for diarrhea, antibiotics,
throat lozenges, ear and eye drops, antacid tablets, motion
sickness medication, alcohol swabs, water purifier, lip salve,
foot and groin powder, thermometer (in a case), surgical tape,
assorted sticky plasters, gauze, bandages, butterfly closures,
scissors and last but not least, first-aid booklet
Note: malaria pills are required in the amazon basin, please be
aware that those pills are very b and you should check with your
doctor before departure
Traveling Gear
Backpack:
Obviously a high quality backpack is a must. Choose the type
that has different compartments that can be opened separately.
Very handy if you need something quickly. Travel as light as
possible. A heavy backpack is destined to undermine your
traveling pleasure.
Clothing:
Depends on where you go. If it’s the mountains and the jungle,
get some quality clothing from home. If it’s the beach, buy your
t-shirts there (cheap).
Camping and Climbing Gear: You can rent camping and climbing
material in South America but the quality may be questionable.
Always check the material. Bring your own gear if possible. I
traveled 18 months with my own tent and various camping utensils.
Photography
Pictures are something personal. Some people just want some snap
shots, others want to publish in the National Geographic. All my
pictures were taken with a cheap Nikon F50 camera. Have a look
at some amazing photographs at
ing-southamerica.com.
I had two zoom lenses, a 35-80 mm. and a 70-210mm. I also
dragged a tripod and an excellent flash with me. I used FUJI
slides (100 ASA) but you definitely need 200 to 400 ASA if you
plan to go to the jungle. A polarize filter enhances the colours
tremendously on sunny days.
Conclusion
South America will embrace you with open arms. It’s nature,
people and history are overwhelming. With the right preparation
and set of mind you’re ready for an unforgettable adventure