Now Ye're Talking - to a woman travelling South America

I'm travelling South America, AMA

Blackeyemac wrote: »

Lovin' this thread, keeping up with yer adventures.. Have you heard of Spencer James Conway? just back from year and half motorbiking around South America, enjoyed his stuff too on FB. Very funny guy.. enjoy your travels.

I haven't! I shall check him out

I'm travelling South America, AMA

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

It really isn't these days. It's nowhere close to even being the most dangerous in Colombia.

Totally! But, when you're travelling all day, have been in a bus crash and are arriving at night, after months of reading all literature you can find on Escobar and the war on drugs.... well then your imagination runs wild.

Now I've been here 2 days I can report I LOVE THE CITY. I may never leave

I'm travelling South America, AMA

Ecuador

Ecuador confused me, I felt the culture blended into a mix of Peru and Colombia. It also left me broke as I did 2 weeks in Galapagos. I will post the Top 5 pics from Galapagos separately but for now my favourite Ecuador pics!

1 Quilitoa Loop. Similarly to Peru, I trekked what felt like the entire country. This trek took my breath away, probably my favourite trek I've done so far.
2 Christmas in Cuenca. Even the goats get amongst
3 Vilcabamba. STUNNING part of the South. The mountains - oh my heart!
4 Banos. Good spot. Climbed lots of rocks
5 I ADORED QUITO! And I am not usually a fan of capital cities but this was unbelievably beautiful.

I'm travelling South America, AMA

Galapagos!

This one is HHAARRDD!! I cruised for 6 days and stayed island bound for 8, each day was different and simply magical.

I also have some amazing dive videos.... but they are the wrong format

After going back over these about a hundred times, they aren't the best 5. I couldn't pick. There are SO many....!

1 Sea lion asleep on the beach. We saw this x 1,000.
2 This beach was ..... I N C R E D I B L E. Sand was that white. Water was that clear.
3 A proud pelican.
4 Our first snorkelling spot and island stop on our cruise. This beach and this setting will always have a special place in my heart.
5 We saw and swam with tens if not close to a hundred of turtles.

I'm travelling South America, AMA

Last pic spam I promise - Colombia

1 Filandia A beauty of a town. The entire country is this colourful tho!
2 Cocora Valley. The wax palm trees are a sight to be seen!
3 Never knew how much of a streetart fan I was until I hit this continent. These people are talented, man! Some Cali grafitti for you.
4 Ipiales Church. A beauty.
5 Medellin. Today


Also, I am okay with my blog being posted here. It's www.gingergypsy.ie

Of course it waives all anonymity but I'm a pretty open book. But, if any of you know my family and tell my Mammy I've been carrying on with Latino men I will choke ye

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

makeorbrake wrote: »

That's true but it's also not without significant danger. I stayed in El Centro near Botero Plaza. Let me tell you it can get pretty hairy around that area when the darkness descends. Added to that, it's pretty ballsy to travel S.America as a single white female.

True, the city is still dangerous. It's a lot more dangerous than Bogotwhatever the paisas might claim. But sometimes its reputation precedes it and people assume it's still like it was 25 years ago. The same is true of Colombia as a whole.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

I'm travelling South America, AMA wrote: »

3 Never knew how much of a streetart fan I was until I hit this continent. These people are talented, man! Some Cali grafitti for you.

The local government in Bogotave tried to remove some of the amazing street art in La Candelaria, which is one of the most short sighted ideas I have ever heard of.

Mariethorn

I’m going travelling around South America in 5 weeks time for 6/7 weeks, starting in Lima and working our way down to bolivia and then flying up to Colombia. We plan on doing Machu Picchu, rainbow mountain, death road etc so a good few activities, just wanted to know how necessary hiking boots are? Can you make do with a good pair of runners instead?

mistersifter

I'm travelling South America, AMA wrote: »

I've met so many Argentines from Cordoba if I do return I will have to pay a visit! Same goes for Mendoza - I've a few more goes out of this continent yet I'd say!
Didn't get as south as Bariloche, saving it. Although I've heard its like Queenstown?!

I've never been to Queenstown so cant compare, but Bariloche is beautiful - alpine style town, lakes and mountains and all that lark. I did some horse-riding in the mountains there around this time of year which was brilliant.

Very jealous of ya I'll admit!!

I'm travelling South America, AMA

Mariethorn wrote: »

I’m going travelling around South America in 5 weeks time for 6/7 weeks, starting in Lima and working our way down to bolivia and then flying up to Colombia. We plan on doing Machu Picchu, rainbow mountain, death road etc so a good few activities, just wanted to know how necessary hiking boots are? Can you make do with a good pair of runners instead?

WONDERFUL question! I say this because for the 6m before my trip I ANTAGONIZED over this!

Firstly, I paid over $200NZD for Asics cross trainers that were told to be the creme of the crop, runners and great for hiking which I thought would serve me well. Until I noticed they were quite slippy. Worst was when I was walking down the street in Salvador in Brazil on a wet day, slipped on a drain and wore my assbone off the ground. A a cute old Brazilian man who had been casually drinking from his coconut rushed to my aid, dropping the coconut on me in the process almost knocking me out and SOAKING me in coconut water. JOY!

Anyway. After that I bought hiking boots. And while I had a shocking 2m breaking them in I legitimately would have been lost without them.

You never know when the monsoons will come, nor when you have to cross a stream or walk through wades of donkey sh!t.

Hiking boots all. the. way. Every day. But get them from a reputable retailer and break them in well beforehand. Soloman are a good brand as are Keen and Merril. I got North Face on special in Peru (USD70 for a brand new pair from the real NF shop) and as I said they murdered me to break in.

Anyway, hope that helps. If you need any more packing tips let me know... 12 months / 46L. I'm deathly proud of that

muppetshow1451

Only beatiful about South America is the women

I'm travelling South America, AMA

muppetshow1451 wrote: »

Only beatiful about South America is the women

Presume you missed "thing"?

In my opinion you couldn't be more wrong.

Where have you visited?

muppetshow1451

I'm travelling South America, AMA wrote: »

Presume you missed "thing"?

In my opinion you couldn't be more wrong.

Where have you visited?

I have worked in every country in South America that have oil the last 20 years.
And travelled to and from.
I guess you missed the corruption,poverty and crime.

Boards.ie: Niamh

muppetshow1451, please don't post in this thread again unless you have a question to ask our guest. Thanks.

SteelyDanJalapeno

Salty!

Any link to the blog?

I'm travelling South America, AMA

SteelyDanJalapeno wrote: »

Salty!

Any link to the blog?

Www.gingergypsy.ie

Gloomtastic!

I'm travelling South America, AMA wrote: »

Www.gingergypsy.ie

When’s the last time you sang?

Never heard of making money from Karaoke before. How does that work?

I'm travelling South America, AMA

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

I'm travelling South America, AMA wrote: »

Www.gingergypsy.ie

When’s the last time you sang?

Never heard of making money from Karaoke before. How does that work?

I sing for fun all the time, I haven't had a paid gig in years. But on this trip Im gonna go busking, simply because it petrifies me!!

NZ karaoke bars hold contests ... NZ loves Karaoke!! Win 1 rd, you automatically go through to the next round etc ... prize money can get VERY good very quickly

makeorbrake

When I cross the border, I'd Tulcan to Quito the only option OR the only option I should consider?

I'm travelling South America, AMA

makeorbrake wrote: »

When I cross the border, I'd Tulcan to Quito the only option OR the only option I should consider?

No se. I think there is a crossing closer to the ocean but it takes longer as its through the Sierra.
Almost everyone crossed thru Tulcan though.
Also there are some pretty towns north of Quito I skipped. Otavalo for the markets (Sat & Wed) and a local told me about Ibarra.

muppetshow1451

Boards.ie: Niamh wrote: »

muppetshow1451, please don't post in this thread again unless you have a question to ask our guest. Thanks.

Oh offended are we,please save me the romance about South America,you dont have a clue.

makeorbrake

I'm travelling South America, AMA wrote: »

No se. I think there is a crossing closer to the ocean but it takes longer as its through the Sierra.
Almost everyone crossed thru Tulcan though.
Also there are some pretty towns north of Quito I skipped. Otavalo for the markets (Sat & Wed) and a local told me about Ibarra.

Well, I got rightly snookered. Took the bus down from Cali to Pasto - and only then advised by 2 Venezuelans that the border was about to be closed for 72 hours in the run up to the elections.

Pasto turned out to be underwhelming to put it mildly. Moved on to Ipiales - the same deal. Ugly, boring. The frustrating thing is that the countryside between them is amazing but I have no way to access it.

Hard to find a place to have a few beers in Ipiales.

Anyways, I'll have to stick it out until Monday morning. Any advice on Quito? What did you make of it? Whats to like/not to like? Any highlights...or for Ecuador in general.

Have not done any Ecuador trip research...trying to do it now but the internet connection in all three places I've stayed in since Pasto has been almost useless...

corks finest

I'm travelling South America, AMA wrote: »

Holy smokes this is hard to post pictures of my trip as there are SO many and I've done so much. I actually got quite teary looking back, thank you downwesht for the suggestion.
I have divided by country, giving the top 5 per country.

Argentina.
1 Buenos Aires
2 I love a good book shop - this one is my favourite in the world! El Ateneo Grand Splendid - a converted theatre now a bookshop. You can read in the stalls.
3 Iguazu Falls. I did the falls from both side - incredible. This pic is actually from the Brazilian side, looking at the Argentinian falls.
4 Salta Salt Flats.
5. Amazing landscape near Jujuy, North Argentina.

Theatre looks class

I'm travelling South America, AMA

corks finest wrote: »

Theatre looks class

It was amazing!!

I'm travelling South America, AMA

makeorbrake wrote: »

Well, I got rightly snookered. Took the bus down from Cali to Pasto - and only then advised by 2 Venezuelans that the border was about to be closed for 72 hours in the run up to the elections.

Pasto turned out to be underwhelming to put it mildly. Moved on to Ipiales - the same deal. Ugly, boring. The frustrating thing is that the countryside between them is amazing but I have no way to access it.

Hard to find a place to have a few beers in Ipiales.

Anyways, I'll have to stick it out until Monday morning. Any advice on Quito? What did you make of it? Whats to like/not to like? Any highlights...or for Ecuador in general.

Have not done any Ecuador trip research...trying to do it now but the internet connection in all three places I've stayed in since Pasto has been almost useless...

That border is a disaster at the best of times but the crisis has certainly made it more difficult. Ipiales is better than Tulcan, believe it or not!

I stayed at Friends Hostel in Quito and while I know you're not a hostel kinda guy it was awesome, really clean and amazing staff. They plan heaps of activities so I actually saw the entire city for free during their walking tours. I also went out to the Cuidad Mitad del Mundo , the centre of the world - theres two, a real one and a fake one haha! Overall I loved getting lost in the old town of Quito. It was just gorgeous.

Have you been in altitude much yet? Quito is over 2800m, stay a few days to give yourself a chance to get used to it.

My favourite in Ecuador was Vilcambamba, and Hosteleria Izcayluma. Trust me, go. Then thank me I reviewed it on the blog too if you wanna know more.

I'm travelling South America, AMA

corks finest wrote: »

Theatre looks class

Oh you won't find drink tonight. There is an alcohol ban because of the elections tomorrow!

makeorbrake

Thank you for that ITSA....really appreciate the info. I got a bit of help in having some beer free days - as they're not serving cerveza today - not until Monday. There's no doubt they like their politics - having found myself amongst various political rallies (by accident!) on the streets - large and small since I got to Colombia. The place must go mental if they hit the drink :-) As for closing the border, I'm not quite sure how that comes into play.

I.T.S.A wrote:

I stayed at Friends Hostel in Quito and while I know you're not a hostel kinda guy it was awesome, really clean and amazing staff. They plan heaps of activities so I actually saw the entire city for free during their walking tours. I also went out to the Cuidad Mitad del Mundo , the centre of the world - theres two, a real one and a fake one haha! Overall I loved getting lost in the old town of Quito. It was just gorgeous.

I'll bite my flash-packing lip and try Friends then. Sounds like they will take some of the hard work out of figuring what to check out and how to check it out.

One of the things with just doing budget hotels as opposed to hostels is that oftentimes, I might never see another gringo...so don't get the same intel.

I.T.S.A wrote:

Have you been in altitude much yet? Quito is over 2800m, stay a few days to give yourself a chance to get used to it.

Ipiales is 2900m. I noticed it when I arrived yesterday - my lungs were getting squeezed that little bit more to get the oxygen...didn't feel very pleasant but don't feel it so bad today (until I have to tackle one of those mad hills and I'm suddenly reminded just how unfit I am!).

makeorbrake

I'm travelling South America, AMA wrote: »

Oh you won't find drink tonight. There is an alcohol ban because of the elections tomorrow!

Snap!....by all accounts no drinkies tomorrow night either.

I'm travelling South America, AMA

makeorbrake wrote: »

Snap!....by all accounts no drinkies tomorrow night either.

At that stage I was in altitude for about 5 months so Ipiales didn't knock a stir out of me

The walking tour was brilliant in Friends but if you're not a hostel guy don't stay there - altho I think they have private rooms. There should be a few more free walking tours, you will find them all over Peru and Bolivia. They are so good, they are free but you tip if you feel its worth it and the guides are usually brilliant. I've been doing them here in Medellin, so good.

I also did Banos in Ecuador and if you are into an adventure, climbing,
canyoning and bungy etc its brilliant and so cheap - $20US per activity. It's also a good night out but thats it kinda.

Ecuador for me was mainly for Galapagos. I loved Quito and Vilcabamba, apart from that I could have left it.

makeorbrake

I'm travelling South America, AMA wrote: »

Ecuador for me was mainly for Galapagos.

I'd started reading up on Galapagos. Is this only available via organised tour...or can you just take a flight out there?

I assume its much more expensive?