So its like this...
I will be travelling to South America in October for app. 5 months. I had been planning to go with a friend
who will no longer be travelling with me. Now i will be travelling solo and am a bit worried i will struggle due to the fact i dont speak the native language at all. Do you think this will be a major problem or will i still be able to get about/find places to stay etc.
Also, my budget is app. £3000 and i was planning to start in Equador. Anyone think this is a good/bad place to start?
Thanks for the help
Moomin
Reply to this Hello Chris 😊
Of course being able to speak Spanish and Portugese would be a definate bonus, but English is the next most useful. Fluent English speakers are however rare on S. America but you will still get by, by writing down things you want and showing it to peolple.
Mel
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i started in Quito ecuador. i loved it the experience was unforgettable, however i originally thaught it would be safer than colombia but in fact i found it to be more dangerous in terms of street robberies etc.
colombia (though there is still a lot of mafia there) is pretty safe for tourists these days in terms of street crime.
see this post about pickpckets in quito, but dont be freaked out by it ..as long as you are aware of that stuff you should be absolutley fine.
http://www.travelblog.org/Forum/Threads/12826-1.html
spanish is more of a want than a need in south america. with a guidebook you will have no problem finding places to stay etc... english is the popular language in the hostel scene.
however you will wish you had some spanish when taking the bus and ordering food etc..
and also you will want to be able to talk to people for the sake of talking to them right?
so seeing as you have a few months to spare i recommend doing a spanish course. trust me you will be very happy to have done it. i have already recommended "pimsleur spanish". on the forums. you could google it or go to the local library and see if it is there.
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