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Do I go to South America?

I've never been travelling before and I'm still undecided - part of me really wants to go but there is also a big part that is very scared and apprehensive about doing it on my own....advice would be much appreciated :-)

13 years ago, October 25th 2010 No: 1 Msg: #121719 Delete Edit

samharvey
Sam Harvey

N Posts: 9

Hi,

I've never been travelling before and, since my friend has found himself a job I am left to decide whether or not to go on my own. South America is somewhere that I think woukld be a fantastic place to travel, but I am just very apprehensive about going as I have never done anything like this before and almost feel like I don't even know where to start.

I'd only think about going for 3 months (or less) and would be looking to get out there no later than Feb/March as I have heard it is best to travel before then. Having spoken with friends everyone reassures me I will find it easy and will love it ... but I have been going back and forth for over a month now on whether I do it or not, and I need to start making some decisions.

If anyone has any advice, tips or general opinion on what they think I should do it really would be much appreciated. Part of me really thinks I need to do it, but then my head kicks in and I start to
think it'll be too daunting. I'm normally quite a confident person but this really has seemed to have thrown me...!

Many thanks in advance, Sam :-) Reply to this

13 years ago, October 25th 2010 No: 2 Msg: #121725 Delete Edit

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

B Posts: 10.9K

Sam,

I'm not sure what country you are from and when you say you've never been traveling before that leaves me wanting to ask--
when you say you have not done any traveling does that mean you have not done any traveling with friends and family? or does it mean you have not done any traveling alone? I assume it means you have never been out of your home country. Have you done any traveling within your home country?

I sense a tad bit of apprehension on your part. Since this is something new to you I think that is good and you are doing some research which is good.

Have you saved enough money to travel for the three months or is your budget tight? For a first time traveler having enough money can make a difference.

Few people regret traveling and it is generally easier than most people think.

Are you comfortable doing things by yourself? One of my best trips was a trip years ago when I traveled New Zealand by myself for a month.

Tips for a new traveler:
1. Remember if you are not comfortable you can pay a fee to change your airline ticket and come back early.
2. My recommendation is for you to plan the first few days in the first country you go to so you will have some time to adapt to the time, money, public transportation, food and the culture. You might want to book a tour of the city in advance just to get your feet wet.
3. Staying in hostels will allow you to meet other people. They may not want you to join them traveling but their conversation and friendship will keep you from getting lonely.
4. Other travelers are always eager to provide you suggestions on where to go and what to do. Each person you meet will be helpful.
5. Travel is a wonderful experience and will change the way you see the world--

If you get somewhere you are not comfortable -- go book a night in a nice safe hotel and give yourself a bit of time to regroup.

Happy travels, MJ Reply to this

13 years ago, October 25th 2010 No: 3 Msg: #121726 Delete Edit

Dominick P
Dominick Powell

N Posts: 58

I imagine everyone on this site would have the same advice for you - do it. My first big trip was Peru and Bolivia, and of course there was some degree of apprehension when making my plans but once I got there and discovered how easy it was to find the basics (food, lodging and transportation) I realized my worries were for nothing. Browse a Lonely Planet - it will tell you how to get around, how much it will cost and how long it will take, as well as plenty of lodging and restaurant options. It is that easy. Solo is the best way to travel if you ask me, you meet tons of people and never have to compromise on your decisions on where or when to eat, where to stay and for how long.

On that trip I met so many people while staying in hostels who were on even bigger trips from all walks of life and on all budgets and I realized there is no special qualifications for this, I could do it. Don't listen to people who have never traveled tell you about how hard or dangerous it is. You will remember those three months for the rest of your life. I couldnt tell you what I was doing in October 2007, beyond that I worked somewhere. I remember exactly where I was in October 2008, exploring Egypt for the first time and making my way to Kenya.

Three months is a good amount of time, enough that you wont feel rushed. It gives you the feeling that you could stay in any particular place if you feel like it and that is the best way to travel, not scrambling to fit things in, just wandering for as long as you like. If you go with more money than you plan on spending you will feel even more free to do what you want, splurge here and there. Just make sure your budget is realistic. Again Lonely Planet provides a decent reference for costs, though not perfect.

I am leaving tomorrow on my third RTW trip, starting in Egypt for my second visit there. My other trips were 11 months and 4.5 months, this one I am thinking between 5-6 months but that could change. I only bought a one way ticket to Cairo, playing it by ear after that. While it may cost me a couple hundred dollars more by booking one ways the freedom of being able to change my itinerary as I go is worth it. (FYI my ticket was just over $500 from NY, my research suggests it should cost me about $500 more to get to SE Asia with a stop between, then another $650 more to get home from there. Way cheaper than any prepackaged RTW flight.)

Just pull the trigger and buy your ticket - everything else will fall into place. When you are 60 you will look back on it as the best decision of your life. Reply to this

13 years ago, October 25th 2010 No: 4 Msg: #121728 Delete Edit

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

B Posts: 10.9K

Dominick-- well put.

Sam-- do it. You will not have regrets. Reply to this

13 years ago, October 26th 2010 No: 5 Msg: #121773 Delete Edit

samharvey
Sam Harvey

N Posts: 9

-Thanks for the speedy responses guys. In response to your queries Dave and Merry, I'm fron England and have just finished Uni. My aim is to move to London within the next year but in the interim I am working and living in Birmingham with my brother

Having never done any travelling, it’s something that I started to think about during Uni and was planning on going away with a friend of mine. He has done a wealth of travelling and, unlike me, is confident and experienced with this. However, he has now landed a job and tha is what has left me questioning whether to go. I know that I will probably have the time of my life and it may well turn out to be the best decision I could make, but I do seem to get these strong feelings of apprehension and fear which really starts to put me off. I have been toing and froing with the idea for over a month and its getting to the stage that I need to actually start to book something.

I have visited a few places in Europe (holidays with friends,family etc..) and also went to Morocco for a week with my girfriend, which kind of gave me an idea of what travelling is like. I am normally quite a confident person and am more than happy in my own company and doing things on my own. For some reason I just seem to have consistent apprehensions regarding travelling which is why I find myself here! I think that once I get there I'll be fine, but I speak absolutely no Spanish and am just worried about how I will fare out there...but I guess Dominick you are right and everyone seems to say the same thing as yourself.

How much did you plan before you went to Peru and Bolivia? Was that the first time you went travelling? I'm guessing all of the apprehensions I am having are the same for any first time traveller so may be I just need to go ahead and do it! Every time I say that though the doubts start to creep in! As you can see I’m swaying from either side of the fence even as I write this!

Thanks once again for taking the time to get back to me.

Sam.

Reply to this

13 years ago, October 26th 2010 No: 6 Msg: #121775 Delete Edit

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

B Posts: 10.9K

Sam,

Travel will enrich your life in ways you cannot currently imagine. A bit of concern is fine. Take a deep breath and buy the ticket. If you've done a week in Morocco with your girlfriend you are going to be fine in South America.

When we are traveling for longer period of times we don't book much in advance. When we are taking a two or three week break from work we generally plan the entire trip before we go to maximize what we want to see. If you need to pre-plan a few things to keep you calm about making this trip then do that. It will not lesses your enjoyment of the things you see and the people you meet.

If you are not having a good time you can get on the next plane and fly back. Reply to this

13 years ago, October 26th 2010 No: 7 Msg: #121782 Delete Edit

samharvey
Sam Harvey

N Posts: 9

Thanks Binkleys :-). I'm doing some more research but finding it difficult to map out exactly what I want to see and exactly the route I want to take. Can you figure most of it out when you get there? Or is it good to have a general idea of where you want to go, the route you wish to take etc..?

Reply to this

13 years ago, October 26th 2010 No: 8 Msg: #121783 Delete Edit

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

B Posts: 10.9K

I think most people try to do "too much" You don't have see all of South America in one trip. Let it flow and come naturally.

I will ask others on the web site to chime in but most of us will tell you to plan only a small portion of the trip and let it flow after you get there. You will meet people who will tell you about things to go see.

Step one: You need to pick the date you want to arrive-- and pick a city you want to fly into. Any major South American city will do. I found Lima, Peru easy to navigate.

Step two: Select your exit date and another major city. Purchase your ticket.

My opinion is that you will find a way to fill in the time in between. Having a basic outline of your travels is a good idea but be flexible enough to change your mind if you want.

I would make a list of the countries you'd like to see. I would make a list of a couple of things you really feel you want to do or have to see in each country. I'd make a list of things that sound interesting if you have the time.

Step three: Since you have a few concerns about traveling alone I would book three nights in an inexpensive hotel for your first few nights. That will give you time to get used to the time, exchange your money. Learn the public transit system. You might want to go to the Information center in town and get some recommendations. You may want to take a tour of the city to get you started.

Stay safe:
Always keep your passport with you.
Don't walk the streets alone after dark.
Take a small amount of cash and take your credit card so you can pay for many things. Take your debit card so you can get additional cash when you need it.
Reply to this

13 years ago, October 28th 2010 No: 9 Msg: #121921 Delete Edit

Glou
Gregg and Lou

B Posts: 24

Hiya, Thought I'd chime in and add a few pointers.

I am in SE asia at the minute travelling with the wife we are 2 months into an 8 month trip and apart from our skeleton flight plan we have been playing it by ear the whole time. I know with the security of two it sounds easier, but it is little different on your own. the big difference is even more freedom to come and go as you please.
Our plans have changed so many times now I can't remember, the classic example being whether to visit Laos or not, on our trip, which we have flip flopped between doing and not about a dozen times.

We are travelling with a little netbook, which means the ability to research and also keep in touch with home whihc if you are feeling nervous about the trip may be a big piece of security, and nearly all hostels here have free wifi so it isn't a big problem to conect (not sure what it is like in S America though) it really makes a difference to the confidence level of what you are doing and where you are going as so much info is at your fingertips. Something similar or an ipod touch or other wifi enabled phone gadget may be very useful!

Another thing we have is pre=paid debit cards. There are lots available in the UK and you charge them up with money and then spend like a debit card. It takes the worry out of using the card and it being cloned or stolen as there isn't a bottomless access to your main funds. (Admittedly this isn't so useful without good internet access to recharge them)
They also have very goo exchange rates for money, so any cashpoint is a bureau de change as we know we always get a good rate.

The third gadget that I'd recommend is a decent moneybelt such as pacsafe one which is discreet and will help you to feel that you valuables are safe.

As people say, I'm sure you will love every minute but if not coming home is not a hard thing to do.
Better to try it and come home than never try and regret it always thinking What if.......

Reply to this

13 years ago, October 28th 2010 No: 10 Msg: #121922 Delete Edit

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

B Posts: 10.9K

Gregg and Lou Please go to Laos. It is one of my most favorites countries. It is beautiful and the people are wonderful. Reply to this

13 years ago, October 28th 2010 No: 11 Msg: #121933 Delete Edit

mark and chrissie
Mark and Chrissie Hayward

B Posts: 28

Hi,

Just wanted to write to you to tell you to go for it! Travel is the most amazing and eye-opening thing you will ever do and I can pretty much guarantee that if you make this first trip you will be bitten by the travel bug and it will lead you into a lifetime of incredible travelling experiences. Be warned - you will also most liKely find your list of future destinations will grow and grow and you'll spend any time you are not travelling thinking about the next time you can go away!

It is absolutely natural to feel apprehensive about taking this step - before we set off on our 27 month adventure around the world I felt the same and I already had a few months backpacking experience behind me. It's a feeling that came back each time we entered a new country and got used to the way each worked but, to a certain extent, its a healthy reaction and shows you have common sense which will go a long way to keeping you safe when you are out on the road. Imagine how you'll feel when you overcome your fears. And then imagine how you'll feel when, for example, you are stood at sunrise overlooking the incredible Machu Picchu, or any number of other amazing experiences that are just out there waiting for you. I promise you it will be worth taking that leap of faith, our trip was the best thing we have ever done - yours will be too!

We spent 7 months in South America and I can highly recommend it. If you're worried about the language, why not get yourself a language CD to work through before you go. We used Michel Thomas for Spanish and it was really easy to follow, no practice or writing involved, just speaking and listening - we saved the CDs onto our ipods and took them along to keep learning as we went. I'm sure there are loads of others available too. You will also pick up the language as you go and could even book yourself in for a week's worth of Spanish lessons in your first city when you arrive, its pretty cheap and would boost your confidence.

To add to or confirm the above advice from other bloggers I would recommend the following:

* Get a good guide book in advance of your trip and read up on some things you want to do
* Save up enough money to be comfortable whilst you are away which will give you flexibility and also peace of mind
* Once you've booked your flight, plan/book the first few days of your trip so that you feel confident when you arrive and have time to meet people/get used to being away
* Be flexible about the rest of your time. Once you get there, you'll realise how easy it is to get around, you'll talk to other travellers who will rave about places they've been and any carefully laid plans will probably go out the window!
* Set up a skype account before you go so it's easy to contact family and friends for free/cheap while you are away. Internet cafes are cheap and everywhere. This will be great if you have a confidence wobble or get homesick at all.
* Talk to lots of other travellers - you'll be amazed at how many friends you make whilst away - you get to know people quickly when in this situation. Team up with other travellers if you don't like being alone - we often travelled for several weeks with other travellers and are still in touch now over a year after our trip ended.
* Use your common sense and keep your valuables safe. There are cashpoints everywhere so just take out a small amount of cash at a time. (Nationwide had the cheapest rates for taking money out abroad when we went so check this out and think about opening an account before you go)
* ENJOY EVERY MINUTE! It will be over far too quick!

The memories from this trip will last you forever and give you something to think about while you plan the next trip! I hope to see some blogs from you up here if you decide to go and will follow your trip with interest,
Happy travels,

Chrissie

PS Gregg and Lou - Laos is a must - we loved it, our favourite country in SE Asia!

Reply to this

13 years ago, October 28th 2010 No: 12 Msg: #121939 Delete Edit

samharvey
Sam Harvey

N Posts: 9

Wow Chrissie .. 27 months! That's amazing! Are you still on it now? You must have some incredible stories.

Thank you ever so much for your advice, and thanks again to everyone .. it's really helping and I can feel myself getting closer and closer to booking.

I've got a few niggling questions about getting around which have just popped up... (I'm off to STA Travel tomorrow to discuss but I'm worried they will give me a biased answer ..

I know everyone must ask this .. but the safety issue in S.America. How safe is it? To the extent that do I need to be discreet when listening to my iPod for example?

I have also been thinking about getting myself onto one of the planned routes or 'hop on, hop off' routes that agencies such as STA offer, but was wondering what everyone's opinion is? I guess what's good about these is that it is planned, organised and safe but then I know they can be quite expensive. My thoughts at the moment are to get one trip organised for when I first arrive, as this will give me the peace of mind that I'm looked after and have something set up, which I think it will help me to settle down. Then after that, once I've hopefully built up some more confidence, I was thinking about looking into 'hop on, hop off' style trips, but how do these compare to public transport in terms of price and safety? I have this idea in my head that the public transport may be quite unsafe, but is that completely ridiculous? Also, with the hop on-hop off routes they drop you outside recommended hostels or hotels .. plus, I guess they are a very good way to meet people in a similar boat .. but is that the same with the public transport?

Reading this back it seems so silly to ask but I do have all of these niggling queries running around in my head! So, thanks once again to everyone. Sam :-) Reply to this

13 years ago, October 28th 2010 No: 13 Msg: #121940 Delete Edit

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

B Posts: 10.9K

Sam,

What date do you think you are going to arrive? You might be able to find someone from this web site to meet you your first day and chat with you.

I am always eager to meet fellow travelers.

America is the most dangerous country in the world......and you have survived that.
When you get there you will learn how to navigate the buses, trains and inter country airlines.

Happy travels. Reply to this

13 years ago, October 30th 2010 No: 14 Msg: #122007 Delete Edit

Glou
Gregg and Lou

B Posts: 24

Sam,
I understand your desire to have things planned and mapped out but I personally would try to avoid too much of the organised trips apart maybe for the first one.

I say this for all the reasons that you have flagged up.
Yes you will get dropped off outside "recommended" hostels/hotels but this isn't necessarily a good thing. These hotels are not always (read rarely) the best available and are often poor in their standards given the price. They rely on this captive market and in doing so often don't try hard enough allowing standards to slip.

The plus point being these hotels are often in the area/district you want to be in and not far from other decent digs.

The transport side of things: again the same thing applies, some companies are decent some are shoddy. Some let their standards drop off and have poor buses/minibuses etc. Before booking anything I would ask on this forum for people that may have first hand experience of the specific trip you are after and if not at least some knowledge of the country and its standards. If nobody comes back try a decent guidebook (lonely planet/rough guide etc etc)

It seems to me that in your post you already understand the pros and cons of both types of transport and just need a nudge to make your final descision. Well.... NUDGE!

Nobody on here can make the decision for you and at some point you just have to make the choice. In 6 months you'll look back and wonder what the fuss was about 😊

Reply to this

13 years ago, November 1st 2010 No: 15 Msg: #122116 Delete Edit

trstck
tim stock

B Posts: 10

Hey Sam. There are a lot of great posts here for you to read. I will add just a couple things. I traveled to Peru never having backpacked before. I had nothing planned except my first night stay. I was friggin terrified, especially in the Lima airport. But I found a nice taxi driver and he drove me to my hostel. I was still shaking in my boots. I just flew there and asked what the heck I got myself into. I met a tun of people straight away and had the best month of my life. I not only had the time of my life but like, I am sure, everyone else could agree with I started to plan my next trip!
I am flying down to Santiago, Chile on Dec. 27th I am going solo and I am going for over a year this time.

I will be couchsurfing, a great way to travel. You can meet so many travelers and locals all with the same goal in mind. I will be WWOOFing too. That is a great way to cut costs down and learn the culture and language of the country you are in.
There are many travel websites where you can meet solo travelers. Gapyear.com, is a great one for example.

I am looking for travel mates actually. So when you arrive in South America, give me a shout! I belong to couchsurfing.org and a couple other travel sites. Let me know when you are arriving and if you are close to me, Ill try to be there!!!

Cheers!
Tim Reply to this

13 years ago, November 1st 2010 No: 16 Msg: #122157 Delete Edit

mark and chrissie
Mark and Chrissie Hayward

B Posts: 28

Hi Sam,

Glad to hear you are getting closer to booking your trip, I hope to hear its all booked up soon!

In answer to your questions about our trip, we returned home just over a year ago with plenty of great stories to bore our friends and families with! We're now planning our next travel adventure - this time just a little smaller (a week's road trip from the Netherlands!) but exciting to us none-the-less, its got our rested feet itching for the road again!

Safety in South America is like pretty much everywhere else we travelled. We never experienced any trouble in the 7 months we were there but there was a very small proportion of people we met who did. To some extent its being in the wrong place at the wrong time but much more so its being aware and using your common sense. When on transport, keep your valuables with you in your small pack, and keep it at your feet rather than on the overhead rack. Dont flaunt expensive items such as cameras and ipods. That isnt to say dont use your ipod - just be careful how and when you use it. Keep your camera strap around your neck/wrist when taking photos and put it away between uses, keep only small amounts of cash on you, if you have any jewellery etc. you would be distraught to lose, leave it at home - e.g. we left our wedding rings at home, lock your packs up, dont keep your wallet in your back pocket when walking around the streets, - its all simple stuff but will help to make you less vulnerable to opportune theft etc. Check out the safety sections of guidebooks as they will give you lots of safety tips. Try not to be too paranoid though - if you're overly suspicious of everyone you meet it may hold you back from great experiences.

As already mentioned, I would try to be flexible for your trip rather than book a tour/hopon/off for the full time. This will allow you to change your plans, travel for longer with people you get on well with (or shorter with those you dont!), eat/stay/visit where you want and just make for a more relaxing trip. They can also work out much more pricey.This is just my cup-of-tea - we all like a different style of travelling but personally I dont get on well with being tied by tour limits.

We found transport in South America to be really good and not expensive considering some of the distances travelled, in most countries the coaches are verrry comfy (better than in the UK) and there are plenty of options to choose from. Normally if you get to a coach station you can find a few operators going the way you want and you can check out prices with them all - they can vary quite a bit so its worth checking. Some tickets include meals on route too so check that out. Lots of other travellers will be using public transport systems and you may find people in your hostel going the same way so you can team up. Hostels will normally know basic times of buses to popular destinations so can help you out with that info and will often (for a small commission) book the bus for you from the hostel if that suits you. I would say it would be very rare if you were the only traveller on a coach of locals.

Don't worry about asking questions - being informed will help you to feel more confident about your trip!

Remember, it may seem easy for experienced travellers to tell you to go for it, but we were all in your shoes at one time, new to travel and apprehensive about it all. We followed the advice we're giving you now and loved it so much we kept going until we became the experienced travellers we are now!

Good luck, book that ticket and you'll never look back!

Chrissie Reply to this

13 years ago, November 2nd 2010 No: 17 Msg: #122215 Delete Edit

jhnrbrts
John Roberts

D Posts: 108

sam, if you travel, just do it to enjoy yourself and of course the place you would want to visit. few things, you should always be aware about people around you, be more cautious when you're out side since it's your first time to that particular place. Reply to this

13 years ago, November 2nd 2010 No: 18 Msg: #122272 Delete Edit

samharvey
Sam Harvey

N Posts: 9

Hi Guys,

Many thanks once again for your advice and guidance. .. I thought I would give everyone an update. The long and short is that I am very close to booking my trip :-) So far, I'm looking at arriving on 6 March (ish) to catch the last few days of the carnival, then the rough idea of my route is to go down to Paraty, across to Iguassu Falls, down to BA then up through Patagonia into Bolivia and PEru and then I'm very tempted to make the final hike up to Cartagena to finish on the Carribean coast. This I am a little worried about (with it being Colombia and all...), but I've been assured by others that it's not as bad as everyone mkaes out (is this true?).

Ideally I need to book within the next few days, otherwise I might miss out on Carnival. If anyone has any more advice or anything on that plan, it would be much appreciated as always.

P.S. I'm still very nervous/apprehensive .. but all of your comments have really helped me to relax, so thank you :-) Reply to this

13 years ago, November 2nd 2010 No: 19 Msg: #122274 Delete Edit

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

B Posts: 10.9K

Sam, You have the support of all of these wonderful people who have written to you. If you get there and have questions you can go to an internet cafe and send questions.

Remember you can change your flight and head back home if you are not having fun.

Take a deep breath. You are going to have a nice time. Ending in the Caribbean is a great idea.

Reply to this

13 years ago, November 3rd 2010 No: 20 Msg: #122299 Delete Edit

Glou
Gregg and Lou

B Posts: 24

Sam,
Arriving into a big city with a big event is quite daunting. It happened to us with Hanoi and it can be pretty full on. You know it is going to happen so you are better prepared than we were, but it can still be a pretty big culture shock.

DO it, but be aware that you may after teh initial jetlag etc yearn for a bit of downtime.

Good luck Reply to this