Only have two full days here. This is my second day. It has been diminished by a computer that is hopelessly compromised. Can't add pix. The "Enter Network Password" message comes up each five seconds and blocks my screen. Now, the mouse won't work. This is what it must be like to be Dyslexic or to have heavy metal music interruptiing your mental processes constantly. But I am a persistent SOB, and we are going to slog through this. This is being written in the early evening -- a good time, as it is too hot earlier to venture out for the most part (only thing you see are Dogs walking their mad Englishmen) and so hanging at a shaded cafe or indoors becomes the norm. Life doesn't begin here, until 9 PM or so. At least for the traveler. For those following in Seattle, there is a 6 hour time difference. This originally posted at 1:49 PM, which is7:49 PM here.
Uraguay is beautiful, in its own way. Very warm, very temperate weather for the most part, but gets the wind from the coast, so you don't get roasted outside the 3 to 6 PM slot. The people are not well-to-do -- perhaps 4th or 5th on the scale of Latin American economies on a per capita basis -- but they are very friendly and helpful. Not many of them speak English. At least here in the capital of Montevideo, they seem very family oriented. All except for the crowd outside my window until 4 AM, which was akin to a group of howler monkeys who has sensed the presence of an intruder and were screeching, gesticulating wildly, singing, drinking, and vomiting until the light came up. Could not tell how many were locals, and how many were travelers or vistors from elsewhere in South America. But they seemed to be having a good time. Didn't see any fights.
Early last evening, while getting acclimated and completely frustrated at computer breakdowns, I started walking along the waterfront. From the "Old Town" portion down near the docks, to the pier (one of the longest in the world), to the waterfront walkway. Like its famous counterpoint in Barcelona, it too is called "Las Ramblas" but changes names in part along its frontage as it meanders around the coast. Only intended to walk the most scenic portions. But was terribly intrigued by the olocal custom of drinking Mate' (several on a glass), and the walking en masse. Uruguayans also jaywalk en masse, interestingly enough. Nobody stops them or makes a fuss about the situation;. The light here is incredible, at leas this time of year ... it is like early morning in Yosemite National Park, in California. Makes for great photo opportunities. You probably won't get to see any for awhile, as Microsoft and their Outlook Tribe don't really make themselves "available" easily in South America. Took a picture of what has to be one of the world's largest family skate parks at 9 PM next to the coast, and it looked like High Noon in Arizona. Very charming, to see families spending time together and without breaking the bank. Some of them were actually looking at each other, as well.
Continued my walk for a total of 20 kilometres. That is about twelve miles. Didn't intend this. But the scenery and customs and special moments of families fishing together and skating together and walking together, drew me on. This, contrasted with the concurrent worldwide pattern of teenagers glued to their cellphones, and completely oblivlous to everything going on around them, to the point they knock into you while walking. I could have robbed about a dozen of them blind and pantsed them, and they truly would not have noticed.. At what I figured to be the end of my walk, had a glass of Pinot Noir, and a local specialty -- limon helado y champagne. Lemon ice cream, frozen in combo with champagne, and served chilled. Priceless ! Upon my return, tried to hail a taxi. No luck. Walked another five kilometres before a taxi picked me up for the final eight miles home. All in all, a good day, but missed the usual social interactions which take place with such amazing regularity most times.
In closing, thought I'd mention some daily purchases. Gives some idea of scale of what things cost. First of all, the peso here is about 20 to the dollar, if (and only if) you make your exchange via cash machine or at the bank. At the airport or "cambia shops," you'll get eaten alive -- maybe 16 to 1. So: 945 pesos for my room for two nights (around $45), 55 pesos for an electrical 3-prong adapter for utensils like the computer which have a grounded plug, 665 pesos for a memory card for the camera and an 8 GB thumbdrive, 19 pesos for lemonade, 400 pesos for a Mate' cup and its special filtered metal straw (a bombisha) that strains the herb out of the liquid, 80 pesos for a two-scoop portion of gelato (my own private addiction), and 125 pesos for a Stella Artois beer that came in its own champagne bucket and was large enough to shoot down B-52s with.
Next: Ushuaia ! "The End Of The World"
Friday, January 14, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Pilgrimage
Second day in Buenos Aires. Slept in. Grateful for the lack of jet lag. The "manana" pace of this hemisphere is getting to me already. Didn't really start going until the afternoon. Then a long, long walk fromt he hotel over to the Boca Juniors Futbol Club, called the "The Bombonera" or J.Alberto Armando Stadium. Holds about 50,000. Configuration is quite interesting, in that many high security fences and barbed wire strings hold various parts of the crowd away from each other. I have heard that revolutions have started over the outcome of a Futbol match on this continent, so the divisions are no particular surprise. Much is done here at this particular stadium, to humiliate the opponent, from making their supporters walk under the most rabid of the hometown fans, to making the visiting jugadores (players) walk through a locker room entry door through which they must duck down. A special section, entitled simply "12" -- and no, that is not the "12th Man" so famous in Seattle -- is where the hooligans are assigned. I would like to think my soccer team (The Red Zingers) would take up residence there, were we visiting. I know I would be assinged there.
Seems the team was started somewhere around 1910 by a couple ex-pat Italians. In fact, Buenos Aires early in its history, was dominated by foreigners. When the population reached 1 million, half of them were immigrants, and half of those were Italians (my Dad needs to know this). The Italians got a little cocky about the situation, and started a revolution, declaring their secession from Argentina and allegiance to the King of Italy. Revolution lasted one day. It may have been the only bloodless revolution in history. But it does explain why so much Italian is spoken here, and why so many neighborhoods are named after Italian communities.
Surprisingly few Buenos Aires citizens speak English. Had a difficult time navigating my way back from the Stadium Tour and Museum, since I never backtrack and wanted a new route. Plus wore the wrong shoes, so feet were raw. Couldn't find a cash machine to save my life, and the banks were closed at 3 PM. Didn't get that in my scouting report.
Met Jon and Charlotte again. They generously treated me to a bottle of wine, which was much needed, at 7 PM. We took the subway (reminds me very much of the Moscow subway, with market stalls lining the walkways and underground crossings), to an Armenian Restaurant called Sartis somewhere near the end of the line. Jon got us lost several times. Seems he can do everything EXCEPT route find. I told him he should look for some Germans to ask. They NEVER get lost. Well, there were two exceptions about 130 years apart, on the way to Moscow...
Because I left my new Danish friends for a few minutes on the subway to listen to a folklorico guitar singer playing for coins in the aisle, Jon & Charlotte spoke Danish to each other momentarily. Quite by coincidence, they were sitting next to another Dane, and she naturally recognized her fellow countrymen by their native tongue. Meet Meriam ! She joined us for dinner, and seemed to enjoy the getting lost part much more than myself. Dinner began about 11 PM, so wonderfully typical of warm weather Latin dining practices. At Sartis, we had lamb, various Mediterranena dishes such as couscous and babakanoush, and a modified form of Greek Salad. Best part, however, was a dish with no name that had slivered almonds, spring onions, garlic, couscous, olive oil, and tomato bits. Absolutely one of the best appetizers I have ever eaten. Night ended about 3 AM, after the requesite stop for gelato, and a parting of the ways as the four of us are each headed different directions tomorrow. Me, to Montevideo (Uruguay), and Jon and Charlotte are taking a 20 hour bus ride over the Andes to Santiago (Chile). I will miss them !
Next: Montevideo (Uruguay)
Seems the team was started somewhere around 1910 by a couple ex-pat Italians. In fact, Buenos Aires early in its history, was dominated by foreigners. When the population reached 1 million, half of them were immigrants, and half of those were Italians (my Dad needs to know this). The Italians got a little cocky about the situation, and started a revolution, declaring their secession from Argentina and allegiance to the King of Italy. Revolution lasted one day. It may have been the only bloodless revolution in history. But it does explain why so much Italian is spoken here, and why so many neighborhoods are named after Italian communities.
Surprisingly few Buenos Aires citizens speak English. Had a difficult time navigating my way back from the Stadium Tour and Museum, since I never backtrack and wanted a new route. Plus wore the wrong shoes, so feet were raw. Couldn't find a cash machine to save my life, and the banks were closed at 3 PM. Didn't get that in my scouting report.
Met Jon and Charlotte again. They generously treated me to a bottle of wine, which was much needed, at 7 PM. We took the subway (reminds me very much of the Moscow subway, with market stalls lining the walkways and underground crossings), to an Armenian Restaurant called Sartis somewhere near the end of the line. Jon got us lost several times. Seems he can do everything EXCEPT route find. I told him he should look for some Germans to ask. They NEVER get lost. Well, there were two exceptions about 130 years apart, on the way to Moscow...
Because I left my new Danish friends for a few minutes on the subway to listen to a folklorico guitar singer playing for coins in the aisle, Jon & Charlotte spoke Danish to each other momentarily. Quite by coincidence, they were sitting next to another Dane, and she naturally recognized her fellow countrymen by their native tongue. Meet Meriam ! She joined us for dinner, and seemed to enjoy the getting lost part much more than myself. Dinner began about 11 PM, so wonderfully typical of warm weather Latin dining practices. At Sartis, we had lamb, various Mediterranena dishes such as couscous and babakanoush, and a modified form of Greek Salad. Best part, however, was a dish with no name that had slivered almonds, spring onions, garlic, couscous, olive oil, and tomato bits. Absolutely one of the best appetizers I have ever eaten. Night ended about 3 AM, after the requesite stop for gelato, and a parting of the ways as the four of us are each headed different directions tomorrow. Me, to Montevideo (Uruguay), and Jon and Charlotte are taking a 20 hour bus ride over the Andes to Santiago (Chile). I will miss them !
Next: Montevideo (Uruguay)
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Buenos Aires Karma
Before the sunshine and parade awards are handed out, there is always a little dung to clean up. In today's case, it was a four hour flight from Seattle to Dallas, a three hour layover, and then ten more hours to Buenos Aires. Then the Argentinians cleverly lightened my wallet by $140 for a "transit" fee just to pass through their Pampas. And everything was more expensive than originally explained or budgeted for.
Small price to pay though, for the beautiful karma that followed. Got plenty of help going through customs, getting the baggage, and obtaining the daily double of bus and taxi rides the 35 minutes into town from the airport (about $14). And no jet lag! Discovered the city is 12 million people out of 40 million in the country, and not a single malcontent was showing his stripes. My stay for the next two nights, The Hotel Bolivar, was rather like a dowager who kept trying on new outfits to make up for lack of a working infrastructure (like really secure locks, for example). But you just hide the laptop and carry valuables with you, so ... what me worry? While normally in a huge hurry to hit the road, I took in a leisurely shower (muggier here than the South Side of Chicago, since it is now summer in South America), laid out my things, started a for-memory-only list of what things cost so far, and went down to the concierge for advice on local attractions.
Apparently while in Buenos Aires, you are supposed to see the Obelisk (which dominates the primary thoroughfare, Ave 9 de Julio, go to the Teatro Colon, see Evita Peron's grave, see the Boca Juniors soccer stadium, have a Argentinian style beef all-you-can-eat carnivore bacchanalia, drink their fine quality red wine without counting, drink some Mate' (strong -- which is to say STRONG -- herbal tea collectively drunk through a special filtered straw), and attend a tango demonstration. Maybe even do the tango yourself? What better way to plan some logical order of all this -- given that the whole world knows I HATE backtracking -- than to saunter over to the Gibraltar Pub for a pint?
While there asking directions and recommendations of the bartender in broken 20+ year Spanish, someone overheard me mention a particularly famous steakhouse along the waterfront -- La Cabana Las Lilas.
"Going there, or already been?" He looked like Jude Law. Attitude was helpful, not the 'I'm bored already and need to direct you to stay motivated' saccharine drivel one finds occasionally on such occasions. His girl friend motioned me over.
"Going. Have taken to eating pretty much only seafood lately. That's what we do in Seattle. But when in Argentina ... "
Whereupon, I was pounced on by these two Danes, late 20 somethings (?) who had just completed medical school and were rewarding themselves -- like me -- with 2.5 months in South America. They had gone many places I was intending to go, and thus had rank on me. It would have been gauche of me given my immediate inferior social standing, to refuse them. Meet Jude and his muse. As in Jon Diernaes and Charlotte Madsen. From the second largest city in Denmark (don't ask me to spell it, not even GOD can spell it).
For the next two hours, we went over every guidebook available on Buenos Aires. Then we started a draft of our own. Mind you, I'd not even hit the streets yet. But I felt like I could write a guidebook, after they were done with me. They have been in-city for two weeks, and just came back from a grueling 20-hour bus ride from Iguazu Falls. We agreed to go over to The Teatro Colon & Gran Cafe Tortoni, for wine and dessert (yes, we ate it first) and a first-class tux and tails vocal and tango exhibition. Good wine was about $5 a glass, higher than expected, but better pricing by far than Seattle. The menu was lengthy, and unimpressive. But the singing and constumes were outstanding. Seeing the lead dancer wear a Gaucho costume, brough back fond memories of my youth in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Then the Tango. "The vertical expression, of horizontal desire." All whirl and smoke and passionate pas de deux. An intricate cat and mouse game, of alternate turns boring in on your partner with intense visual emotional longing accompanied by dance card gymnastics only an acrobat would love. Then, a demure retreat on the part of the most focused partner, at the precise moment their other half starts to reciprocate this longing. Rarely are these two emotionally on the same page, in vivid contrast to their perfectly synchronized a la passionaria steps. Up until the end, that is ... when something seizes the pair and they suddenly breathe fire from their eyes and up the dancing frenzy into a crescendo. The end is sudden and in synch in an uplifting emotional and physical catharsis. It seemed to be a metaphor of sorts. Could not figure out for the life of me what this sequence represented though !
Yes, watching Luciana & Jose swirl and writhe in tandem was like watching the prelude to B flat of Liz & Dick, Scarlet and Rhett, and Burt and Deborah all rolled into one. Without the pounding surf, of course ...
Then the two of them called members up from the audience. We sat in the back, so it seemed safe. No stories to tell. Right up until Jude ... er, Jon, stood up and egged Luciana to glide clear back to the back of the theatre and tantalize me and lead me by the hand up onto the stage. Could not help thinking, on the way up, how I wish my sons were there so I could embarrass them. They say -- or at least Andy Warhol famously did -- that everybody gets their fifteen minutes of fame. I was alternately relieved, therefore, to know I would be ... uh ... "dancing" with such an exotic creature ... but that for the benefit of the audience it would last only 30 seconds. And nowhere in my soccer goalie training, does it require any moves remotely resembling what a tango artiste must effectuate. But I managed to get out cleanly, leave the audience laughing for some attempted boldness, and receive a parting kiss from Luciana at the same time. Better than the crap they hand out on The Price Is Right ...
Next stop, La Brigada, recommended by several cabbies, and conveniently right around the corner from our two hostels (that is h-o-s-t-e-l, not "hostile," which is what I was assured had been individually selected particularly with me in mind). Of course the menu was Argentine beef. Of course I overindulged. I even shared. To no avail. No room for dessert. Despite the world's largest dessert menu. And all the while, we were unwittingly seated next to the #1 paella chef in all of Buenos Aires, who heard me waxing poetic and spinning off bad toasts and demanded a security summons. With some quick comparisons of what was remembered best about his hometown of Valencia, Spain, however, we cadged an invitation to his restaurant for the morrow. What a shame. Paella, for a seafood afficianado. Pobrecito ! And back in the saddle with Jon & Charlotte for at least one more evening, before I head out to Montevideo.
To continue the unfortunate tide of events, the Sao Paolo couple who sat next to us at the tango performance, heard I was going to Carnivale! in Rio in March and provided some much needed scouting info. So now I have about 25 e-mail sites (all conveniently located on napkins, such that there is no longer room for things like actual reservations in my travel folder) directing me to social success at the best beaches and the best bleachers and best siting at the world's biggest party. That is about seven weeks away, still. With so much opportunity remaining ... As James Bond use to say, "The things I have to do for God & Country."
Next: Pilgrimage !
Small price to pay though, for the beautiful karma that followed. Got plenty of help going through customs, getting the baggage, and obtaining the daily double of bus and taxi rides the 35 minutes into town from the airport (about $14). And no jet lag! Discovered the city is 12 million people out of 40 million in the country, and not a single malcontent was showing his stripes. My stay for the next two nights, The Hotel Bolivar, was rather like a dowager who kept trying on new outfits to make up for lack of a working infrastructure (like really secure locks, for example). But you just hide the laptop and carry valuables with you, so ... what me worry? While normally in a huge hurry to hit the road, I took in a leisurely shower (muggier here than the South Side of Chicago, since it is now summer in South America), laid out my things, started a for-memory-only list of what things cost so far, and went down to the concierge for advice on local attractions.
Apparently while in Buenos Aires, you are supposed to see the Obelisk (which dominates the primary thoroughfare, Ave 9 de Julio, go to the Teatro Colon, see Evita Peron's grave, see the Boca Juniors soccer stadium, have a Argentinian style beef all-you-can-eat carnivore bacchanalia, drink their fine quality red wine without counting, drink some Mate' (strong -- which is to say STRONG -- herbal tea collectively drunk through a special filtered straw), and attend a tango demonstration. Maybe even do the tango yourself? What better way to plan some logical order of all this -- given that the whole world knows I HATE backtracking -- than to saunter over to the Gibraltar Pub for a pint?
While there asking directions and recommendations of the bartender in broken 20+ year Spanish, someone overheard me mention a particularly famous steakhouse along the waterfront -- La Cabana Las Lilas.
"Going there, or already been?" He looked like Jude Law. Attitude was helpful, not the 'I'm bored already and need to direct you to stay motivated' saccharine drivel one finds occasionally on such occasions. His girl friend motioned me over.
"Going. Have taken to eating pretty much only seafood lately. That's what we do in Seattle. But when in Argentina ... "
Whereupon, I was pounced on by these two Danes, late 20 somethings (?) who had just completed medical school and were rewarding themselves -- like me -- with 2.5 months in South America. They had gone many places I was intending to go, and thus had rank on me. It would have been gauche of me given my immediate inferior social standing, to refuse them. Meet Jude and his muse. As in Jon Diernaes and Charlotte Madsen. From the second largest city in Denmark (don't ask me to spell it, not even GOD can spell it).
For the next two hours, we went over every guidebook available on Buenos Aires. Then we started a draft of our own. Mind you, I'd not even hit the streets yet. But I felt like I could write a guidebook, after they were done with me. They have been in-city for two weeks, and just came back from a grueling 20-hour bus ride from Iguazu Falls. We agreed to go over to The Teatro Colon & Gran Cafe Tortoni, for wine and dessert (yes, we ate it first) and a first-class tux and tails vocal and tango exhibition. Good wine was about $5 a glass, higher than expected, but better pricing by far than Seattle. The menu was lengthy, and unimpressive. But the singing and constumes were outstanding. Seeing the lead dancer wear a Gaucho costume, brough back fond memories of my youth in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Then the Tango. "The vertical expression, of horizontal desire." All whirl and smoke and passionate pas de deux. An intricate cat and mouse game, of alternate turns boring in on your partner with intense visual emotional longing accompanied by dance card gymnastics only an acrobat would love. Then, a demure retreat on the part of the most focused partner, at the precise moment their other half starts to reciprocate this longing. Rarely are these two emotionally on the same page, in vivid contrast to their perfectly synchronized a la passionaria steps. Up until the end, that is ... when something seizes the pair and they suddenly breathe fire from their eyes and up the dancing frenzy into a crescendo. The end is sudden and in synch in an uplifting emotional and physical catharsis. It seemed to be a metaphor of sorts. Could not figure out for the life of me what this sequence represented though !
Yes, watching Luciana & Jose swirl and writhe in tandem was like watching the prelude to B flat of Liz & Dick, Scarlet and Rhett, and Burt and Deborah all rolled into one. Without the pounding surf, of course ...
Then the two of them called members up from the audience. We sat in the back, so it seemed safe. No stories to tell. Right up until Jude ... er, Jon, stood up and egged Luciana to glide clear back to the back of the theatre and tantalize me and lead me by the hand up onto the stage. Could not help thinking, on the way up, how I wish my sons were there so I could embarrass them. They say -- or at least Andy Warhol famously did -- that everybody gets their fifteen minutes of fame. I was alternately relieved, therefore, to know I would be ... uh ... "dancing" with such an exotic creature ... but that for the benefit of the audience it would last only 30 seconds. And nowhere in my soccer goalie training, does it require any moves remotely resembling what a tango artiste must effectuate. But I managed to get out cleanly, leave the audience laughing for some attempted boldness, and receive a parting kiss from Luciana at the same time. Better than the crap they hand out on The Price Is Right ...
Next stop, La Brigada, recommended by several cabbies, and conveniently right around the corner from our two hostels (that is h-o-s-t-e-l, not "hostile," which is what I was assured had been individually selected particularly with me in mind). Of course the menu was Argentine beef. Of course I overindulged. I even shared. To no avail. No room for dessert. Despite the world's largest dessert menu. And all the while, we were unwittingly seated next to the #1 paella chef in all of Buenos Aires, who heard me waxing poetic and spinning off bad toasts and demanded a security summons. With some quick comparisons of what was remembered best about his hometown of Valencia, Spain, however, we cadged an invitation to his restaurant for the morrow. What a shame. Paella, for a seafood afficianado. Pobrecito ! And back in the saddle with Jon & Charlotte for at least one more evening, before I head out to Montevideo.
To continue the unfortunate tide of events, the Sao Paolo couple who sat next to us at the tango performance, heard I was going to Carnivale! in Rio in March and provided some much needed scouting info. So now I have about 25 e-mail sites (all conveniently located on napkins, such that there is no longer room for things like actual reservations in my travel folder) directing me to social success at the best beaches and the best bleachers and best siting at the world's biggest party. That is about seven weeks away, still. With so much opportunity remaining ... As James Bond use to say, "The things I have to do for God & Country."
Next: Pilgrimage !
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Itinerary & Flights (More Legs Than A Centipede!)
Seattle, WA (USA) to Dallas, January 10th (Missing Collegiate Football National
Championship Game for the first time).
Dallas to Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jan 11th
Buenos Aires to Montevideo, Uruguay, Jan 13th
Uruguay return to Buenos Aires, Jan 15th
Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, Argentina (kickoff point for Antarctica), Jan 15th
Antarctica via the icebreaker "Polar Star" -- January 16th through 25th. Since
there is no capital there yet, and no established governance, I intend to have
myself declared "Emperor." Just trying to fit in with the locals, and be an
Emperor Penguin ... without having to starve for four months and sit on all
those eggs in freezing weather !
Tierra Del Fuego/Patagonia/Torres Del Paine Nat'l Park -- On own, "freestyle"
Punta Arenas, Chile, Jan 29th
Punta Arenas to Santiago, Chile on Jan 30th -- on own, Freestyle
Santiago to LaPaz, Bolivia on Feb 3rd (then Freestyle to Lake Titicaca, pimarily)
LaPaz to Lima, Peru Feb 10th -- primarily visit The City, Frestyle
Lima, Peru to Easter Island, Chile on Feb 13th -- Freestyle
Easter Island return to Lima on Feb 16th (then to Nazca Plain and Machu Picchu
via Cuzco, Peru) -- Freestyle
Lima to Quito, Ecuador on Feb 21st-- Freestyle
Quito to Guayaquil, Ecuador on Feb 23rd -- Freestyle scouting: retirement spot?
Quayaquil return to Lima Feb 27th
Lima to Iguazu Falls (bordering Argentina, Brazil, & Paraguay) later Feb 27th
Iguazu Falls to Asuncion, Paraguay Feb 28th -- perhaps by bus? Freestyle
Asuncion to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil approx March 3rd
Rio de Janeiro -- Carnivale ! March 4-8 (World's Biggest Party)
Rio to Natal, Brazil, approx March 9 -- Freestyle
Natal to Belem (mouth of the Amazon), approx March 11 -- Freestyle
Belem to Cayenne, French Guiana, approx March 13 -- Freestyle
Cayenne and pass-through to Paramaribo, Suriname, approx March 15
Paramaribo and pass-through to Georgetown, Guyana approx March 17
Georgetown to Caracas, Venezuela approx March 19 (and to Angel Falls)
Caracas to Baranquilla, Columbia approx March 22nd (hosted by ext family?)
Officially fly out of Bogota to Seattle March 25 -- but not really !
Baranquilla to Cartagena, Columbia -- unknown
Cartagena to Cali, Columbia -- unknown
Somewhere in Columbia to Havana, Cuba (love that forbidden fruit !) -- uknown
Return to Seattle, approx April 1st
Did you miss anything? I sure felt like I have.
Next: Buenos Aires Karma ...
Championship Game for the first time).
Dallas to Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jan 11th
Buenos Aires to Montevideo, Uruguay, Jan 13th
Uruguay return to Buenos Aires, Jan 15th
Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, Argentina (kickoff point for Antarctica), Jan 15th
Antarctica via the icebreaker "Polar Star" -- January 16th through 25th. Since
there is no capital there yet, and no established governance, I intend to have
myself declared "Emperor." Just trying to fit in with the locals, and be an
Emperor Penguin ... without having to starve for four months and sit on all
those eggs in freezing weather !
Tierra Del Fuego/Patagonia/Torres Del Paine Nat'l Park -- On own, "freestyle"
Punta Arenas, Chile, Jan 29th
Punta Arenas to Santiago, Chile on Jan 30th -- on own, Freestyle
Santiago to LaPaz, Bolivia on Feb 3rd (then Freestyle to Lake Titicaca, pimarily)
LaPaz to Lima, Peru Feb 10th -- primarily visit The City, Frestyle
Lima, Peru to Easter Island, Chile on Feb 13th -- Freestyle
Easter Island return to Lima on Feb 16th (then to Nazca Plain and Machu Picchu
via Cuzco, Peru) -- Freestyle
Lima to Quito, Ecuador on Feb 21st-- Freestyle
Quito to Guayaquil, Ecuador on Feb 23rd -- Freestyle scouting: retirement spot?
Quayaquil return to Lima Feb 27th
Lima to Iguazu Falls (bordering Argentina, Brazil, & Paraguay) later Feb 27th
Iguazu Falls to Asuncion, Paraguay Feb 28th -- perhaps by bus? Freestyle
Asuncion to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil approx March 3rd
Rio de Janeiro -- Carnivale ! March 4-8 (World's Biggest Party)
Rio to Natal, Brazil, approx March 9 -- Freestyle
Natal to Belem (mouth of the Amazon), approx March 11 -- Freestyle
Belem to Cayenne, French Guiana, approx March 13 -- Freestyle
Cayenne and pass-through to Paramaribo, Suriname, approx March 15
Paramaribo and pass-through to Georgetown, Guyana approx March 17
Georgetown to Caracas, Venezuela approx March 19 (and to Angel Falls)
Caracas to Baranquilla, Columbia approx March 22nd (hosted by ext family?)
Officially fly out of Bogota to Seattle March 25 -- but not really !
Baranquilla to Cartagena, Columbia -- unknown
Cartagena to Cali, Columbia -- unknown
Somewhere in Columbia to Havana, Cuba (love that forbidden fruit !) -- uknown
Return to Seattle, approx April 1st
Did you miss anything? I sure felt like I have.
Next: Buenos Aires Karma ...
Friday, January 7, 2011
Packing List for 75 Days in S. America & Antarctica
In No Particular Order ...
Expedition Trips provides the Down Park with Ful Collar (and we keep it as a souvenir !), and the rest is up to me ...
Goretex jacket
Rain pants
Balaclava
Waterproof gloves (inner and outer pair)
Polar fleece
Sweatpants
Silk Thermal Underwear
Wool socks, multiple pairs
Sun protection, uv blocker
Camera w/ extra memory cards + camera tripod
Bathing suit
Waterproof daypack
Extra prescription/reading glasses
Binoculars/telescope
Prescription medicine(s) -- including anti-diarrhea tablets for use "as needed"
Electrical converter & Adapter plug
Ziploc bags
Pocket calculator
Travel alarm clock
Spanish electronic translator pocket device
Hiking boots, beach slaps, "steppin' out" dress shoes
lightweight huaraches for warm weather slummin'
slip-ons for normal walking
Two pair of jeans (black and blue)
Two dress shirts
Seven colored polo shirts, etc.
Four pair underwear
Two pair of cargo shorts
Shaving kit
Laundry bag
Laundry soap
Insect Repellant
Head mosquito netting
Laptop computer + charger
Extra thumb drives
Magnifying lenses
Water bottle
Colored pens and highlighters
Two reading books: "Story," by Robert McKee: Substance, Structure,
Style, And the Principles of Screenwriting" and "Lost Symbol"
by Dan Brown
Digital pocket tape recorder
Various knives in assorted sizes (for dealing with TSA thugs)
Bota bag
Handi Wipes
Cut tape
Washcloth & Small towel
Water purification tablets
Money security belt
Hand washing soap/sanitizer liquid
First aid kit
Moleskin for blisters !
Rain poncho
Aluminum skin emergency blanket
Pepto Bismol tablets
Extra AAA and AA batteries
Document Indexer/Organizer, accordian style in clear plastic w/ tab descriptions
And more to come, I am sure ... including,
Next: Itinerary & Flights (More Legs Than A Centipede!)
Expedition Trips provides the Down Park with Ful Collar (and we keep it as a souvenir !), and the rest is up to me ...
Goretex jacket
Rain pants
Balaclava
Waterproof gloves (inner and outer pair)
Polar fleece
Sweatpants
Silk Thermal Underwear
Wool socks, multiple pairs
Sun protection, uv blocker
Camera w/ extra memory cards + camera tripod
Bathing suit
Waterproof daypack
Extra prescription/reading glasses
Binoculars/telescope
Prescription medicine(s) -- including anti-diarrhea tablets for use "as needed"
Electrical converter & Adapter plug
Ziploc bags
Pocket calculator
Travel alarm clock
Spanish electronic translator pocket device
Hiking boots, beach slaps, "steppin' out" dress shoes
lightweight huaraches for warm weather slummin'
slip-ons for normal walking
Two pair of jeans (black and blue)
Two dress shirts
Seven colored polo shirts, etc.
Four pair underwear
Two pair of cargo shorts
Shaving kit
Laundry bag
Laundry soap
Insect Repellant
Head mosquito netting
Laptop computer + charger
Extra thumb drives
Magnifying lenses
Water bottle
Colored pens and highlighters
Two reading books: "Story," by Robert McKee: Substance, Structure,
Style, And the Principles of Screenwriting" and "Lost Symbol"
by Dan Brown
Digital pocket tape recorder
Various knives in assorted sizes (for dealing with TSA thugs)
Bota bag
Handi Wipes
Cut tape
Washcloth & Small towel
Water purification tablets
Money security belt
Hand washing soap/sanitizer liquid
First aid kit
Moleskin for blisters !
Rain poncho
Aluminum skin emergency blanket
Pepto Bismol tablets
Extra AAA and AA batteries
Document Indexer/Organizer, accordian style in clear plastic w/ tab descriptions
And more to come, I am sure ... including,
Next: Itinerary & Flights (More Legs Than A Centipede!)
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Preparation
How does one prepare for a trip of 75 days duration? A trip to an area with vast weather differences from moderate climate Seattle. With wariness necessary for day-to-day health and culinary practices. An area so vast, it requires airline legs, rather than auto or train segments, to see all 13 countries. A chance to go to "The End Of The Earth," and visit two completely different continents? The answer is: Slowly and Carefully. The "to do" list (major and minor) is essentially endless...
First of all, the trip was supposed to be to visit extended family in Columbia. Then it expanded to see all of South America. My thinking was, "I may never get down this 9000 miles again. Maximize what you can." Then, knowing I was to be in Tierra Del Fuego and Patagonia anyway, the first thoughts of Antarctica came into play. What would it take to add the 7th continent?
When surfing the net, ran into Expedtion Trips out of Seattle. Awesome bunch ! [http://www.expeditiontrips.com/ , (206)547-0700 ]. These folks really made this happen for me. Particularly Aimee Demarest, the Program Director. She kept sending me Antarctic trip leads on icebreakers to The Peninsula. I kept telling her that was way out of my budget, since 13 countries would follow immediately afterward. Then, about mid-December she sent me an announcement, undercutting my best anticipated price by $250 -- about a $1750 drop over the best previous pricing. Not hard to pull the trigger after that. And now, I'll be leaving out of Ushuaia ("The End Of The Earth," supposedly the southernmost inhabited city in the world) on the Polar Star for 11 days starting January 16th, 2011.
But obviously that requires carrying extreme cold weather gear, not at all in synch with shorts and t-shirts that will apply to equatorial South America, at the heighth of its summer season. And airlines don't really let you carry two bags these days. So, you have to do a lot of listing, and then a lot of culling of the list. And then, I am told, mail back the cold weather gear back to the US when returning from Ushuaia (departure point at the extreme southern end of Argentina, for Antarctica) so you don't have to haul it around with you during the rest of your travels.
As for the trip at large, certain things are necesssary before departure. the big picture highlights are:
1) Pay rent, utilities and bills 90 days in advance
2) Get your health shots for South America. This included a very worthwhile travel consult from the Snohomish Health Department about security, cash issues, eating practices, hygiene down south, medical planning, and many other valuable pieces of advice for the first-time southern hemisphere traveler.
For example, I was told to drink only capped liquids, avoid all animals (thus avoiding an expensive and difficult series of rabies shots), brush my teeth only with bottled water, don't wade in freshwater lakes or rivers, dress in pale colors to avoid attracting insects (particularly malaria carrying mosquitoes), scan my passport and all credit card documents and send them to myself, notify my bank and credit card companies of the impending trip, and register my trip online with the US State Dept prior to entering each country for security purposes and tracking if necessary [ https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/index/aspx ]. The State Dept also has a travel advisory site with relevant travel warnings and advice for each country at: [ www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis ]. The recommended shot schedule for South America was:
A) Typhoid
B) Yellow Fever
C) Hepititis A -- Hepititis B is also strongly recommended
D) Tetanus Booster
E) Diarrhea prescription (preventative)
F) Malaria pills, in reserve
3) Arrange for a laptop computer that is lightweight, southern hemisphere compatible, and backed up!
4) Line up your cameras for ease of packing, charging, and redundant battery supply. Electrical conversion outlets are an obvious adjunct to this.
5) Get a suitcase that can both be wheeled, and carried backback style w/ straps.
6) Start a blog (!) to avoid excess note taking, excess e-mailing, and have adequate photo capacity for timely display of photos taken on the fly.
7) Arrange visas for South America. These are necessary for Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Suriname. This must be doone well in advance, as you have to send documents (including itineraries and places where you will stay, when you don't know where this will be if you practice freestyle travel) plus your passport itself to each consulate or embassy for each country. This takes up quite a bit of time, obviously. So, I determined to just pick up the visas IN South America, by stopping in at the consulate for each country in a neighboring country, and present the passport in person (hopefully with 1-day expediting). Generally, by the way, each of these visas cost from $100 to $135. I am told also that Argentina does not require an actual visa, but will nick you $140 at the airport or border for a "transit" fee.
8) Renew all documents and licenses coming up for renewal during my absence from the United States, including professional continuing education, driver's license, and so forth. Also, suspend car insurance to cover the vehicle only, so as to save money during my absence.
9) Obtain medical emergency/trip cancellation/emergency evacuation insurance, which for the Antarctic portion at least, is required by the carrier. There are apparently not many rescue ships or helicopters as one approaches Antarctica, and half a million of coverage is required by the carrier to ensure you are not unreachable when having extreme health difficulties in Arctic Circle waters [ TravelexInsurance.com ].
10) Arrange for a LAN Airlines airpass [ LAN.com, and look for the LanPass ], which is the airfare equivilent of a EurRail pass, allowing you to cobble together multiple segments at a heavily discounted fare so that travelling the whole continent becomes possible.
11) Arrange for as many rooming situations in advance as possible. Being a freestyle traveler, this is made much easier with a large number of useful internet tools. One of them I found and have used extensively was at: [ HostelBookers.com ]. The site is very intuitve, with many easy to use drop-down lists, and all that is required in advance is a 10% deposit to secure a hostel type room or inexpensive hotel or pensione -- and not full payment.
12) Minimize my Verizon cellphone account, cutting down the minutes, and changing my messages to a indicate I'll be out of contact for 90 days and NOT to leave messages, as I can access them ! Direct those who persist to a South American cell phone number, which will be a "pay as you go" model I will purchase as soon as I arrive in Buenos Aires on January 11th.
13) Despite payment in advance for most things, bills will still arrive for credit card purchases, for example. Arrange bill pay with my bank, for remote payment.
An example of small things that come up that need preparation, is a roster of currency exchange rates for the 13 countries comprising South America, so I'd have a baseline of what the conversion rates were and whether they were getting better or worse (also, to compare venues: would it be better to exchange at cash machines, only at banks, at vendor shops, the airports, at hotels, or some other spot?).
Brushing up on my high-school Spanish is another small task requirement; this would include getting an electronic translator/calculator, and perhaps a small lightweight pocket book of most commonly used terms.
Next: Packing List for 75 Days in South America and Antarctica !
First of all, the trip was supposed to be to visit extended family in Columbia. Then it expanded to see all of South America. My thinking was, "I may never get down this 9000 miles again. Maximize what you can." Then, knowing I was to be in Tierra Del Fuego and Patagonia anyway, the first thoughts of Antarctica came into play. What would it take to add the 7th continent?
When surfing the net, ran into Expedtion Trips out of Seattle. Awesome bunch ! [http://www.expeditiontrips.com/ , (206)547-0700 ]. These folks really made this happen for me. Particularly Aimee Demarest, the Program Director. She kept sending me Antarctic trip leads on icebreakers to The Peninsula. I kept telling her that was way out of my budget, since 13 countries would follow immediately afterward. Then, about mid-December she sent me an announcement, undercutting my best anticipated price by $250 -- about a $1750 drop over the best previous pricing. Not hard to pull the trigger after that. And now, I'll be leaving out of Ushuaia ("The End Of The Earth," supposedly the southernmost inhabited city in the world) on the Polar Star for 11 days starting January 16th, 2011.
But obviously that requires carrying extreme cold weather gear, not at all in synch with shorts and t-shirts that will apply to equatorial South America, at the heighth of its summer season. And airlines don't really let you carry two bags these days. So, you have to do a lot of listing, and then a lot of culling of the list. And then, I am told, mail back the cold weather gear back to the US when returning from Ushuaia (departure point at the extreme southern end of Argentina, for Antarctica) so you don't have to haul it around with you during the rest of your travels.
As for the trip at large, certain things are necesssary before departure. the big picture highlights are:
1) Pay rent, utilities and bills 90 days in advance
2) Get your health shots for South America. This included a very worthwhile travel consult from the Snohomish Health Department about security, cash issues, eating practices, hygiene down south, medical planning, and many other valuable pieces of advice for the first-time southern hemisphere traveler.
For example, I was told to drink only capped liquids, avoid all animals (thus avoiding an expensive and difficult series of rabies shots), brush my teeth only with bottled water, don't wade in freshwater lakes or rivers, dress in pale colors to avoid attracting insects (particularly malaria carrying mosquitoes), scan my passport and all credit card documents and send them to myself, notify my bank and credit card companies of the impending trip, and register my trip online with the US State Dept prior to entering each country for security purposes and tracking if necessary [ https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/index/aspx ]. The State Dept also has a travel advisory site with relevant travel warnings and advice for each country at: [ www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis ]. The recommended shot schedule for South America was:
A) Typhoid
B) Yellow Fever
C) Hepititis A -- Hepititis B is also strongly recommended
D) Tetanus Booster
E) Diarrhea prescription (preventative)
F) Malaria pills, in reserve
3) Arrange for a laptop computer that is lightweight, southern hemisphere compatible, and backed up!
4) Line up your cameras for ease of packing, charging, and redundant battery supply. Electrical conversion outlets are an obvious adjunct to this.
5) Get a suitcase that can both be wheeled, and carried backback style w/ straps.
6) Start a blog (!) to avoid excess note taking, excess e-mailing, and have adequate photo capacity for timely display of photos taken on the fly.
7) Arrange visas for South America. These are necessary for Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Suriname. This must be doone well in advance, as you have to send documents (including itineraries and places where you will stay, when you don't know where this will be if you practice freestyle travel) plus your passport itself to each consulate or embassy for each country. This takes up quite a bit of time, obviously. So, I determined to just pick up the visas IN South America, by stopping in at the consulate for each country in a neighboring country, and present the passport in person (hopefully with 1-day expediting). Generally, by the way, each of these visas cost from $100 to $135. I am told also that Argentina does not require an actual visa, but will nick you $140 at the airport or border for a "transit" fee.
8) Renew all documents and licenses coming up for renewal during my absence from the United States, including professional continuing education, driver's license, and so forth. Also, suspend car insurance to cover the vehicle only, so as to save money during my absence.
9) Obtain medical emergency/trip cancellation/emergency evacuation insurance, which for the Antarctic portion at least, is required by the carrier. There are apparently not many rescue ships or helicopters as one approaches Antarctica, and half a million of coverage is required by the carrier to ensure you are not unreachable when having extreme health difficulties in Arctic Circle waters [ TravelexInsurance.com ].
10) Arrange for a LAN Airlines airpass [ LAN.com, and look for the LanPass ], which is the airfare equivilent of a EurRail pass, allowing you to cobble together multiple segments at a heavily discounted fare so that travelling the whole continent becomes possible.
11) Arrange for as many rooming situations in advance as possible. Being a freestyle traveler, this is made much easier with a large number of useful internet tools. One of them I found and have used extensively was at: [ HostelBookers.com ]. The site is very intuitve, with many easy to use drop-down lists, and all that is required in advance is a 10% deposit to secure a hostel type room or inexpensive hotel or pensione -- and not full payment.
12) Minimize my Verizon cellphone account, cutting down the minutes, and changing my messages to a indicate I'll be out of contact for 90 days and NOT to leave messages, as I can access them ! Direct those who persist to a South American cell phone number, which will be a "pay as you go" model I will purchase as soon as I arrive in Buenos Aires on January 11th.
13) Despite payment in advance for most things, bills will still arrive for credit card purchases, for example. Arrange bill pay with my bank, for remote payment.
An example of small things that come up that need preparation, is a roster of currency exchange rates for the 13 countries comprising South America, so I'd have a baseline of what the conversion rates were and whether they were getting better or worse (also, to compare venues: would it be better to exchange at cash machines, only at banks, at vendor shops, the airports, at hotels, or some other spot?).
Brushing up on my high-school Spanish is another small task requirement; this would include getting an electronic translator/calculator, and perhaps a small lightweight pocket book of most commonly used terms.
Next: Packing List for 75 Days in South America and Antarctica !
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Why South America ( and beyond to Antarctica)
Learning to blog today. Don't really want to send all those individualized e-mails for the upcoming "Trip Of A Lifetime," much as I love to write. Need to get the future news out about the upcoming trip to South America, on an efficient basis. Didn't want limits on the pictures that could be sent or shown, either.
This all started with consideration of a cruise, primarily to fill in those portions of the Caribbean that are UN Member Nations that I'd not visited yet. Eventually passed beyond that for personal reasons. Went to South America as the next logical option. And then like a novel usually gets away from its author at a certain stage beyond page 50, the trip took on a life of its own.
Reasons for the change? (1) My Spanish is still functional (2) My brother is married to a gorgeous Columbian woman, who has a very hospitable family down in Baranquilla -- on the coast near Venezuela (3) I haven't been south of the equator, having been Eurocentric so far in my travels, and it was time for a little diversity (4) All the latest research says South America is the #1 place in the world to retire -- for multiple reasons -- and a calling was felt to scout the possibilities (5) Noticed that a lot of my previous travels, have inadvertantly been to what are known as "Power Vortex" spots ... locations on the globe, where strange positive-energy forces are at play and new age types flock to pick up on the magnetic and other energy fields there. Places like Stonehenge, Glastonbury, Sedona (AZ), The Great Pyramids, and other famous sites. South America has many of these Vortex spots. Having recognized a pattern, it beomes natural to try and add additional "pearls to the string" to better understand the drive to be acquainted with such sites (6) Put my sons through college, paid off the car, and got debt free. Wanted to reward myself in some manner with my favorite "snack," a lengthy trip. Went a bit over the top this time (7) I have a theory that travel is going to be much more difficult in years to come, due to dwindling resources, pocket revolutions and civil unrest, weather changes (the 2012 related sunspotting cycle zenith, and intense gravitational pull from planetary alignments for the first time in 26,000 years that will expose us all to the liklihood of increased earthquake activity, among other risks) and the Giant Ponzi Scheme that makes up our current international economy. Global warming -- no matter what the source, and no matter what your politics, will be another factor affecting extended travel. So will a growing worldwide economic slowdown that is already upon us and is projected to grow in the near future. So, a desire to expand my horizons NOW and take in what new journeys that I can just makes sense.
While in the planning stage, I realized early this was not just going to be a lark to a couple countries so I could say I'd been to Machu Picchu and visited another land mass. It became a quest to visit all 13 countries in South America, and make adequate time to do so. Wanted to familiarize myself with the cultural, historic and archelogical highlights of all the UN member nations of South America. Once inside the details, I also concluded that I'd be as far south as I could possibly be, and when would I ever get this far south again? The round trip ticket prices alone, are outrageous enough to give one pause. So, the idea of going to Antarctica, while so deep into the southern hemisphere, also took hold. Give myself the old "quantity discount." And thus the trip expanded.
Who knows, when you travel light? May even add on some of those missing Caribbean nations at trip's end, and a wee bit of Central America as well. This is possible due to what we'll call style preferences. Mine is "Freestyle," ever since my first extensive travel abroad to the four nations of the British Isles in 1974. It is characterized by saving money on hotel rooms and transportation and spending instead on good food, entertainment, and cultural venues. It mostly includes travel without prior plans, blitzkrieg fashion. Like alpine-style mountain climbers who get accimatized to the oxygen deficiences of high altitude and then rush the summit according to opportunistic conditions, I generally do not build up "base camps" with reservations and a set itinerary for my trips. I let the wind conditions and native advice guide me. Just as locals always clue you in to the best places to eat, so does serendipity guide a fortunate path. It often depends on who you meet. A missed flight or train ride, could turn into your most favorable day. That chance conversation about the proper camera at Costco, can lead to inspired destination advice. The apparently odd traveler at the waterfall, could end up being a valued fellow sojourner for a few days to a week. The shy cook who tells you about a not-to-be-missed Unesco Heritage Site, makes a willing ear a valuable commodity. These chances don't take place, with a set-in-stone plan. As Kurt Vonnegut use to say "...and so it goes."
Next: Preparations !
This all started with consideration of a cruise, primarily to fill in those portions of the Caribbean that are UN Member Nations that I'd not visited yet. Eventually passed beyond that for personal reasons. Went to South America as the next logical option. And then like a novel usually gets away from its author at a certain stage beyond page 50, the trip took on a life of its own.
Reasons for the change? (1) My Spanish is still functional (2) My brother is married to a gorgeous Columbian woman, who has a very hospitable family down in Baranquilla -- on the coast near Venezuela (3) I haven't been south of the equator, having been Eurocentric so far in my travels, and it was time for a little diversity (4) All the latest research says South America is the #1 place in the world to retire -- for multiple reasons -- and a calling was felt to scout the possibilities (5) Noticed that a lot of my previous travels, have inadvertantly been to what are known as "Power Vortex" spots ... locations on the globe, where strange positive-energy forces are at play and new age types flock to pick up on the magnetic and other energy fields there. Places like Stonehenge, Glastonbury, Sedona (AZ), The Great Pyramids, and other famous sites. South America has many of these Vortex spots. Having recognized a pattern, it beomes natural to try and add additional "pearls to the string" to better understand the drive to be acquainted with such sites (6) Put my sons through college, paid off the car, and got debt free. Wanted to reward myself in some manner with my favorite "snack," a lengthy trip. Went a bit over the top this time (7) I have a theory that travel is going to be much more difficult in years to come, due to dwindling resources, pocket revolutions and civil unrest, weather changes (the 2012 related sunspotting cycle zenith, and intense gravitational pull from planetary alignments for the first time in 26,000 years that will expose us all to the liklihood of increased earthquake activity, among other risks) and the Giant Ponzi Scheme that makes up our current international economy. Global warming -- no matter what the source, and no matter what your politics, will be another factor affecting extended travel. So will a growing worldwide economic slowdown that is already upon us and is projected to grow in the near future. So, a desire to expand my horizons NOW and take in what new journeys that I can just makes sense.
While in the planning stage, I realized early this was not just going to be a lark to a couple countries so I could say I'd been to Machu Picchu and visited another land mass. It became a quest to visit all 13 countries in South America, and make adequate time to do so. Wanted to familiarize myself with the cultural, historic and archelogical highlights of all the UN member nations of South America. Once inside the details, I also concluded that I'd be as far south as I could possibly be, and when would I ever get this far south again? The round trip ticket prices alone, are outrageous enough to give one pause. So, the idea of going to Antarctica, while so deep into the southern hemisphere, also took hold. Give myself the old "quantity discount." And thus the trip expanded.
Who knows, when you travel light? May even add on some of those missing Caribbean nations at trip's end, and a wee bit of Central America as well. This is possible due to what we'll call style preferences. Mine is "Freestyle," ever since my first extensive travel abroad to the four nations of the British Isles in 1974. It is characterized by saving money on hotel rooms and transportation and spending instead on good food, entertainment, and cultural venues. It mostly includes travel without prior plans, blitzkrieg fashion. Like alpine-style mountain climbers who get accimatized to the oxygen deficiences of high altitude and then rush the summit according to opportunistic conditions, I generally do not build up "base camps" with reservations and a set itinerary for my trips. I let the wind conditions and native advice guide me. Just as locals always clue you in to the best places to eat, so does serendipity guide a fortunate path. It often depends on who you meet. A missed flight or train ride, could turn into your most favorable day. That chance conversation about the proper camera at Costco, can lead to inspired destination advice. The apparently odd traveler at the waterfall, could end up being a valued fellow sojourner for a few days to a week. The shy cook who tells you about a not-to-be-missed Unesco Heritage Site, makes a willing ear a valuable commodity. These chances don't take place, with a set-in-stone plan. As Kurt Vonnegut use to say "...and so it goes."
Next: Preparations !
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