By nick, on April 20, 2010, in Travel
By Nick Runkle
The amazing Salar de Uyuni (also called Salar de Tunupa) is located in Southwest Bolivia and is the largest salt flat in the world.
With its abstract rock formations, colorful lagoons, flamingos, endless salt, and unbelievable landscapes, it is by far the most surreal looking place I’ve ever been. If there is one thing you should do in Bolivia, it is to partake in a 3-day tour through this fantastic terrain.
Getting to Salar de Uyuni
There are many busses that go to Uyuni running from all of the larger cities in Bolivia. You can also reach Uyuni easily from northeastern Chile and northern Argentina.
Uyuni has become a major tourist attraction over the years, and getting there is not difficult.
The Tours
There are many tour agencies running 1- and 3-day tours into the salt flats. I suggest getting a recommendation from fellow travelers who have just returned from their tour to find a good agency.
It is important to have a friendly guide who enjoys his work and a vehicle that seems reliable.
The 3-day tour is the way to go if you want to see everything the Salar has to offer, including all of the lagoons, the hot springs, and the salt flats.
Day 1
Drive across the salt flats and visit “Cactus Island.” Salt for as far as the eye can see!
Watch the sunset with the llamas.
Sleep in a small hotel made completely of salt and petrified cactus.
Day 2
Drive through sandy terrain and see some amazing rock formations. Feel as if you are on Mars.
Visit “Laguna Colorado,” an amazing lagoon with bright red water.
Day 3
Wake up early and see the bubbling lava pits. Feel as if you are on Mars again.
Go for a dip in the hot springs (bring your bathing suit!). See “Laguna Verde,” a beautiful lagoon with greenish blue water. Return to Uyuni.
Suggestions
The temperature can be very hot during the day but get down to below freezing at night. Be sure to bring warm clothes.
Also, the altitude in Uyuni is over 13,000 feet or 4,000 meters above sea level, so be sure to stay hydrated. And of course, don’t forget sunglasses and your camera!
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By Don Nadeau, on April 5, 2010, in Airfares, Travel
Youth fares are back and that is great news. Several generations missed the youth discounts that used to be available in the U.S. for destinations around the world.
True, AirTran has a program, but it
- works standby only, a real disadvantage at busy times, and
- applies only to where AirTran flies.
That means until now you haven’t been able to use youth fares to Africa, Asia, Europe, Canada, Central or South America, or even Oregon and 19 other states. Still, the AirTran program has been a breath of fresh air to those able to save with it.
Student fares
Full-time college students have fared better, with STA Travel
and StudentUniverse.com
offering discounts, but what if a student wants to travel with someone who is not a student? Or, you’re just out of college with big debts and limited cash or are typical of most young people who have not had time to fund a big bank balance?
Youth fares
Happily, with Student Universe, you can now buy most student fares if you are 18 through 25 years old.
Check these fares:
18-25? You can fly cheaper!
The fare displays say “major airline,” but you can usually tell which one.
Because Student Universe works extensively with American Airlines, a connection in Dallas/Fort Worth is likely with American. A fare from LAX to Barcelona via Atlanta is with Delta, etc. Compare the departure times with airline sites if you want to be sure.
Advantages
Besides lower prices, youth fares offer you important advantages.
For example, because your trip is on a major airline, you are more likely to rerouted quickly if something goes wrong. There’s no guarantee, but the odds are much better.
Most importantly, student and youth fares tend to be less restrictive. Depending on the airline used, you are more likely to be able to change your return date for a reasonable price, stay longer than 30 days, etc.
Note that student and youth fares may not always be the cheapest, especially on very competitive routes. But, if you’re traveling Chicago to La Paz, Boliva, for instance, the savings can be remarkable.
If you qualify, compare these fares–
18-25? You can fly cheaper!
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By nick, on March 29, 2010, in Travel
By Nick Runkle
Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world, is a four to five hour bus ride from Arequipa in southern Peru, and is well worth the trip.
Although its canyon walls are not completely vertical, Colca Canyon is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.
Many tourists visit the canyon to see the great Andean Condors from a vista called “Cruz del Condor” and then leave. After seeing the magnificence of the canyon in person my friends Fletcher and Naren and I concluded that we wanted to hike directly into it and began exploring our options.
Getting there
We took the one of the many busses from Arequipa directly to an authentic village called Cabanaconde and stayed at an amazing hostel called Valle De Fuego.
Every room at Valle De Fuego had a mud brick oven and the reception area was really cozy with another brick oven blazing throughout the day. It is safe to say that it was my favorite hostel we stayed in during all of our travels in South America.
The owner of Valle De Fuego was very helpful and friendly and can set you up with a hike into the canyon. He even drew us a map.
The hike
We had a few days, so we decided to venture out on a leisurely three day, two-night hike.
Day one
Our first day was spectacular with beautiful views of the canyon and the clouds burning away as the sun rose. We descended for about 4 hours until we reached the bottom of the canyon and crossed the river on a swinging bridge. We were recommended a place to stay with a Peruvian family who had two thatched huts for rent.
The bottom of the canyon is very and lush and feels almost tropical, a stark contrast to the villages on top which are arid and rocky.
We spent the sunny afternoon exploring other small villages in the base of the canyon and enjoying the heat. There are a few restaurants to choose from but usually who ever you stay with will offer to cook for you.
Day two
The next day, we walked slowly through many more small villages passing beautiful stone churches and grassy soccer fields until we reached the “Oasis” for our second nights stay.
The Oasis looks and feels completely surreal and mirage-like. There is a man made pool, two thatched huts to sleep in, cold beverages to quench your thirst, and if you are lucky you’ll see many giant Andean condors flying overhead.
Day three
The third day is by far the most strenuous. It is basically straight up to the top of the canyon.
Highly recommended
This hike into Colca Canyon is really enjoyable and I highly recommend it if you want to see more of the canyon and witness the amazing canyon culture from a different perspective.
Precautions
The altitude in Arequipa is just above 6,562 feet (2,000 meters) and the altitude at the top of the canyon is 10,784 feet (3,287 meters).
If you are coming from Lima, the altitude change can be devastating so be sure to hydrate for days in advance before going to Colca Canyon. You will be well above 13,123 feet (4,000 meters) during the bus ride to the canyon.
Stay hydrated!
Note: Arequipa has one of the beautiful colonial plazas I’ve ever seen, La Plaza de Armas.
Colca Canyon on YouTube
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By Don Nadeau, on March 29, 2010, in Travel
Several times in Spain, Americans mentioned to me that Spaniards must consider their Spanish terrible because people usually spoke back to them in English.
Actually, in case you do not know, speaking in the language of the other person is the custom in Europe.
If you can, there are several advantages when speaking in this way.
First, you are doing what is considered polite.
Moreover, if you include the equivalent of terms such as “please,” “thank you,” and where appropriate “Madam” or “Sir” more so than some Americans do, most people will feel even more comfortable talking with you.
And, second, each person speaking the other’s language helps ensure that the conversation remains at a level that both persons easily understand.
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By nick, on March 21, 2010, in Travel
By Nick Runkle
On the Uruguayan coast, just west of the Brazilian border, lie many vast stretches of beautiful coastline, all in the department of Rocha. There are two beautiful villages definitely worth visiting called Valizas and Cabo Polonio and the walk along the beach between them is stunning.
Getting There
Valizas is a tranquil beach town located 170 miles east of Montevideo. There are daily departures from the bus station in Montevideo and many from other destinations in the Department of Rocha.
Cabo Polonio by “Sand Buggies” or by foot
Cabo Polonio is just west of Vallizas and can only be reached by “Sand Buggies” that take you through the sand dunes or by foot.
Leaving Valizas at around 3 pm, walk west along the beach towards Cabo Polonio. After walking for about half an hour you’ll see a hill off to your right covered with boulders. You’ll know what I’m talking about.
Walk up the sand dunes to the top of this hill and climb the boulders for a spectacular 360 view of Valizas to the east, Cabo Polonio to the west, the ocean to the south, and the endless sand dunes to the north.
Walk back down the other side of the hill and along the empty beach to Cabo Polonio as the sunsets. There is no wrong way to walk as long as you stay parallel to the ocean. You may even see some cows on the beach providing some great photo opportunities.
Depending on how fast you walk, it should take you anywhere from 2 to 4 hours.
Cabo Polonio hostels
When you arrive in Cabo Polonio there are a couple of hostels with flags that you’ll see immediately on your right. They are a little expensive but the options are limited and the people running the hostels are really friendly.
There is no camping allowed in Cabo Polonio and it can sometimes be difficult to find a place to stay, but you will almost certainly eventually find a place… just ask around.
Idyllic
There is limited electricity and most of the village is lit by candlelight when the sun goes down, including the restaurants and bars.
It is known by the Uruguayos to be a very spiritual place, with a lot of good energy.
Enjoy!
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By nick, on February 27, 2010, in Travel
By Nick Runkle
Most of Koh Chang is overwhelmingly developed, and it may seem hard to escape the tourist buzz. However, the southeastern shore of the island provides some tranquility with gorgeous scenery and beautiful secluded beaches.
If you find yourself on the Thai island of Koh Chang, and you feel like some peace and quiet, Treehouse #2 is a wonderful accommodation option.
You can rent your own thatched hut directly on the private beach for a few dollars a night. The staff is very friendly and they don’t mind if you have a bonfire on the beach.
Also, the food is spectacular making the experience even better. The seafood red curry with pineapple may be the most delicious meal I ate in all of Southeast Asia.
Getting to Koh Chang
Renting scooters and riding them to Treehouse #2 is a really exciting and fun option.
It is a very scenic ride, but just be careful on the last 10 km or so where the road becomes a little more treacherous. The last section of road was gravel when I was there in 2006. Another option is to take the daily shuttle that leaves from Treehouse #1.
Getting to Koh Chang from Bangkok is simple. There are many busses every day that leave from the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai on Sukhumvit Road, which can be reached conveniently by the BTS Skytrain.
You take a bus to Trat, which is the stopping off point to get to Koh Chang. From Trat you can take a short taxi ride to the ferry dock.
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By Don Nadeau, on February 24, 2010, in Airfares, Travel
A Hungarian couple contacted me for help planning their first trip to the United States.
I’ve made a lot of suggestions below, but they and I would very much appreciate yours in the comments. Planning bus or rail trips can be great fun!
What the couple tentatively plans
With 60 days, but not very much money, our Hungarians have been looking at the 60-day Greyhound Discovery Pass (valid for both the U.S. and Canada) and at hostels. They plan to rent cars at several stops to access places such as Yellowstone National Park.
Their interests are typical—the “usual commonplace sights, while trying to experience the American atmosphere.” Other than their arrival point New York City, there are no must stops, such as family visits in the States.
They very much want to see as much as possible and if that means some nights traveling on the bus, so be it. Because they are well aware of the comfort limitations of Greyhound seating, the tentative itinerary has scattered these bus nights throughout their trip.
Provisional stops
The couple has tentatively chosen the following 52 nights in hostels, with the remaining nights on the bus. They arrive in New York City on May 19th and return home on July 18th.
New York City (5 nights hostel)
Niagara Falls (2)
Chicago (4)
Bozeman/Livingston (Yellowstone access) (3)
San Francisco (6)
Los Angeles (8)
Las Vegas (5)
Denver (3)
New Orleans (3)
Miami (7)
Washington, DC (3)
New York City (3)
Their concerns
Although not overly concerned about the long bus rides, the couple seems quite worried about making connections, especially during the night.
They have wisely added “padding” to their trip, extra time in some cities in case they are delayed a day here or there.
My suggestions
When giving advice, try to keep in mind that people vary. What’s best for you may not best for others. This couple has more energy and enthusiasm than money and we’ll run with that.
On the other hand, that doesn’t imply that we should not push them to budget a little extra when it will produce big results!
1. The Chicago and Miami stops are too long.
I love Chicago, but for a first trip to the U.S., a day and a half of sightseeing should do it, unless you have special interests. Plan two or three nights depending on your arrival and departure times.
Miami’s great too, even during the summer, but a week there in July, the off-season, when the ocean temperature seems to be the same as the hot humid air, seems terribly wrong, especially considering all the other choices you have to relax by a beach in North America.
In fact, consider skipping Florida altogether and visiting it instead during a future trip not in summer.
Also, if you plan to remain in the city, the Las Vegas stop is too long. Please see below.
2. If your trans-Atlantic tickets have not been booked,
I encourage you to arrive in one city and leave from another, for example, fly into New York City or Orlando and depart from Los Angeles. This often does not increase the airfare very much.
When booked in this way, you’ll save time by not backtracking through similar scenery in the middle of the U.S., which in turn gives more time to experience the best sights in depth, as well as to see more of them.
The exception is if you were to travel one-way through Canada and the other within the States.
3. If the international airline tickets are already set,
still consider flying in the States for a portion of your trip.
With a 60-day Greyhound pass costing $499 and a 30-day one $399, consider plunking that $100 difference per person toward buying one-way air tickets from NYC to Las Vegas, which may cost under $150 with tax in late May using airlines like JetBlue from New York/JFK or Southwest from New York/LGA.
In Vegas, a very cheap place to do this, you could rent a car, and then camp in the following national parks:
Zion (1 night)
Bryce Canyon (2)
North rim, Grand Canyon (1)
South rim (Grand Canyon Village), Grand Canyon (2)
Camping reservations are essential, as soon as possible, if you want to stay in popular national parks. Also, I encourage you to rent a national brand rental car, as these have service outside of Las Vegas if anything goes wrong.
Early summer brings nearly no rain to these national parks, which helps make camping such a wonderful way to experience the spirit of the Southwest.
Renting a car for a week seldom costs more than renting one for 5 days if booked in advance. Moreover, at a “big box” store like Target, you can buy a two-person tent, foam sleeping pad, light blanket, pillows, and a small plastic “ice chest” to store food surprisingly cheaply. You won’t need a camping stove on this short trip.
If you booked the car longer than a week, you could add many other wonderful places, such as an in-depth exploration of the Navajo and Hopi reservations, instead of the brief glimpse you’ll get on the above itinerary.
As for Las Vegas itself, I would plan two nights prior to your camping trip and one or perhaps two at the end. You do not need a car while in Vegas.
Also during this time that you are not using a Greyhound pass, you could buy a very cheap bus ticket (currently $33.00 on Greyhound) from Las Vegas to Hollywood (Los Angeles).
And then for the DC to NYC portion of the trip, you could also buy a separate cheap ticket (easily under $20 per person on a bus line like Megabus.com).
In this way, you would only need a one-month Greyhound pass, with just some $100 in other transportation expenses not counting the Las Vegas car rental and fuel, which you may have planned to rent for five days anyway.
4. If not wanting to rent a car in Vegas,
I would add Flagstaff to the bus itinerary—Los Angeles/Hollywood-Flagstaff-Las Vegas-Denver.
You’ll find convenient to Greyhound hostels in Flagstaff that offer discount tours to the best views of the Grand Canyon and other sights. See Open Road Tours for typical sightseeing opportunities at regular prices.
5. I would arrive in Hollywood,
instead of Greyhound’s downtown Los Angeles terminal, which is in a terrible skid road area.
Stay a few nights in the western portion of a Hollywood (not to be confused with the city of West Hollywood) for easy access to Universal Studios, etc. and then several more at the the Santa Monica Hostel above a nice beach.
6. Between Los Angeles and San Francisco,
I’d add two nights (as well as one more if you cut your Miami time) in Santa Barbara, perhaps America’s most uplifting and beautiful larger urban environment. It’s simply a joy to visit.
There’s a hostel near the beach and main shopping area for cheap accommodation. (Although the hostel sits adjacent to railway tracks, trains seldom run late at night.)
7. If you will visit Florida,
save Disney for Florida. Cut a couple of nights in LA or elsewhere and add an Orlando stop on the way to or from Miami.
8. Seriously consider visiting Banff National Park
in the Canadian Rockies, instead of Yellowstone. It’s much easier to access and offers inexpensive hostels.
In my opinion, the Greyhound route from Niagara Falls and Toronto to Banff through Canada offers much more beauty than the Niagara Falls to Yellowstone via Chicago one.
This route also gives you the chance to visit fine cities like Portland, Oregon, perhaps the most progressive very large city in the U.S., and Vancouver, Canada. (The Jericho Beach hostel makes a fine stop there.)
Nevertheless, both Banff and Yellowstone offer something precious not generally available in Europe, vast natural areas with no human imprint. You won’t be disappointed with either choice.
9. Be sure to consider scenery
when deciding on what buses and routes to use.
For example for one day I checked, you could leave Las Vegas for Denver at 1:40 a.m., 5:35 a.m., or 3:30 p.m.
However, just the 1:40 a.m. departure permits you to see the heart of the Colorado Rockies during the day.
By the way, consider adding a one-night stop in Glenwood Springs, CO on the way to Denver.
Within an easy walk of Greyhound, you’ll find a hostel I really enjoyed and most importantly perhaps the most awesome hot spring spa in North America, the Glenwood Springs Spa, whose huge swimming pool and warm soaking pools won’t cost you a fortune, as long as you don’t book individual treatments.
10a. Oh, you asked about safe and convenient connections,
didn’t you? Three points then. These apply to bus, rail, and airline travel.
My advice: Think outside of the box. Don’t settle for the choices that Greyhound gives you. With your passes, you do not have to be concerned with the most direct routes.
For example, the connections Greyhound suggests from Livingstone to San Francisco are grim. On the other hand, it’s easy to travel from Livingston to Seattle without connecting on two departures per day.
From Seattle, you can easily connect to San Francisco at decent times.
If you do this, I suggest connecting in Seattle to Portland, with a stay of two nights.
Perhaps the most progressive city in America with an outstanding quality of life, Portland offers sights like its famous rose garden in Washington Park and hiking in Forest Park easily accessible from the city center.
10b. Safe connections are either long ones
OR ONES with convenient alternatives if you miss the first bus.
For instance, if miss the first connecting bus to Portland in Seattle, there are alternatives. You won’t have to wait 12 to 24 hours for the next connection.
On the other hand, there’s just one bus per day from Toronto heading toward Banff National Park.
In that case, if you were connecting from Niagara Falls, you would want to allow extra connecting time by not taking the last available bus to Toronto to connect.
In Toronto, the Greyhound terminal is in a fantastic location, within a few minutes walk of Chinatown, where you could relax over dinner while waiting for your connecting bus.
10c. At some stations, Greyhound offers reservations for a $5.00 fee.
Use this to assure a seat on the departure you want.
I hope that these suggestions and the ones readers may give are helpful to you and that you enjoy every moment of your time in North America. I had fun thinking about this trip!
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By nick, on February 3, 2010, in Travel
By Nick Runkle
Having arrived in South America with very little Spanish background, I quickly realized the importance of being able to communicate, and immediately began researching a place to take Spanish classes.
Learning Spanish is, in my opinion, crucial if you are planning an extended trip in South America. Being able to speak the language not only makes traveling that much easier, it allows you to learn about the richness of the culture from the native people by participating rather than witnessing the culture from an outside perspective and reading the facts from a travel guide.
I’m not saying that you cannot enjoy your trip without learning Spanish, I’m simply saying that being able to communicate with the locals will make your trip more of a cultural experience. It will also make little details less stressful and your travels safer.
The Bolivian Spanish School
In Sucre, Bolivia there is a wonderful school called The Bolivian Spanish School.
When I was there, I took three weeks of one-on-one private lessons for 4 hours every morning, Monday through Friday. I paid about $215 a week including my home-stay (3 meals a day included).
The school is located directly off of the most beautiful park in Sucre and has very friendly, competent, and experienced teachers. The school is more than happy to create a schedule of classes that fits your needs.
I took classes from Omar, and he was excellent.
The home-stay family that I lived with was lovely, and the school has many accommodation options to suit you.
The school also offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for anyone interested. We volunteered at an orphanage three days a week.
Why Bolivia?
I chose to take classes in Bolivia out of all South American countries mostly because it is the least expensive, but also because Bolivia has very clear and easy to understand Spanish.
Why Sucre?
Sucre is a beautiful colonial town in the Bolivian foothills. The architecture of the city is amazing, the surrounding countryside is very scenic, and the people are friendly and welcoming.
I thought it was a perfect place to study because of its small size and relaxing atmosphere.
Unlike the restless atmosphere in La Paz, you can enjoy peace and quiet while strolling through one of the many parks or spend the afternoon studying in a small café up on the hill. You will not get overly distracted, yet there are still a handful of bars and discotecas if you feel like a night out on the town.
Even though Sucre is at an altitude of 9,500 feet, it has a very temperate climate making it warm and comfortable year round. I remember some locals calling Sucre “la ciudad de primavera” (the city of spring).
On average, the coldest month in Sucre is July, the warmest month is November, and the month with the most rain is January. I was there in February and found the weather to be delightful.
Other Inexpensive Options
Peru has many schools in and around Cusco, but most are more expensive than in Bolivia. Another drawback is that Cusco is constantly full of tourists, and you will not learn Spanish while speaking English all day with other travelers.
Guatemala has very inexpensive Spanish schools in Antigua and in some of the small villages that surround Lake Atitlan.
I’ll be traveling to Guatemala in a few weeks and am planning on taking some more classes. I’ll be sure to let you know how they go.
Until then, I highly recommend the Bolivian Spanish School in Sucre.
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By Don Nadeau, on January 25, 2010, in Travel
In his 2009 Imagine: A Vagabond Story
, Grant Lingel tells a fascinating tale of self-discovery through travel. Grant takes you on an incredibly interesting trip through Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico, where he spent most time.
I loved it.
This book has special appeal to anyone who has traveled the backpacker way. In my case, Grant’s trip brought back a flood of memories.
Grant’s clear and compelling narrative brings you quickly into his life. You begin to care for him and even worry about him.
For example, as Grant makes “newbie” mistakes similar to yours, you might even groan. I almost cried out, “Don’t do that!” (for good reason) at one point. That’s how involved you may become.
First-timers
For anyone planning a first big trip away, this is an exceptional read. Grant didn’t write this as a guidebook, but you will certainly absorb his experiences.
You’ll find comfort in how easily Grant was able to start to have fun and adapt to his new surroundings. Especially outside of familiar environments, backpackers really do provide each other with a wonderful support system, which is described in detail. You will not be alone, unless you want to be.
You’ll also receive loads of useful tips–hostels Grant liked and did not like so much, restaurants, clubs, excursions, must-sees, dangers, how he dealt with situations, etc. He wouldn’t want you to follow his exact itinerary (or anyone else’s), but you easily could from reading this book.
Parents
Surprisingly considering some of its topics, I also recommend Imagine to parents of prospective backpackers—they would probably have to be very open minded parents, of course—worried about their children going off alone.
I say open minded, because you will not find this book in your local school library. It is not for the easily offended.
Parents who do read it will see the joy Grant experienced during his journey. They’ll note his growth to independence and adulthood. The book may even trigger a desire to see much more of Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico.
Sets an example
Grant came armed with a very friendly personality and not an iota of prejudice. These traits really helped him as he traveled.
He also exhibited a wonderful spirit of spontaneity that I’ve struggled to attain. (Eisenhower didn’t plan D-Day more carefully than I did a trip to New Zealand. Every hotel, hostel, train, ferry, and coach was booked in advance and most prepaid. I even pre-booked several day tours, because “they might sell out.” Ugh!)
Grant really pushed to improve his Spanish, which facilitated many opportunities to build local relationships, including one with a woman who may someday marry him. Speaking Spanish well also helped him get out of a variety of tight situations.
With his experiences, Grant really motivated me to work on my Spanish.
Challenged on cultural sensitivity
We need to cut Grant a lot of slack because this was his first trip outside of Canada and the U.S. He is also a great guy.
Nevertheless as this is a review, I must say Grant neglected to do sufficient homework about the cultures and histories of the people he would meet while traveling.
That fostered and exacerbated negative experiences.
I am not just picking on Grant. The issue of cultural sensitivity comes up with fun-oriented backpackers in general, as well as with any group focused on its own pleasure while traveling the world, such as cruise passengers.
Socially conservative
Backpackers like Grant—ones that balance a desire to experience other cultures with having lots fun with each other–often harbor significantly different value systems than the majority of citizens in the countries they visit.
As an example, unlike Grant and most of the backpackers he meets, Mexicans continue to be very socially conservative. I don’t mean that in the way Americans think, anti-abortion and all that, although those attitudes may be the similar.
What I mean, for instance, is that many Mexicans remain deeply religious in a conservative way and recoil at such things as nudity and sexual behavior on their beaches. In general, I also mean that Mexicans have far more traditional attitudes toward the role of women in society, the obligation of men to protect them, and so on.
A hostel incident
The closest Grant came to totally losing his composure on this trip came when an aggressive security guard tried to prevent him from bringing a close Mexican friend into the sleeping area of his Mexico City hostel.
To Grant, the guard was acting as a boorish “rent-a-cop on the power trip of a lifetime.” To the guard, I am very confident, Grant was an irresponsible, drug-bloated, American hippie sleazebag trying to deflower an innocent young Mexican girl not able to protect herself, while disobeying hostel rules.
Keep in mind too that this hostel interaction occurred within the greater context of Mexican history, which Mexicans tend to look at as a long chronicle of American aggressions against their people and exploitations of them continuing to this day.
I am not saying that a serious “I am very sorry. I mean no offense.I love Noret very much, and I will never do anything to harm her” would have resolved the incident or bought about world peace, but it just might have diffused the anger in an explosive situation. It certainly would have conveyed some respect for the traditions of the society he was visiting.
Captain or crook?
Another problem popped up when a boat captain on the lookout for more money tampered with the enjoyment of a portion of Grant’s trip.
In Mexico as some Americans see it, business people are constantly trying to rip you off, sometimes egregiously so.
In this case when he met them for their return trip, a boat captain claimed Grant’s group had paid only for the trip out. Having used his advanced Spanish to arrange passage, Grant knew this not to be true.
As many readers know, what some may think as an attempted rip off is actually an honored process in Mexico, as well as many other countries in the world. If you embrace the day-to-day Mexican financial system, it can become great fun. You negotiate. That’s the way it is.
Think of Mexico as one huge American “pre-owned” car lot with no set prices.
With the captain—and I don’t wish to diminish too much the loathsomeness of his business mode that affronts even Mexican standards–Grant could have smiled at least slightly to show that he knew the system, explained his side civilly, and, if needed, then dived into negotiation.
Certainly, Grant could not have ended up any worse than he did by losing every centavo of the group’s return fares, when he stormed away in anger. Grant’s group got nothing, and the captain returning with an empty boat got nothing, not even the little extra as a tip that he was probably hoping for.
Buy this book
As said, I loved this book.
I cannot begin to describe how interesting Grant’s story is. There is a richness of experience that few achieve in such a short time. In his shy non-congratulatory way, Grant even describes saving a life at much risk to him.
As with everything else in this tale, that is powerful reading.
I highly recommend Imagine: A Vagabond Story.
I cannot wait until Grant comes out with his next adventure.
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By Don Nadeau, on January 24, 2010, in Travel
By Nick Runkle
Deep in the Bolivian Amazon, approximately 250 miles northeast of Santa Cruz, lies a rustic and soulful farm called Picacho.
I found out about the farm by becoming a member of the British based organization World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF). By paying their 15 British pound membership fee, you’ll receive a list of hundreds of organic farms worldwide at which you can work for room and board.
Picacho is one of 11 Bolivian farms registered with WWOOF, and is without question worth going to if you’re looking for a destination off of the beaten track. What we experienced far exceeded all expectations, and if you’re lucky enough to end up there, I think you will agree that it is truly unforgettable.
Getting to Picacho
I was on my way to the Santa Cruz international airport about to fly to Brazil for two weeks to visit a friend in Rio. Another friend Mitch was about to take the weekly bus to Picacho, (yes, there is only one bus that goes there and it leaves once a week on Thursdays) and the plan was to meet at the farm two weeks later.
When I returned to Bolivia from Brazil, ready to hop on the weekly bus north into the jungle, I was surprised to receive an email from Mitch sent only a few hours before my plane landed, saying that his bus had never arrived at Picacho.
In epic battle with mud, bus loses
I met up with Mitch that night and was astonished by what he told me had happened.
In the dry season, the bus normally takes three full days to arrive at Picacho, but it was the beginning of March, which is still a very rainy month in eastern Bolivia.
He explained to me that after about eight hours of travel on a muddy road through pond like puddles and small rivers, the bus came to a halt. It was stuck in such a muddy section of the route that the tires were barely visible above the canyon-like ruts that dug three feet deep into the road.
Mitch knew that his three-day trip was going take longer than expected. Knee-deep passengers did all they could to help, but their efforts seem pointless.
After two days of sleeping on the bus, eating nothing but bread and fried foods from a small village nearby, and drinking only warm soda they managed to get the bus moving.
Fifteen minutes later, they were stuck again and it took another three days to get out this time before turning around and embarking on a slow return back to Santa Cruz. Eleven days had gone by before the bus, covered in mud, rolled back into city.
Plan B
After hearing about Mitch’s epic adventure, I was surprised on how determined he was to still go to Picacho.
We heard that the final destination of the weekly bus was a mining village about six miles from the farm, and that occasionally there was a small plane that shuttled employees, food, and supplies to the mine.
We went to the small domestic airport and somehow convinced the pilot to fly us into the jungle. It was a cargo plane, so we paid by weight. At one dollar per kilo, it was 105 dollars for Mitch, and because I’m lighter, I paid about 80 dollars.
We boarded the tiny plane and enjoyed a low 45-minute flight over the jungle. We landed on a dirt runway and hopped into an old red truck that took us into the village. After negotiating for about three hours, we finally agreed on an understandably expensive price for a ride to Picacho in what seemed like one of about three automobiles in the village.
Everything is scarce in the Bolivian jungle during the wet season because the only road connecting the villages to the resources of the city becomes practically impassible.
Living the life orgánica
A friendly Swiss woman named Uschi runs the farm and there can be up to eight other people there at a time. The only electricity is from a generator and there is no contact at all to the outside world. No telephones, no Internet, nada.
Uschi may be the most resourceful chef in the world and I can safely say that the food we ate there was the best I’ve had in my life. Not only was it delicious, mostly everything came directly from the farm.
The water we drank and used to shower was sourced directly from a mountain stream running through plastic tubes all the way to the farm. It’s the same water we swam in while exploring the mountain stream. Occasionally, after a heavy rain Mitch and I would venture through the jungle with machetes to clear leaves and sticks from the water source.
We harvested bananas, coffee, pineapples, and limes, fed the chickens and pigs, helped spray the horses and cows for ticks and other insects, built shelving, helped build a mud oven, cared for a pregnant mama pig and her new born piglets, fished for dinner, helped cook, and spent a whole lot of time meditating, doing yoga, and practicing our Spanish. There are horses to ride, a beautiful waterfall to swim in, and land to explore. It is absolutely gorgeous.
Things to know
There are things to know before you go to Picacho.
Once you are there, there is no way to reach civilization, and no way to know for sure when you’ll be able to leave. The bus may or may not be running and you can never depend on the plane, for it is usually for cargo and cargo only.
That being said, if there is somewhere you must be on a particular date in the near future you must be okay with not making it. Flexibility is key. If you were to get very sick or injured, you must be prepared to be on your own for much of your recovery.
Prepare for the jungle
There are a LOT of insects, so be sure to bring insect repellent with a high DEET content, long sleeve shirts, and socks. You’re in the jungle, so if the thought of spiders, snakes, alligators, or jaguars freaks you out, you may want to reconsider going. The week before we arrived they caught an Anaconda in the chicken coop strangling a chicken, and the day we arrived we found a rattlesnake in garden and cut its head off. Tarantulas crawl around at night and little worms and sand flies nest in your skin. It is the Amazon jungle.
Will not be disappointed
The month I spent there was one of the best experiences of my life and I look forward to the day I return. It is a place where you can become one with nature and live away from all the distractions of modern society, something that is hard to come by in this day and age.
If you make it to this majestic farm, you will not be disappointed.
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