Travelling routines

I think a large number of readers of this blog know what it means to travel independently, but for those who are not familiar with the experience (i.e. who do not travel too much or prefer to buy organised trips) I will try to explain what it entails, based on my average day in a new place (basically every 2-3 days).

 Arrival

I travel mainly by bus – it is the cheapest way and the bonus is that I get to see nice, sometimes spectacular, views. South America is however a huge continent and a journey from one place to another often takes more than 12 hours. The solution is an overnight bus – a very pleasant and affordable option in Argentina and Chile (flat beds in Flecha bus below – 10 hours from Cordoba to Tucuman), a cheap and painful one in Bolivia, which has a lot of unpaved roads (e.g. 12 hours of bumps between Sucre and Santa Cruz). In the last six weeks I spent at least 150 hours just travelling.

Accommodation

Before the arrival I check hotels recommended by Lonely Planet and pick one in the centre. If the price is OK (max 30 pounds, usually much less, a few times more) and the room looks good value for money (I always see the room before deciding), I take it. I am not too picky – just need a clean place with a bathroom and some daylight; I usually don’t stay much in the room anyway. Also, I do not need to feel that I got the best possible deal in town – I am on holidays and not in a competition for the most efficient traveller.

I usually choose hostels (best are family run) or B&Bs, but opt for single room rather than a dorm shared with other 3-20 (depending on the hostel) random people. I need my space. The difference in price is often quite significant in local currency (threefold), but counting in pounds it is not that great. However, if I was travelling longer I would be definitely spending my time in dorms, particularly in more expensive countries.

Since I travel in low season there is no need to book anything in advance. Haggling unfortunately is not a custom in South America, but I would do that (have done) in Asia and Africa.

Sometimes the accommodation is not a hotel, as I use Couch Surfing. I will write more about this in a separate post.

Daily activities

So far I have spent most of my time in the Andes and tried to avoid cities. I like doing adventure based activities such as mountain biking, trekking, rock climbing, rafting, etc. These however usually require a guide, proper equipment and as a result need to be organised by an agency. I usually check 2-3 agencies and if the price and itinerary are fairly similar, I decide on the one looking the most professional. Sometimes it is more of a hunch, but it has not let me down so far. If I have a good experience I book with them again in the evening (in most places the offer in agencies is very similar and the choice is too great for me to bother looking for the absolutely best deal).

Obviously I use agencies only when it is absolutely necessary. Otherwise I would e.g. take a map from local tourist office, rent a bike or take a walk to a nearby mountain, lake, vineyard, visit a city, take pictures, etc.

Eating

I don’t use kitchen facilities in hostels to cook, because eating out is for me a part of a cultural experience in a country. Basically, I would rather have a terrible cheap room than a terrible cheap meal. Having said that, there are ways to have good meal at reasonable price - that would be empanadas in Argentina or going for menu of the day in Chile. Following the locals and not the tourists (I avoid eating near main squares) is the way to go. The highlight for me has been Bolivia, where I always visit local market to have a home-type made meal cooked by local women. It is seriously basic stuff, but genuine and tasty. I rarely see gringos eating there as opposed to many locals, which is a great recommendation and adds to the cultural experience.

Departure

The most efficient way is to buy the next ticket upon the arrival, but I usually do not know how long I will stay in each place. I am quite flexible with my plans and have e.g. spent three more days than initially predicted in Villa La Angostura and two fewer in Cordoba or Salta. All depends on my mood, weather, activities on offer, etc. One time I had to shorten my stay because of heavy pollution (Sucre, Bolivia), which gave me headaches. Anyway, most of places I visit are fairly small, so walking to the bus terminal is an easy option during the day. In bigger places you can often buy a ticket in the city centre via a travel company – it does not cost much more and saves a lot of hassle.

For the journeys up to seven hours I prefer to take morning buses (usually they depart at 6-7am), for longer ones I would take an overnight bus. My longest journey so far was 22 hours from Buenos Aires to Bariloche. However, with almost flat bed it was also the most comfortable. The worst one was from Uyuni to Tupiza (both in Bolivia) – bumpy ride in very high mountains in a small bus older than myself, three hours late and crammed with crying babies, lots of stuff that did not fit into the trunk and three drunken miners.

If the departure is late, I usually ask in my hostel if I can check-out a bit later. Usually it works and I was always able to leave my backpack, use internet, a toilet (sometimes a shower) and spend some time in a common room before the departure.

To sum it up, travelling independently (and even more – solo) is often a lot of work, takes an effort, lots of planning and requires good organisation skills (these improve with experience). It is however very rewarding, a great learning experience and I cannot imagine travelling in a different way.