BootsnAll Travel Community

Hello friendly boots,

I thought i'd ask all you wise gurus about what you think about my travel plans, as that pretty much needs to be settled resonably soon.

Here goes,
2 months Peru (incl. 1 month volunteering)
2 months Ecuador (including 1 month volunteering)
2 weeks Brazil visiting a friend
3 weeks mexico (hopefully including Day of the Dead! yay!)
2 1/2 months USA
plus extra time around for unexpected things

I know i won't be able to see everything, but was wondering if you think that's a good amount of time to travel across those countries without having to rush from place to place.

I'll be 18, and this is my first big trip by myself.
The things I'm most concerned about are the exhaustion of the long trip, and as many people say, meeting people (but after reading other topics, i'm feeling a lot better about the whole thing).

I'm planning to travel with one carry on bag so i'll be free.

Lastly, but certainly not least, I'm planning to take about A$12,000 (not including airfare)(about US$9000). Does this sound ok? I'll be sleeping in dorms or really cheap rooms and eating as cheaply as possible. There are a few things (like a cooking class in mexico) that i'll splash out on, but i'll also be in the same place for a long time when i'm volunteering.

Any feedback, recommendations or critiques would be wonderful.

Thank-you profusely in advance,
em

quote:

Originally posted by EmmaEgg:
Hello friendly boots,

I thought i'd ask all you wise gurus about what you think about my travel plans, as that pretty much needs to be settled resonably soon.

Here goes,
2 months Peru (incl. 1 month volunteering)
2 months Ecuador (including 1 month volunteering)
2 weeks Brazil visiting a friend
3 weeks mexico (hopefully including Day of the Dead! yay!)
2 1/2 months USA
plus extra time around for unexpected things

I know i won't be able to see everything, but was wondering if you think that's a good amount of time to travel across those countries without having to rush from place to place.

I'll be 18, and this is my first big trip by myself.
The things I'm most concerned about are the exhaustion of the long trip, and as many people say, meeting people (but after reading other topics, i'm feeling a lot better about the whole thing).

I'm planning to travel with one carry on bag so i'll be free.

Lastly, but certainly not least, I'm planning to take about A$12,000 (not including airfare)(about US$9000). Does this sound ok? I'll be sleeping in dorms or really cheap rooms and eating as cheaply as possible. There are a few things (like a cooking class in mexico) that i'll splash out on, but i'll also be in the same place for a long time when i'm volunteering.

Any feedback, recommendations or critiques would be wonderful.

Thank-you profusely in advance,
em

Emma,

You might want to add Costa Rica, Panama, and Honduras (Bay Islands) to your list. Costa Rica is positively beautiful, and relatively inexpensive. Panama offers you a great deal of diversity, between Panama City and the more rural countryside. Both of these nations are pretty high up the scale for Latin America, offering a glimpse of relatively prosperity in a region that has far too little of it. Honduras, or more specifically the Bay Islands of Honduras such as Roatan, is beautiful. Roatan is a perfect place to dive (dirt cheap boat dives @ $20 each, or get your dive master for $500 and you'll do about 72 dives as part of the course included in the price). Roatan is also a nice place just to unwind - if you need some time off, it's about $500/mo to rent a NICE apartment, or $5 per night to sleep over my favorite dive shop in an air conditioned clean room (Coconut Tree Divers).

Personally, I would cut out the 2 1/2 months in the USA completely. You'll spend 3 - 4x as much per day in the US, and what do you plan to do with all that time? If you want the whirlwind tour, hit up the west coast ($$$$) and see the redwoods in CA, check out the grand canyon, and go through the Rockies. Stop off in NYC for a good play and some food, hit up Washington, DC for some monuments and museums, head through PA and VA for some Civil War battlefields, and stop off in New Orleans for a taste of the French quarter. I wouldn't spend more than 1 month in America unless you are getting paid to do so.

I would do the following, and this is just my opinion...

Remove USA
Add Costa Rica - 3 weeks
-Note: If you are in good physical health, do one of the tours where you mountain bike from the Pacific to the Caribbean - these are not expensive and very rewarding.

Add Panama - 2 weeks
-Notes: See the islands, check out the Canal, enjoy Panama City.

Add Roatan, Honduras - either 1 - 2 weeks or 12 weeks, your choice
-Notes: If you like to dive, this is pretty darned good diving conditions and much cheaper than almost anywhere else. The cheapest way to stay here is to go for you dive master, or any other certification. The dive shops will put you up for $5 per day. If you like it, you can rent a very nice flat or small house for $500/mo and relax for a bit. Food is cheap (rice + beans + drink <$4, filet mignon + veggies + drink <$15).

Add Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina - why not see the best of SA?

Thanks Undefined,

I have two main reasons for going to the USA, one good and one dodgy;
1. I have friends who I want to visit in Montana, New York, Utah and San Francisco.
2. I can't speak spanish yet, I will be able to soon hopefully, and going to SA is a big part of my linguistical plans. But the thought of spending more than 6 months on a continent alone (I know i won't actually be alone, but you know what i mean) where i can't speak the language fluently, is a little daunting, actually, make that really daunting. Maybe i'm working my self up, but i get exhausted just thinking of it.

I plan to live or work in SA later in life, i'll definitly go back, so i'm not hugely fussed about not going to every country.

Within the USA, my plan is to go up the west coast to San Francisco and Portland, then catch the train to Chicago and onwards to New York, then down through the Carolinas and Georgia , across to Tennessee (wooo Nashville) and back to LA via Utah. Will that take me 2 1/2 months?

Another factor is that i'm not hugely concerned about costs for this trip, though i know i will be later in life, may as well do the US now.

Emma, personally, I think your reason #2 is legit. Language fatigue is real. Loneliness on the road is real. I think it's good for travelers to acknowledge & plan for it. If you were really budgeting, yes, the US would be a big bank-buster, but since you're not...

Plus, the U.S. does have it own multiple cultures going on. It is a country worth spending time in.

Are you starting in the US or ending?

quote:

Originally posted by EmmaEgg:
Thanks Undefined,

I have two main reasons for going to the USA, one good and one dodgy;
1. I have friends who I want to visit in Montana, New York, Utah and San Francisco.
2. I can't speak spanish yet, I will be able to soon hopefully, and going to SA is a big part of my linguistical plans. But the thought of spending more than 6 months on a continent alone (I know i won't actually be alone, but you know what i mean) where i can't speak the language fluently, is a little daunting, actually, make that really daunting. Maybe i'm working my self up, but i get exhausted just thinking of it.

I plan to live or work in SA later in life, i'll definitly go back, so i'm not hugely fussed about not going to every country. g

Within the USA, my plan is to go up the west coast to San Francisco and Portland, then catch the train to Chicago and onwards to New York, then down through the Carolinas and Georgia , across to Tennessee (wooo Nashville) and back to LA via Utah. Will that take me 2 1/2 months?

Another factor is that i'm not hugely concerned about costs for this trip, though i know i will be later in life, may as well do the US now.

Emma,

If you're coming through Nashville, drop me a line. I can definitely recommend some good places to eat at while you are here (one's you won't find in most travel guides!).

With regards to the language barrier, you might want to pick up some Pimsleur or other language training discs and start practicing now. It may not be much, but might give you some confidence before getting there. Your plan sounds like a lot of fun, and by visiting friends in the US your costs should be manageable. I'm not a good budget traveller, so I can't speak to the exact costs in each area, but I think you should be fine.

Hi Christina,
I'll be ending in the US and i should be there from maybe november next year some time until january , then i have to fly back to sydney for uni ...
At the moment i'm looking at it as the more restful part of my trip.

Undefined,
I was going to tag on a month in Europe at the end of my trip which would have majorly busted my budget, so i'm doing a little better.
I'm going to take spanish classes next year whilst i work before i head off, even if it's about confidance and a vague understanding more than being able to have conversations disecting the mexican election fraud scandle.

I'll make sure to take you up on your Nashville offer, i don't know why i want to go, it just looks exciting to me.

thankyou,
emm

quote:

Originally posted by EmmaEgg:
Hi Christina,
I'll be ending in the US and i should be there from maybe november next year some time until january , then i have to fly back to sydney for uni ...
At the moment i'm looking at it as the more restful part of my trip.

Undefined,
I was going to tag on a month in Europe at the end of my trip which would have majorly busted my budget, so i'm doing a little better.
I'm going to take spanish classes next year whilst i work before i head off, even if it's about confidance and a vague understanding more than being able to have conversations disecting the mexican election fraud scandle.

I'll make sure to take you up on your Nashville offer, i don't know why i want to go, it just looks exciting to me.

thankyou,
emm

Emma,

I wouldn't worry too much about the Spanish either way - everyone we've met in Latin America has been both kind and understanding with my limited Spanish. If you show an interest in learning, they will most likely help you pick it up much faster. It's not like trying to learn French and dealing with the French

With regards to Nashville - it is a pretty cool city. I moved back here from living in Colorado because I liked the atmosphere better. If you come here, you have to stop by Prince's Hot Chicken Shack at the corner of Ewing Rd and Dickerson Pk (google maps can help). It's a hole in the wall, but one of the most famous places to eat in Nashville. They make homemade fried chicken that is spicy - REALLY spicy.

How soon do you leave on your trip? Also, I stand by my recommendation of heading out to Roatan, Honduras for a few days or weeks of R&R while you are in Central America. It is beautiful and cheap, and the official language on the island is English!

ooohhh... french. I did french for a year and failed miserably. Then again, i did Latin for two years, so I'm not the most normal person when it comes to learning languages.

My plan in Nashville and a lot of the USA is to see a lot of live music, lots of bands don't tour in Aus or their shows are always sold out or overage. I've heard that Nashville is a great place for cheaking out some tunes.

As for when i leave, that depends on how soon i can make the money to go and a couple of things i need to work out with my brother. I'll probably end up going early next year, latest june, but only if my master plan doesn't produce fortuitous results.

I'll keep central America in mind, sounds fantastic. What do you think about my planned amount of time in the South American countries?

quote:

Originally posted by EmmaEgg:
ooohhh... french. I did french for a year and failed miserably. Then again, i did Latin for two years, so I'm not the most normal person when it comes to learning languages.

My plan in Nashville and a lot of the USA is to see a lot of live music, lots of bands don't tour in Aus or their shows are always sold out or overage. I've heard that Nashville is a great place for cheaking out some tunes.

As for when i leave, that depends on how soon i can make the money to go and a couple of things i need to work out with my brother. I'll probably end up going early next year, latest june, but only if my master plan doesn't produce fortuitous results.

I'll keep central America in mind, sounds fantastic. What do you think about my planned amount of time in the South American countries?

Nashville is called "Music City" for a reason! We have live music everywhere, and not just the god awful country music everyone thinks of when they think Nashville. You'll have a blast. Go to 2nd Avenue and hit up all of the bars/clubs with live music and good folks.

I can't really comment on your SA plan as it's first on my list for RTW, but I haven't been there yet. I'm planning things a little different, basically an overland from Lima to Rio, going through each area (Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil) on the way. A quick jaunt up to the Amazon for some photography, and on a plane to SEA afterwards I think. I'm not planning more than 2 weeks in any part of SA, although Ecuador may get a little extra as I want to go to the Galapagos islands.

We're planning on 3 - 4 weeks in Costa Rica - it's an amazing country with some of the nicest people I've ever met. It is very likely that we will return there after our RTW to stay.

Nashville is a great city, was just there last weekend. If you're looking to check out live LOCAL music make sure you call ahead and find out if the bars let under 21's in until a certain time. Unlike Boston, which RARELY lets anyone under 21 into a bar, Nashville does have a few places that let under 21 people in during certain hours (you just can't drink, of course). Any big names would likely be playing a concert venue that doesn't have an age minimum though, so no worries there.

quote:

Originally posted by Tracy Ann:
Nashville is a great city, was just there last weekend. If you're looking to check out live LOCAL music make sure you call ahead and find out if the bars let under 21's in until a certain time. Unlike Boston, which RARELY lets anyone under 21 into a bar, Nashville does have a few places that let under 21 people in during certain hours (you just can't drink, of course). Any big names would likely be playing a concert venue that doesn't have an age minimum though, so no worries there.

That's a good point, and one I had entirely forgotten about. This will probably present issues all over the US. Emma will either need to research where she can go or provide adaquete documentation showing a DOB >21 yrs ago. Lastly, even though there are a lot of performances here in Nashville, you'll need to do a little research first if it is a big name you want to see. Check out ticketmaster.com for a decent overview of what is coming to the area.

Hmmm... the ID issue. My plan is to get a fake Aussie ID saying I'm 21. I can pull it off resonably easily anyway so i hope it doesn't become a problem. from my quick investigation of some places in the USA, it looks like there are still some cool bands playing in all ages or 18 + venues, so i should be fine.
I'll be taking the opportunity to see some of the American bands who aren't very big and rarely come to Aus if at all. Bands like Shearwater, the Mountain Goats and Okkervil river amongst others, but i'd really just like to see anybody in any sort of cheap venue. Ticket prices for shows in Au go up to $70 for international acts that aren't even partcularly big, and i've seen the same bands play $10 shows in the USA (darn it). So more small venues and less big ones.

Thanks again,
(i'll go check out ticketmaster now)
emm

Went to Nashville on a conference once. Our lab group all piled into a cab, ready to sample the great music scene, only to be told they won't let us in without ID!

Average age: about thirty!

We all felt stupid for having left our passports at the conference venue.

Some bars can really be a pain about nonAmerican issued IDs. Sometimes they flat out won't let you in even if you are obviously of age. I've seen this happen to various friends visiting/currently living in the US.

On the flip side when I was in Australia I was rarely hasseled whether I flashed my drivers license or passport. Once I got bit of a fuss because I didn't have the passport but talked my way around it.

I may be paranoid but I'd be a little nervous carrying around IDs that had conflicting info on them. Your ID saying you are 21 vs. you passport showing 18 or 19. Should you get searched it may bit a bit uncomfortable.

Sounds like the US is pretty strict. After checking out some other posts on the issue it seems that a photocopy of my passport may also be useful, along with the Aussie ID.
Getting turned away would be crap, but i wouldn't let anything like that ruin my good times.

A Brazilian friend of mine used her fake ID that was in Portuguese and the doormen just let her through becuse they couldn't understand.

Callilucy, as for the conflicting info matter, I'll just have to keep the fakie in my pack or something 'til i get to the US I suppose, and once there, just try to consistantly use either the passport or drivers licence for ID.
I suppose i'd rather take the risk than regret not having it. I'll feel it out as I go.

Merci,
Emm

quote:

Originally posted by EmmaEgg:
Sounds like the US is pretty strict. After checking out some other posts on the issue it seems that a photocopy of my passport may also be useful, along with the Aussie ID.
Getting turned away would be crap, but i wouldn't let anything like that ruin my good times.

A Brazilian friend of mine used her fake ID that was in Portuguese and the doormen just let her through becuse they couldn't understand.

Callilucy, as for the conflicting info matter, I'll just have to keep the fakie in my pack or something 'til i get to the US I suppose, and once there, just try to consistantly use either the passport or drivers licence for ID.
I suppose i'd rather take the risk than regret not having it. I'll feel it out as I go.

Merci,
Emm

It used to be easy to get around with a fake id in the US, now it is not so easy. My recommendation is to accept that you won't be able to go into bars, nightclubs, or even the smoking section of some restaurants without a US issued ID. Maybe go to Europe this time and come to the US in 3 years? We'll have a new president by then (not that it will change the drinking situation, only that we may have less to drink about!)

Londoncard2, who is obviously over 21, was very firmly turned away from a club in Boston b/c he only had his British license on him and not his passport. In MA, and many other states, it is actually illegal to accept out of STATE licenses, nevermind out of COUNTRY ones...

But, anyway, this is getting I just wanted to point out that you need to be aware of the rules here that might mess up your otherwise fantastic plans

quote:

Originally posted by Tracy Ann:

But, anyway, this is getting I just wanted to point out that you need to be aware of the rules here that might mess up your otherwise fantastic plans

What she might want to do is research which bands will be in town. Public venues, such as concerts, are generally not age restricted except on buying alcoholic beverages. Bars are 21 and up, at least here in TN. Restaurants that have a bar section are usually divided, such that the bar can be 21 and up while the general seating area is open to all.

I stand by my original recommendation - enjoy the rest of the world now, come to the US after finishing uni.

If she wants to come to the US, fer chrissakes, let her come to the US! It is a beautiful country worth seeing whether or not someone is 21 years old. Yes, there are things to consider, but she has stated that she wants to come here, so I think it would behoove us to accept that and help her, rather than discourage it.

(OT, but, every response doesn't need to include a quote...it makes it a little unwieldy and the pages long. )

Ok. No quotes this time!

If her main reason to come to the US is to go to bars or nightclubs and see specific bands, it may not be the right time. If she can live with not being able to do that, by all means come to the US an enjoy the natural beauties and magnificent cities to see.