The Amazing Adventures of Tommy Traveller!

Tips 2

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Hi tommy!

I will be going to southamerica within a month. at this point, therefore, i've got some questions, as u are the experienced one

Do u know a nice place to stay for us, when we arrive in buenos aires? a bombshelter or something with bulletproof glass would be just right, if u believe everything they show on t.v. after i read your mail i believe that things aren't quite as threatening as they seem. we want to fly to ushuaia next within a week or two and then travel up north via chili, bolivia, peru to ecuador and after that we're not quite sure, we'll see by then.

Well, i hope u respond to my questions. and beside of that i would really love to meet u again if u are in the continent of southamerica the next half year. keep in touch. Love,

Iris

Hi Iris,

Great to hear you are going to S.America, and starting off in Bs.As, too. It’s a great city! Don’t be too put off by the reports of trouble, I was there a couple of weeks ago and didn’t see anything. A good hostel is on Viamonte at the junction with Suipacha, nice place, clean and very central (right in downtowm). One a bit further out (near San Telmo – Tango central) is in Av. Brasil. It’s a YHA and is a bit cheaper and a very ‘social’ place. Just not quite so nice around there at night (OK, but be a bit careful). Make sure you check out Grant’s restaurant in Recoletta and the cemetary and parks there. Also try & go to a tango show in San Telmo – the Viejo Almacen is the oldest and probably the best.

Just take US$, with the Peso devaluing like crazy it is pretty cheap out there right now.

You can fly to Ushuaia for $100-$150, it’s a nice place, well worth a few days and boat trip on the beagle channel is great – I hihly recommend the compant Patagonia whose trip is longer than most and although a bit more expensive, well worth the extra.

How are you getting up north? It is so beautiful, make sure you get to Torres del Paine and the Moreno Glacier in El Calafate. If you want to do hiking then El Chaiten (cerro Fitzroy) is probably the best place in the south. If you can the ferry from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt is stunning (4 days through the fjords!). Don’t miss Pucon and a climb up the Villarica volcano – incredible!

Let me know if you need any more info. Take LOADS of camera film – you will need it!

Have a great time & let me know where you are – you never know, we might bump into each other later in the
year! Lots of love.

Tommy
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Hi Tommy,

We're heading your way! We fly to Quito on Sept 10th, then heading down through Peru, Bolivia and Chile. Perhaps Argentina.

Any top tips?? Maybe we'll bump into you en route?? Do you knbwo where you'll be when or have an itinery? Love,

Claire

Hi Claire,

Good chance we will bump into each other somewhere, we are in Brazil at the moment, heading into Bolivia and then Peru. We will be in Cusco on the 27th Sept for a week, thats quite a possible place/timescale that we could meet. Let me know how you are getting on & what you are up to.

Be careful in Quito, bit dodgy walking around at night, either take a taxi or stay in the Gringo area. A good hostal is Mitad del Mundo in the main Gringo area, cheap and cheerful, helpful & friendly. Look out for a bar called Patatus on Wilson & Amazonas, pop in & say hi to Alfie for me, and if you have any big problems, he will help you out, just tell him you are a friend of mine.

Worth a visit up to Mitad del Mundo, about 20Km north of Quito and also to Otavalo, great Market town. Definately get yourself to Banos nice place to stay is La petit Auberge) about 3-4hrs south of Quito and maybe check out Vilcabamba in the south - nice relaxing small Andean town in some beautiful scenery. Quito is really only worth a few days, but might take you a day or so to get used to the altitude - take it easy, its at 2800m!

Down into Peru, the first stop is normally Trujillo for the Chan Chan ruins & Moche pyramids. Well worth a visit. Then either to Chiclayo, or Cajamarca (inland in the Andes a bit) or a bit of a trek, but well worth the time is Chachapoyas in northern Peru. Fantastic place and amazing pre-Inka ruins. From there you can even get down to a place called Tarapoto and then Yurimaguas & take a 2 and a half day boat to Iquitos on the Amazon River. I know a great jungle lodge out there, Muyuna Lodge, Analia and Percy own it. Great part of the jungle too. A lot better than Ecuador.
Most people that know different places dont really rate the jungle in Ecuador much. Much better in Peru (although it is slightly more expensive).

So let me know where & when & I'll try & give you more tips. Have fun & enjoy!

Tommy
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Protect your passport when you travel - this is great idea!

My tip of the year - colour photocopy the photo page of your passport, reducing it to just under the size of a credit card. Get it laminated. This will pass as a ID/Passport anywhere. I have used it many times when stopped by the police. It's safer than carrying a passport and there aren't 48 pages of entry stamps for officials to spend time looking at.

Martin

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