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The trials and tribulations of traveling in Latin America
South America is an amazing continent. Vibrant culture, stunning natural beauty and unique flair collide, no matter which country you find yourself in. But after five months of working on the west coast, I can tell you it can also be an unforgiving place.
I spent the first half of 2022 exploring Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Argentina, exploring the mountains, exploring the jungle, and taking in the ins and outs of South American culture. It was memorable, but it left me feeling relieved to leave like I didn’t feel anywhere else.
South America should be on your bucket list, but preparation is key to enjoying this vast continent. With that in mind, here are the eight most challenging things about traveling in South America.
- Security
First, let’s take the elephant and take it with you. Is South America safe? Yes, it can be safe for those who take proper care. That being said, the least comfortable I’ve felt in years of full-time travel is far and away.
As far as South America, I’ve never seen a mug before, and I’m lucky I haven’t been pickpocketed or anything stolen. While I was there, I saw two violent riots in broad daylight, my own purse cut open, and countless people armed with guns or knives. There is no getting around it; Crime (and violent crime in particular) is more prevalent here than anywhere else I’ve been.
Colombia and Ecuador are particularly troubled. I was warned not to walk around with a camera, phone or anything valuable in sight. We were told not to walk around the busy downtown areas at night and to always take uber if possible.
Being careful will keep you from falling victim to something serious, but it’s important not to underestimate the fact that crime is more prevalent than anywhere else you visit in Europe or Asia.
Having said that, Buenos Aires in Argentina felt a big exception to this rule, as did Cusco, Peru, where pickpocketing and petty crime were the only major concerns.
2. The transportation
Deciding how to get around South America is a difficult problem. Flights, especially this time of year, can be uncomfortably expensive, and the buses brutally long. Our own experience was mixed. After spending days getting a bus from Medellin to Quito, we opted to fly. Each bus option took over thirty hours and made its way through some unsettled areas. The flights weren’t cheap and they had to go north to Panama City and then back south to Quito.
Other buses in Ecuador and Peru were impressive in terms of comfort. Flat seats, good air conditioning and even snacks made the 20 hour bus ride easy. On the other hand, finding buses was a nightmare unless we used the special app. Try to plan ahead rather than being physically present. Saves a lot of headaches.
I mean, there is no shortage of options in every country. Domestic buses were very easy to travel and very cheap.
3. Climate is sneaky.
It is sheer ignorance on my part that is responsible for this challenge. To my limited knowledge, Ecuador, on the equator, has always been hot, right? A lie. Of course, near the beach, the weather is always good. But in Quito, at an altitude of over 2,000 meters, it gets cold in April.
Two days later, in the Amazon, I’m sweating. After a week, in Banos, I was perfectly comfortable. While the northern regions of Peru are hot and dry, Lima is a gloomy 60 degrees. Choose your clothes wisely and dress for every weather. If you’re exploring the entire continent, you’ll come up against everything.
4. Height
If you’ve never been at altitude before, some of South America will shock you. Many of the continent’s popular tourist destinations and cities are some of the most populated areas in the world.
Ecuador’s capital Quito sits at three thousand meters, Cusco is at 3,400 meters, and La Paz in Bolivia is an impressive 3,625 meters. This means it can be very cold in all of these places, but more importantly, it seriously affects your well-being.
Altitude sickness is very real, and it’s not uncommon for visitors to feel a little sick during their first few days in these cities. Even then, simple tasks like climbing stairs can suddenly seem a bit complicated and cause shortness of breath. Be sure to acclimatize and take a few days off before doing something strenuous like mountain climbing.
5. Spanish
I was coming to South America blind when it came to the Spanish language because I had studied French in school. I did my best to pick up the basics and was getting comfortable with ordering things, listening to instructions, using numbers and other everyday lingo.
But then I moved from Colombia to Ecuador, and the language seems to be a different language. Then from Ecuador to Peru. And then the sound of Argentinian Spanish is completely different. Each country and even the regions within them have their own variations of Spanish. These are mostly shaped by phonetic tendencies alone, like the “double” sound, some words and phrases are completely different.
Do your best to read a few differences when you visit each one; So that you can prepare yourself to listen to the phrase. They didn’t teach you that in high school, that’s for sure.
6. The water
Always ask about drinking water. If there is no answer, consider that you can’t drink from the tap in South America and go for the bottle. Even in some cases, local people can drink it, but their body is used to it, but ours rejects it a little.
I’ve been able to drink in some of the apartments we’ve stayed in, but they’re usually fitted with individual filters. In other cities we only use bottled water. It’s tough, especially if you’re interested in being environmentally conscious, but don’t want to get sick on your trip.
7. He is a tourist when he is a tourist.
Much of South America, as we understand it, is free from mass tourism. Although this has its drawbacks in terms of comfort, it creates an amazing experience and allows you to fit in a bit with the culture.
But in tourist cities it is very touristy, and sometimes it can cause anger. Cusco has a tourism-based economy, where most tourists base themselves to travel to the famous Machu Picchu. As a result, any area around the center square is filled with vendors and other tourist-oriented vendors hawking their wares, medicines or tours.
It’s almost impossible to walk through the Plaza de Armas without being stopped by five or six people selling jewelry, paintings, or handing you a baby alpaca. Sitting at any street-side table in a restaurant means you’ll spend a significant portion of your meal waving. Don’t make too much eye contact, politely decline and keep walking. Be firm, but try not to be rude, even after many pleas. After all, they are trying to make a living.
8. Toilets…
Toilets in most developed cities are great! Even after entering the countryside, in some countries, such as in Asia, squat toilets are often not required. But public restrooms may have an aversion to toilet paper. Some in mainly touristy areas, will have someone selling sheets nearby, but most don’t at all.
Having some in your bag is a good idea, especially for girls, to help you out of a stressful situation. Also, be very careful with what you wash in the toilet. Many sewers in the region cannot handle toilet paper and require you to dispose of it in a bin. As long as you don’t enjoy it, just do it. You don’t want to be the gringo that clogs the toilet.
Conclusion
South America is amazing. It was truly one of the few months of travel we’ve had and one of the most tiring months of travel. It tests but rewards in equal measure. Just be sure to take a little more care than you’re used to.
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Disclaimer: Current travel laws and restrictions Subject to change without notice. Travel decisions are ultimately your responsibility. Before you travel, check with your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your citizenship and/or any changes to travel requirements. Off Road Travel does not support traveling against government advice.
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