Feb
18
2010
Jesse’s path, disclosed.
Author: JesseAs March 7th is now approaching, the planning for my portion of the ecological exploration of South America is very much under way. The excitement began with getting shot up like a drive by with immunizations and popping a few “live-virus” pills to vaccinate against typhoid, hepatitis A & B, yellow fever, and malaria. In addition, I have been focusing most of my time reading travel blogs such as Bus2Antarctica, Project: Kids in Cambodia!, and Trans World Expedition as well as brushing up on my Spanish and attempting to learn Portuguese – after all, my first main stop is Rio! The means of study include the following (all of which I highly recommend):
- 501 Spanish Verbs by Christopher and Theodore Kendris
- Éxito Comercial, Fourth Edition by Michael Scott Doyle
- Teach Yourself Portuguese: A Complete Course in Understanding Speaking and Writing by Manuela Cook
- The Essential Neruda: Selected Poems (Bilingual Edition)
- Footprint South American Handbook 2009
After spending two months in Europe in the summer of 2007 and planning out (with reservations) just about every city, flight, and excursion along the way, I told myself I would try to limit my date and place requirements in order to allow for more flexibility and ad hoc adventure! Unlike Europe, the main method of transportation is bus with varying levels of comfort and accommodation. So, aside from my round trip flight (March 7th and June 10th) to and from Chicago and Quito, Ecuador and one way from Quito to Rio, Brazil, I will be traversing the continent por autobús.
With that being said, I will give you a rough idea of what my path could look like (see the map of South America near the end of this post for reference). After arrival in Quito I have one night booked and then a flight into Rio de Janeiro the next day. I am thinking a week there will suffice; then my bus tour begins (ultimately encompassing over 12,000km/7,200mi which equates to 6 straight days of driving but will be split into 12 separate bus tickets). From there I will head to Curitiba, one of South America’s two “Eco-cities”, before making my way to the awe-inspiring Foz do Iguaçu Falls. This destination on the map boarders Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay so it will be my exit point from Brazil. From here the best option seems to be into Asunción, Paraguay and then directly to Buenos Aires for a 2-3 week stay.
Leaving Buenos Aires will take me on the longest bus adventure of the whole trip (3,070km) down to Rio Gallegos, Punta Arenas, and the Strait of Magellan. This has been considered by many as the “end of the world” as it is the point where one would embark, by boat, to Antarctica (which the Bus2Antarctica gentleman has just done this week). For me that will have to be another voyage for another time! From The End of the World I will hop a short flight up to Puerto Montt or Santiago, depending on how far along I am on my 95 total days. I had to choose a flight here because the geographical choppiness of Chile causes the Pan-American Highway to stop at Puerto Montt. After stops in Valparaíso and Mendoza (Argentinean wine country), I will make my way north through the Chilean Atacama desert to Arica and into La Paz, Bolivia (this may vary as a visa is needed, like Brazil, upon entry).
From La Paz I will begin my Inca Trail adventures which will include Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Cloud Forest of Manu, et al and drop into Cuzco, Peru for my final leg up to Bahía de Caraquez, Ecuador. Here I will be volunteering for four weeks with an organization called Planet Drum, as Señor Tischer is now doing, before singing “Adios. Muchas gracias, Sur America, por todos los recuerdos!”.
A few things to note for anyone thinking about a trip to South America:
1. Advanced booking is necessary for Machu Picchu if you want to hike to the sanctuary, otherwise a one-day train ride is available to Aguas Calientes (a nearby town) which allows for an easy bus ride. See this list for certified tour operators. I am going with Chaska Tours.
2. A visa for entry into Brazil is absolutely necessary before you leave America or you will be sent packing right back where you came from. It costs $150 to apply by mail ($130 in person at a Brazilian Consulate) and can be researched further here.
