Rolling Stone : guide

Monday, May 23, 2011

Travel guide: Argentina

Where to go in Argentina can be a problem for the tourist. It all depends on various personal factors which must be delineated.

1. Is this your first visit or have you been before?

2. How much time do you have for a visit? One week or a month or more?

3. How much money do you have to spend? Are you a budget traveler or is money no object?

4. Do you have special interests that might be satisfied, like skiing, fishing, hiking, crafts, painting, history, farming and so on.

Once you have answered these questions you are then able to decide where to go and formulate priorities. Everyone will be different.

Consider a first visit of one week duration. What to do? Normally one flies into the capital Buenos Aires (BA) for first taste of this wonderful country. You could happily stay for the whole week exploring this European style city, a replica of Paris located in South America, but I suggest otherwise, because you can always make a return visit. You have time to split between BA and one other major tourist resort, such as the Iguazú Falls, or San Carlos de Bariloche in the Argentine Lake District.

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Foto: Approaching Ushuaia in the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego, on the cruise ship Terra Australia.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Nicaragua Adventure and Overview

Nicaragua .... How to get there and get about?

Managua, the capital city (population ca. 1.1 million) has an International airport that caters for Central American flights, together with daily flights to Miami and Houston. The Tica Bus Service has daily air-conditioned buses traversing Central America from Chiapas, Mexico though to Panama and vice versa.

.....The volcanoes play an important role in the economy, scenery and tourism of Nicaragua.
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Accommodation in Managua and Granada

Accommodation in Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas is a tourist town with a wide spectrum of accommodation, ranging from five star hotels (5), to large backpackers (2) to numerous small family guest houses, or hospedajes. Hostels can be found from the website Hostel World and provide private rooms for US $20 to $45. Large backpackers, Casa Azul and Compass del Sur are listed with Backpackers Chileand offer economical accommodation ranging from $10 to $20 dorms to shared rooms with a buffet breakfast for $3.50. They are similar to a large South African backpackers and offer tours, excursions, Spanish classes, you name it and they'll provide it.

Most economical are the family guest houses or hospedajes costing $10 to $15 per person, and listed in guide books like Lonely Planet. A family may rent out to travelers a couple of rooms in a large family house. If you are lucky you may get to share their kitchen to cook meals and learn some Spanish for free at the same time. So you learn how a Chilean family operates. In Puerto Varas I have gone back and stayed at the same hospedaje three years in a row. (and with a different companera each time, which confused mama)

Cape Town for backpackers

Backpackers are very well accommodated in Cape Town. There are dozens of exciting backpackers to choose from. A little booklet called "Coast to Coast" lists them all, with details for booking. The same information is on the Internet for Southern Africa, just put in "Cape Town" for the region.

I shall not recommend any backpackers because that would be unfair and half the fun is finding a good one that suits you. Important factors in your choice are that the backpackers should have good Internet facilities, a good kitchen and dining area, a travel bureau office, a swimming pool, and be close to a popular restaurant, plus any more factors? Many backpackers have ALL these facilities and are converted mansions of old. Lucky you!