Uruguay is easily accessible from Buenos Aires. There are 2 ferry companies that go to Colonia leaving at 2 different ports. Buquebus and Colonia Express are similar so choose whatever times work best for you. You can do a day trip if it works for you. Buquebus worked for me. Just remember you’re crossing a border so need to have the usual paperwork in order.
Colonia isn’t very big so it’s easy to find a hotel close to the ferry. I walked to Hotel Romi and settled in for the night. The included breakfast wasn’t great but there was coffee. That’s all I need. The room was lovely, the bed comfortable and all was very clean.
Colonia del Sacramento is a Unesco world heritage sight and delightful city. Most say you can easily do it on a a day trip. I had 2 nights there and really enjoyed having a full day to just wander the city and fully enjoy it. Iiked being able to relax and not worry about catching the ferry back to BA. In the summer it would be even better as the beaches are really nice and you could enjoy some swimming. People watching is fun. I ended up chatting with several friendly locals and asked about the obsession with matte. It being Saturday many folks were walking around with a thermos and cups full of yerba herbs. Want to know more about it? Here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mate_(drink)
Mate. It’s everywhere!
Below: People drinking Mate (pronounce mah-tay) EVERYWHERE! They even bring it to restaurants with them. Look, a thermos in one hand and a cup of yerba herbs in the other. It became an activity for me to see how many I could spot.
All 3 groups are drinking mate.
She has her thermos and mate cup. It goes with beer?
Mate holder.
Colonia was originally founded by the Portuguese in 1680 and passed between them and the Spanish several times after that. Now it’s a melting pot of both. It’s unique heritage, buildings and layout is now a Unesco world heritage site. I spent the day wandering the streets, passing the Basilica of the Holy Sacrament, the lighthouse, Calle de Portugal, lined with antique cars permanently parked along the cobbled street and enjoying the random artwork of graffiti in surprising places. Next I spent a couple hours walking the beach till I got hungry and found a cafe in the square where I could watch people while eating a tasty fish dinner.
Antique vehicles everywhere
Something fishy is happening here.
Graffiti. And people drinking Mate in front of graffiti 😉
Yep, drinking mate
More folks drinking mate
I did spot some young men on the wall drinking mate while watching football
Cafes, cobblestone streets, an old wall and a lighthouse
wall around the fortress
‘One of the oldest streets. Late 1600’s
Bathrooms. SSHH?? Bathrooms. SSHH??
Dinner in the square in front of the basilica
City gate
The beach. And of course, mate on the beach.
teenagers drinking mate on the beach
Yep, drinking mate
Montevideo
The next day I boarded the bus to Montevideo. The capital of Uruguay is much bigger and busier than Colonia so the walk to the Ahiva Espacio Temporal was a good 20 minutes. On the way it started to POUR rain so I ducked into a cafe and enjoyed a leisurely coffee.
I spent the afternoon wandering, having a coffee and people watching, then enjoying another fish dinner before heading back to my room I shared with two other ladies, both from Australia.
The next morning I’d booked a walking tour of the old city. Guess what the guide was carrying when I arrived? Yep. A thermos and a cup of mate herbs. Of course! Uruguay is the biggest consumer of mate in the world.
It was a really good tour and I learned a lot, including where to get the best chivito which of course, I did. Although Chivito literally translates to “small goat”, chivito doesn’t actually include goat. I think mine was pork. Delicious!
A lot of locks
Gate to the old city
The other side of the gate to the city
Old city
Penis fence
I found this funny
????
The end of my South American journey
I’d love to come back and see more of Argentina. I’d like to visit the south and do some hiking in Patagonia. Uruguay was okay but pretty expensive compared to the rest of the continent. So ends this trip as I flew home from Montevideo with a brief stop in Sao Paolo and New York. I don’t mind stopovers. They break up a long flight. Next time bring more snacks. Airport food is stupid expensive.
The currency here is hard to comprehend as there are are different rates. The blue rate gives you a LOT more pesos for your dollar. You can get that by exchanging cash (large USD are best) or using VISA or MC. The credit card rates aren’t quite as good but still better than the official rate. The original transaction will be at the official rate and then they will give you a refund. Yes, it’s strange but it does work. The point of this is that it is MUCH cheaper to buy internal flights for Argentina IN Argentina. You may be able to do it outside the country if you use a VPN. Regardless, you need to buy the flight IN PESOS. Note that cash can be hard to get in Iguazu so change whatever money you might need in Buenos Aires. I didn’t realise my hostel wouldn’t take card so I was scrambling to get cash. I ended up using my MC at an ATM to get pesos, hoping to get the refund. (NOTE! I did NOT get the refund on a cash withdrawal so don’t make this mistake)
Lesson on currency finished.
Iguazú National Park (Argentina)
I arrived in Iguazu around 7 pm. There I found the 4 tourists desk (https://www.ftt.tur.ar/product/transfer-out/) and got a ride direct to my hostel for a LOT less than a taxi. It’s more than the public bus but much more convenient. Upon arrival at The Host, hostel, I quickly learned that it was not my kind of hostel. It was rated 9.4 on booking.com with over 500 reviews so I didn’t look too much further. Lesson learned. It’s a party hostel. Oh well. Earplugs are my friends. The people were really nice and helpful so I enjoyed it anyway. Later I learned their sneaky way to keep their ratings up. Ask me if you want to know.
The “pool” is about 4’X8′.
The next morning I finally got some cash but had to use an ATM. There you get the official rate so it’s expensive. Then I found the bus station and caught the public bus to the Iguazú National Park Because I had messed around getting money it was after 10 before I left and was quite busy by the time I got there. I can imagine in high season you’d want to get there early to beat the crowds. I walked the superior trail, the inferior (lower) trail and, rather than wait for the train I walked to the Devil’s gorge trail. The park closes at 6 so by 5 they’re working on getting people out already.
Back in town I purchased a bus ticket for the Brazil side for the next day and tried using trip advisor to find some place to eat. I think that’s pretty useless these days since post covid so many places have just stopped operating or changed hands. So I just picked a place and ordered a steak. It was good. You can’t go wrong with steak in Argentina. I’m getting used to eating dinner alone in restaurants and quite enjoy it.
This went a lot easier than I expected. I caught the 9 am bus which took us to the border. We got off the bus, had our passports checked and got back on . Once in Brazil I got dropped off at the Parque das Aves which is a bird sanctuary and well worth a visit.
Then I walked across the street to the National park https://www.parquedasaves.com.br/ and bought my ticket to see the falls. The tickets are timed and you enter when your group is called. Then you board a bus that takes you into the park. I got off at the second last stop, the water front trail. There’s a hiking trail before that which is about 9 km long but you pay extra for it.
Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
There’s not as much to see on this side as Brazil has about 20% of the falls but the views are amazing as you see a lot of the Argentina side. At Devil’s throat you can see it from below and above. Either place you get soaked from the spray. After having a snack and just enjoying the ambiance for a while before heading back. Later I found out there’s a trail that goes past the hotel that would have been nice.
Iguazú Falls
The next day I went back to the Argentina side. If you bring your ticket back they’ll let you in the second time for 1/2 price. I wanted to do the boat ride which I’d heard was better on this side. I’m not sure it’s any different. It starts with a 20-30 minute drive in a truck through the jungle with a guide who spoke the whole way in Spanish so I don’t know what he was saying. At the river entrance we climbed down a lot of stairs and were given life jackets and a dry bag. The boat ride itself was about 30 minutes long. It takes you upriver and under two sets of falls a couple of times. It was fun and I got soaked in spite of the poncho I was wearing. Back up the steps and on the truck with a woman this time who translated some of what she said into English. Nice!
I walked all the trails again because I was there anyway and I love a good waterfall. Iguazu is taller than Niagara and wider than Victoria Falls so yeah, it’s pretty impressive!
I checked out that night since the folks at the Host don’t get up early and I had to leave around 7:30 am. I had arranged for the 4 tourists transfer to pick me up for the flight back to Buenos Aires and on to my next adventure. URUGUAY!
My solo journey through South America continues ….. starting in Peru, through Bolivia and Chili and now into Argentina. The previous post is here: The South American journey continues into Chile
April 11, 2023 Crossing the border by bus from Chile into Argentina was tedious. That and the terrible road for several km on the Argentina side made us very late for our pick up in San Martin. This meant most of our 7 lakes tour was done in the dark. So. Basically we just drove to Bariloche.
April 12.
Today we were picked up and taken to an estancia just outside of Bariloche where we were all assigned a horse to ride. I wasn’t too sure about this. Horses scare me. The gauchos were really nice and assured us we’d do no more than a walk. Maybe kind of boring for he experienced but just right for me. One man gave me a hand up and did it so expertly I had no trouble getting on Fernando, a sweet, white horse that just stood there patiently. He’s obviously used to folks who know nothing about riding. The saddle was more like a pile of blankets with a metal handle in front to hold and was very comfortable. I was shown how to hold the reins and we set off. Basically I just sat on Fernando for the next 2 hours. He knew exactly what to do. The ride was relaxing and the scenery gorgeous. The gauchos and their dogs kept the horses in line. I swear the dogs counted and occasionally “coaxed” a horse back in line. We seriously had to do nothing. Upon dismount I expected to feel a lot more pain than I did. I was stiff for a bit but normal in no time.
Next we were served an amazing barbecue with all you can eat steak, lamb and sausage with salad, bread and their special red wine; Malbec. I quite like it. They serve everything with a spice mix called chimi churra. That stuff is delicious!
BARILOCHE
Wednesday Again we were given really expensive tour options so Davindar and I decided to just explore on our own. I found a booth selling tickets to the cable car that included the bus. Perfect. Too bad the weather wasn’t very cooperative. We enjoyed a good cup of coffee in the revolving restaurant but the top layer of mountains were covered in cloud that refused to lift. So we went and walked around a bit before heading back down. Back in town we went for a good walk along the lake and the sun finally came out. Bariloche is a pretty town but nothing like I imagined Patagonia would be like. It’s not a small town. There appear to be no emissions standards so, like everywhere else in South America, the air is not at all fresh. 😦 I might have enjoyed it more had I more time here to enjoy some hiking. As it is I kind of feel cheated. Like I didn’t really get to “see” Patagonia. I’ll have to come back and go further South.
Friday.
Buenos Aires and a Tango Show!
We caught an early flight to Buenos Aires. After checking in to the Carsson Hotel we went for some lunch in a cafe in a church and then set off to get hop on hop off bus tickets. I don’t think anyone signed up for the optional tours as they’re just too expensive. Some things are best left to the last minute as my ticket for the tango show was half what I would have pain in advance. This has a lot to do with currency issues. The official exchange rate is quite a bit lower than the blue rate which you don’t get unless you are IN Argentina. I had read about it ahead of time so brought USD to exchange.. You can even use Visa and MC now. You get charged the official rate but a few days later will get a refund. I didn’t quite trust it so used cash as much as possible. Then I booked a plane ticket to Iguazu. On my card it showed up as $164. Not bad but not the blue rate for 26.900 pesos. 5 days later I got a $66 refund. So it works!
Davindar, Bridgette and I rode the hop on / hop off bus for the full 3 hours to see where we’d want to go. With 30 minutes to spare we got back to the hotel to prepare for the Tango experience. That was MUCH better than I thought it would be and I highly recommend it. I was enthralled by the piano player and the dancers were amazing. The dinner was wonderful. I had steak because ….. it’s Argentina. Sooo good.
Recoleta
Recoleta cemetary is a must see in BA so we walked there, explored a while, found Eva Peron’s grave which was not nearly as elaborate as many others and even witnessed a funeral. Then we found the bus again. That’s not easy. The hop on, hop off is great but we spent way too much time trying to find the stops. There was supposed to be an app. There’s not and the map is totally inaccurate.
BOCA
Next stop was Boca. The Boca Juniors were playing that night so the place was HOPPING. They say Argentinians are passionate. They’re not kidding. Everyone was wearing jerseys and other paraphernalia. There were random cheering sections everywhere. Tickets are $200 USD! I said good bye to the group and checked into the Che Juan hostel.
San Telmo
Sunday. I met Davindar and we headed to San Telmo for a free walking tour we’d booked. It was really good and we learned a lot. We wandered the market and saw someone eating a charcuterie board that looked really good. After asking them where it was on the menu, we ordered one too
Again we tried to find the bus stop. We had til 4 pm before our tickets expired. It was 10 minutes past before we finally located one but the lady let us on, reminding us that if we got off we couldn’t get back on. At least that’s what I think she said. We didn’t care. It was raining and we’d been walking all day.
“Dinner” was cake and tea at the Pacifico mall where there’s also an art gallery. the mall itself is gorgeous.
Monday, April 17th
There are many things I love about hostels. While sharing a room isn’t always great, I always come equipped with ear plugs. 😉 In Che Juan I needed them as my room was close to reception which is open 24 hours a day so….conversations all the time. There’s a well equipped kitchen with free access to coffee and drinking water. That’s huge for me as it saves money as well as reducing plastic waste. It’s also nice to have common rooms so you can connect with people, many of whom are also travelling alone. I met folks from Brazil and even a man from Hamilton. He was doing his best to spend as little time in Canada as he could. Interesting..
Palermo
Today I had no plans. I just started walking towards Recoleta as there was more I wanted to see there and then on to Palermo. There I was in plenty of time for a walking tour I’d had my eye on. I had a piece of pizza and pop in a local cafe and then went to Serrano plaza to join the Graffiti walking tour. If you’re interesting book it here: https://www.buenosairesfreewalks.com/graffiti-tour-buenos-aires/
It was really interesting! In BA graffiti is fine as long as you have the property owner’s permission.
Then the walk back. I had thought of taking an uber as it was a good hour walk and it was 5 pm. It was still light out and the weather was great so I walked. I met Davindar at her hotel and we went to a local steakhouse she had found. It was excellent! They never asked how we wanted it cooked. Apparently nice and pink on the inside is how you’re supposed to eat it. While there a homeless man came in obviously looking for food. A waiter shook his head but didn’t make him leave. Some girls gave him their rolls so we called him over and each gave him a piece of steak. We had more than we could eat. He ended up with quite a bit of food but I’m assuming he had some friends who could use it too. While wandering BA I’d see several examples of people being kind to their homeless. We could learn something from that.
Tuesday. Time to go really on my own. Though I’ve done this many times there is comfort in being with a group. It’s good for me to have to make my own arrangements. At first it’s daunting but I’ve done it lots and know I’ll get used to it AND enjoy it.
There’s so much to see in Argentina that I couldn’t make up my mind before I got here. My procrastination paid off as a last minute flight to Iguazu was quite a bit cheaper. Booking from within Argentina you can do so with pesos and your credit card will give you the blue rate. So. Rather than the $200+ it would have cost to book from Canada, it was 27,000 pesos. $164 was charged to my card and several days later I got $66 back. It’s confusing. The whole currency thing is confusing.
My trip to Iguazu is on the next post. Spoiler alert. It’s even MORE amazing that they say!
Once we finally make it over the border in the middle of nowhere from Bolivia into Chile, we immediately noticed a difference. For one, paved roads.
We’d been at altidude for over a week and now started to descend. It happened so rapidly my ears plugged as if landing in a plane.
We arrived in San Pedro de Atacama and settled into our hostel. The town is small so it didn’t take long to figure out where things were and we finished the day with a nice dinner at Baros’
April 4, 2023
Neither my debit or credit card wanted to give me money in San Pedro, even using a Scotia bank ATM. UGH. Good thing my room mate Davindar had been successful so I could borrow money from her. We enjoyed wandering the town and eating a leisurely breakfast before meeting the others for our trip into the desert yet again. It’s different here. There’s a salt flat but it too is completely different from Bolivia. There are lots of hills and dunes and it was fun to climb them without having to deal with the effects of altitude.
Wednesday April 5
SANTIAGO
Bright and early we headed to the airport in Calama. Davindar and I had picked up empanadas the day before to eat for breakfast. They’re better hot so don’t do that. There’s food at the airport. There’s your advice of the day
In Santiago we checked into the Ibis Budget Providencia. It’s the smallest room I’d ever seen. The beds were even more narrow than a regular twin sized bed. and there was no room around to spare. Good thing we don’t spend a lot of time there.
JC took us on a quick tour starting with the subway to the centre of the city. It was packed and fun to manoever with a group of 14 people! Dinner was salmon. I’m eating fish every day while this close to the coast.
Thursday April 6
The hotel breakfast was good enough to keep us going for several hours. Chloe, Davindar and I called an uber to take us to the central plaza rather than take the metro. It wasn’t much more for the 3 of us and we needed to be there at 10 for a free walking tour. We learned a LOT of history of which I retained maybe 10%. After coffee together we split up. Davindar and I set off to find the funicular and cable car. That ended up being perfect as we walked maybe 30 minutes to get to it. The funicular got us to the top where we spent some time and the cable car came down the other side, not far from our hotel in Providencia. We got back in time to join the meet up with the new group. We said good bye to the 10 members of the group leaving and 4 of us joined the next group that goes as far as Buenos Aires.
Valparaiso
We did another tour of the city with this group, again riding the subway. This time we got to see the changing of the guards in front of the President’s residence. He doesn’t live there any more but just works there. It was a pretty elaborate ceremony and well worth your time.
Back at the hotel we stored most of us luggage, taking just enough for one night and loaded up a mini bus that took us to a public bus station where we boarded the bus to Valparaiso.
We spent the night in an old, unique hotel called the Reina Victoria. On the way to dinner we took a funicular up a hill. Valpairaso has many hills and several funiulars.
Saturday. Davindar and I decided to spend the morning just wandering. The walking tour we’d booked ended up being a no show so we got lost on our own. The graffiti and wall art is great fun to see and there’s lots of shops to peruse.
On the way back to Santiago we visited a winery. Casa Blanca in Santa Rosa is a “boutique” winery as they only produce about a million bottles of wine per year. Apparently that’s not much according to Chilean wine producers.
Back in Santiago we found some dinner then prepared for the night bus to Pucon. So much fun. The bus is more comfortable than a plane but you still don’t get much sleep.
Sunday, April 9
Pucon
There’s a lot to do in this town and we won’t be able to do it all. It’s also VERY expensive.
Patrice from a local tour agency came and gave us a bunch of options for our short time in Pucon. All were VERY expensive. Some of us decided that hiking a volcano tired after no sleep on a night bus was a good idea. He said it was an easy hike if you’re used to hiking. Well. Maybe if you’re used to hiking in Chile?? None of of us found it easy. The first 3 km were uphill, sometimes scrabbling up volcanic rock and occasionally having to almost go on all 4’s. Maybe “technical” is the correct word? We couldn’t go higher as the volcano has been misbehaving and there was potential for major eruption. It often spews lava. We came down through the forest where there was still lots of up and downs over roots and rocks so I still had to watch my feet the whole way. It was a nice hike though and our guide provided lots of info about the volcano and the town.
April 10
Brendan, Brigitte and I decided to go out on our own and ordered an uber to take us to the Parque Ojos del Caburgua. There are a few waterfalls there and a nice walk. Then we walked to the Bellevista water fall, about 3 km further. The walk was nice along gravel roads with practically no traffic. There was nobody there to collect money and the gate was open so we enjoyed the views free of charge. From there we kept going towards Caburgua Lake. The roads were nice but a LOT of uphill and several aggressive dogs that we decided would be pumas when we told stories about it. (hehe) We reached the highway to be faced with a sign with a truck on a steep grade. Lovely. So we sat in the bus stop and had a snack in preparation. It turned out to be not as bad as the hills we had been climbing. In Caburgua the beach looks lovely but it was deserted. All the shops appeared closed. While looking for a restaurant for lunch we saw the bus to Pucon sitting there so hopped on that instead and made it back without incident.
Since we had time we joined the tour to visit Rosaria, a Mapuche woman who described her culture and the way of life when she was young. She fed us some traditional foods which for me was enough for dinner.
April 11
There was lots of time to putz around this morning so I ate a leisurely breakfast then explored the town for a bit before we boarded the bus destined for San Martin, Argentina. It was supposed to take 5 hours. The border slowed us down. Everyone on the 2 decker bus had to disembark, line up and get our passports stamped out of Chile. Then back IN the bus, cross no man’s land into Argentina where we again lined up. Thankfully they didn’t do an intense search of the bags. Apparently their cursury check sufficed. Back in the bus the journey was slow as the road was terrible and the bridge we crossed did NOT look like it was strong enough to hold a big bus. Looks can be deceiving as I’m alive.
The slow journey made it easy to view the interesting scenery of hills covered in the strange looking monkey puzzle trees. Finally we got to good roads but still got into San Martin 2 hours late.
There we were met by a private van and our hostess handed out empanadas. I’m sure they were delicious when they were hot. It was starting to get dark by this point which was very unfortunate as the scenery was gorgeous. We got to do the tour of the beautiful 7 lakes ….. in the dark.
The 15 of us were introduced to our drivers. Umberto was ours and the 5 of us passed him out bags as he expertly packed the 4×4 land cruiser. Our first stop was the train cemetery. Salt and supplies are still transported by rail once per week but these trains are no longer going anywhere.
Then we drove through nothing but white nothingness. We were lucky as it had rained the previous week so parts of the flats were covered with water, in some places up to 6″ deep. This being the end of the dry season we got to see both water covered and dry flats. How incredibly lucky! Both have their beauty. The water provides incredible reflections and the patterns in the dry, cracked salt are fascinating.
Our first stop was in water where the reflections are amazing. There are also places where the water bubbles up. They’re not springs but just the shifting earth allowing water up from underneath. Driving takes expertise as some of the holes can be very deep.
At mid day we stopped at Dakar. There’s a building there that was a hotel and is now a dining area all the tourist groups stop in for lunch. The entire thing is made of salt except for the roof.
We continued our journey stopping at a volcanic island covered in ancient cacti, a llama and few cats.
The drive seemed endless. Nothing but white salt flats and blue sky as far as the eye could see. The lead driver randomly picked a spot in the middle of nowhere. There wasn’t a soul in sight! We stopped to take pictures taking advantage of the space to play with perspective. They had some fantastic ideas and it was so much fun
We carried on and the temperature started to drop as soon as the sun did. In another area covered with water we stopped to watch as the sun took it’s time setting. Gorgeous! Driving in the dark is a bit treacherous when it’s wet so we took our time until they found an actual road. I don’t know how they know where they’re going out there.
Tonight’s accommodations was in the Santiago de Agencha community. The lodge is a project started by G adventures. They helped with building the huts and start up and the locals have run with it and now doing quite well.
April 2
After a nice breakfast that included fried bread and eggs, we left the salt flats and headed into the Atacama desert.
Today we drove through more rough terrain and viewed fields and fields of blooming quinoa in a variety of colours. Apparently the black is most nutritious. There was lots of wildlife including picunas and an ostrich like creature called the nandu. Then there’s the friendly Viscacha that looks like a cross between a rabbit and a chinchilla.
We stopped many times to enjoy various views including the strange lagoons, most of which are toxic for different reasons. Some have borax, others sulphur or a mix of calcium and other minerals that make them appear colourful. Flamingos are the only animal able to filter the water to get at the algae they eat.
Our stop for the night was in a town that looked deserted. We had a nice dinner and some of us got hot water for a shower. The power supply is mostly solar. The house was warm as the roof is a corrugated plastic that lets the sun warm it up during the day. There’s no heat. The electricity for the town is shut off from 11 p to 9 am. They managed to make us a nice breakfast anyway and we were on the road again by 8 am.
April 3. Happy birthday Stephanie!!
More of the desert today with lots of sketchy roads, beautiful views of volcanoes and lakes and a stop at a thermal pool fed by volcanic water. The altitude is still killing me and the relaxation of a hot soak was just what the doctor ordered.
Then we crossed the border into Chile. That was interesting. The procedure had recently changed so there was much confusion. Apparently we no longer had to fill in forms so just handed the passports over, had them stamped and crossed into no man’s land to meet the mini bus. The driver was in much of a hurry. We couldn’t figure out why and wanted to say good bye to our 4×4 drivers. Umberto had driven us over treacherous roads for the last 3 days and we wanted to thank him properly. Carlos insisted so we hurriedly thanked them while we piled luggage , then ourselves into the bus. Ioan gave them our tip and thanked them for the group and we rushed off. Enroute Carlos explained that border control was to close in 10 minutes as the offiials had a meeting to attend. If we didn’t make it we’d be waiting at least 3 hours. It had happened to him before. Since this border is the middle of nowhere, with no cell service or anything, they often don’t find out till they get there.
The minibus parked inside the hangar and all the luggage was removed. Then we filed out to go through passport control. Next we each had to claim our bags, place them on a table and open them for inspection while the official asked questions. I lucked out with a funny guy who asked me if I had the usual then threw in a question about cocaine. He got a laugh out of my shocked reaction. Um no, I have no cocaine!
Due to protests the border crossing from Puno was closed so we ended up flying from Cusco, rather than bus. That meant night flights. UGH. We flew to Lima, arriving just after 11 pm then left the airport to re-enter for our international flight to La Paz. When asked how long they were staying in Peru, 2 in our group had said a week so the official wrote that on thier passport stamp. SO. When leaving Peru it looked like they had overstayed their time by an hour as it was past midnight by the time they went through customs. They were taken aside and charged a fine. Twas only 5 soles but the stress..!! Lesson learned. Mine said 60 days. Probably cos I told him I THINK about 10 days. lol So, when entering Bolivia I said 14 days even though we’ll be here about a week.
By the time we got to our hotel, Las Brisas, it was 7:30 am and we were exhausted. Thankfully G had arranged for early check in so a nap was the thing to do
We wandered about for a bit, had brunch then the bus picked us up to take us into town and to ride the cable cars. What fun~~ and a great way to se the city There’s a network of them and they’re used for transportation, kind of like a subway in the sky. Fascinating!
Another must do is visit the Witches market. They sell all kinds of amulets and such, including llama fetuses used in various ceremonies
Next we boarded the bus for the Valle de la Luna. Theres a 15 min or 45 min hike so of course we opted for the longer one. We took our time as La Paz IS the city with the highest airport in the world and … altitude. UGH the effects are annoying!! The valley is amazing! It looks like something from a Star Trek episode Don’t miss it if you go to La Paz
Monday. March 25, 2023
JC, Chloe and I met early to find a local breakfast of fish soup. I never would have found it without JC. The lady sat on the side of the street and we went inside a litle alcove with tables where she served us a heaping bowl of soup, complete with whole karache and trout. It was delicious and 25 BOB (about $5)per bowl and she’d refill the broth.
We met the others and boarded the bus again, this time for Copocobana with various stops along the way. To get there you have to cross a straight where the bus is taken on a ferry. We wondered why we had to get off and take a different boat. Then we saw the ferry. Wow, that’s different.
After lunch we took another boat that took us to Isla del Sol. There we hiked up, up and up some more. Generally I love good hills while hiking. This altitude though!! Over 4,000 metres and I’m still not used it to it. If there IS a next time, I’m going to try meds. The hike was really good but tough when you can’t breathe.
We took the same way back and ended our day around 10 pm.
Sucre
Tuesday.
I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the hotel before wandering about the city some more. Then we packed up and boarded the bus. We were all on time, so he wasn’t sitting long but the police still took this opportunity to fine him for aparently parking on the street too long and put a lock on the wheels. JC had put a call into G to get another bus when the driver finally resolved the issue with police and we were on our way to the airport.
A flight to Santa Cruz with a rough landing then on to our destination, Sucre.
Wednesday, March 29
After weighing our options we all decided to hire a bus to take us to the Dinosaur footprints. I didn’t expect much but it sounded intriguing. It’s fantastic! There are tours at 12 and 1 so we got there for 12. The prints had been buried for millions of years until shifting tectonic plates pushed the land that had once been a lake into a vertical position. A cement factory mining limestone stopped when they discovered too much magnesium in the material. Someone noticed weird markings and they called palaeontologists. The rest is history. Now it’s well taken care of. A section of rock fell down with heavy rains a few years ago exposing more prints. This is a MUST SEE in Sucre.
Next we drove to Potosi. It’s just a stop over before going to the Salt Flats but I found it pretty interesting.
March 30
We were scheduled to leave by bus late morning but teachers protesting curriculum changes plus wanting pensions have blocked the roads for the next 2 days No cars in or out. The nice thing about the blockades was the lack of cars meant it was so much quieter in town. No traffic to deal with meant no emission fumes to deal with, we could walk anywhere and pictures were easier.
It was 6 pm before the bus could get through and we loaded it up and set off for Uyuni. It was quickly dark and we motored through the pitch blackness of the wilderness watching the stars come out. At one point we stoped to get a better look. JC pointed out some of the constellations and we gazed at the beauty of the milky way with NO light pollution.
By the time we reached Uyuni it was almost 10 pm. The town looked desserted. Our accommodation was a hostel operated by a family. Despite there being no heating it was warm inside (about 5 degrees outside). The ceiling is corugated plasti that lets the sun in during the day, heating the place up. Hot water is solarso the first to shower got hot water. The rest not so lucky. We quickly plugged in anything that required charging as the town electricity is shut off betwen 11 pm and 9 am.
April 1
The family served us a nice breakfast, the we loaded up the the 3 4×4’s and set off to see the salt flats. That deserves it’s own post. The pictures are amazing but still don’t do it it justice. You ‘ll have to see it for yourself!!
The tour really starts here, in Cuzco. Since the city sits at 3,400 metres above sea level, it takes time to acclimate so we took a nice slow tour of the city before going for dinner. where I thoroughly enjoyed a meal of alpaca and potatoes. No meal in Peru is complete without potatoes. They do have 3000+ varieties!
After that some of us went to watch a local soccer game. What fun! They take soccer (football) very seriously. Kids from the local high school go free and cheer on their team. They sure do a good job! They waved flags and sang songs and cheered throughout the whole game. There was a heavy police presence. Apparently if the home team loses fans can get very “angry”. I’m glad they won.
Sunday. Our guide, Julio (AKA JC), took us on a thorough tour of Cuzco. He’s obviously passionate about his country and it showed. The last stop was the market where we sampled all kinds of fruits. When we left there there was a parade going on. They have a lot of parades and celebrations so no matter when you come you’re bound to experience one.
Monday
We were on the road by 8 am with Javier who guided us to the Women’s weaving project which is a Planeterra initiative sponsored by G Adventures. On the way we stopped at a bbq place and tried some roast guinea pig (cuy) It’s stuffed with herbs and was really tasty. Next we viewed the Sacred Valley and a pottery project in Pisac. We ended the day in Ollyantaytambo, a unique village in that it’s still the original Inca town and still inhabited.
Cusco
March 21. Tuesday
We were on the train by 7.30 am, headed to Aguas Callientes, otherwise known as Machu Picchu Pueblo. What a gorgeous ride! It’s a panoramic train for good reason as you pass by Mount Veronica with it’s snow covered peaks and more of the Andes mountain range. Soon we were surrounded by jungle and I SOOO wanted to stop the train and take a good look at the bromeliads and orchids we passed.
20 minutes before town, we stopped to let 4 of our group off to do the one day hike to Machu Picchu.
Once in Aguas Callientes we walked to the Andina Machu Picchu where they kindly let us check in even though it was only 9.30 am.
We spent the next while wandering the streets and getting to know the town before having lunch. Some of us walked to the butterfly conservatory which was really nice. Back at the hotel some opted to go to the hot springs but Julio and I decided to do the waterfall hike. That as a delight! Of course it was up hill. Waterfalls always are. The path was tough in spots but really enjoyable as it was all jungle and I finally got to see all the orchids and bromeliads up close. Julio pointed out some interesting bugs too. He went for a good swim in the pool but I got in just over my knees and that was enough for me. The water was COLD. Apparently he likes it that way. I felt like a wimpy Canadian. lol
Back at the hotel I showered and got cleaned up for dinner and we all met at Chullo’s restaurant. There we traded stories about our day. All of us thoroughly enjoyed this little town.
Machu Picchu
We had tickets to Machu Picchu for 7 am but the first bus didn’t go till 8 am. Tourism still hasn’t recovered from the recent protests so they’re taking the early mornings to repair the roads.
Ana was our guide and she was fantastic. 15 years ago I hiked the Inca trail and spent several hours exploring the ruins after. This time I was more focused on the site , rather than the adrenaline high from accomplishing the trail. Things had changed too. There’s now a hotel there and strict rules on where to go and what path to take. I’m really glad I got to see it 15 years ago. I’m really glad they’re working hard to protect it though so the site will remain for future generations to enjoy. Machu Picchu is still spectacular and you really should go.
After lunch we boarded the train for Ollyantaytambo where we met our driver who tok us back to Cuzco
Rainbow Mountain
Thursday: The alarm woke us up at 3.30 am and 10 of us were on a bus bound for Rainbow mountain by 4.15 am. At 6.30 ish we stopped at a restaurant at the base of the mountain for breakfast. Then the bus spent the next hour climbing the mountain. The road was built in 2018 giving tourists better access to the trail.
The hike starts at 4,600 meters and my goal was the lookout at 5,050 metres. The hike itself is not difficult but the altitude make it REALLY tough. Our guides were amazing. I found it really hard to walk slow but you really have to or feel the effects. It didn’t take long for the dizziness, shortness of breath and nausea to kick in. I tried all the potions. I chewed coca leaves, sucked on candies, and inhaled the magic potions. I was ready to quit, or at least hire a horse. Marco convinced me to keep going, slowly, slowly. A little while later again, I felt awful. A lady was selling coca and munya tea so I sat and drank one, Marco pointed out I could SEE the goal. That’s all it took and I carried on. Once on top the clouds nicely parted long enough to se the magnificent views. Wow! It’s worth it! After spending probably a little too much time at that altitude we made our way back, still slowly.
AT the base of the mountain we went to the same place for lunch where all the trekkers go. The food is good and plentiful. We were all exhausted and really hungry.
Cuzco again
There was nothing on the agenda so after breakfast I just started walking. I had a few destinations in mind. First was the convent built on a foundation built by the Incas. It was interesting and has some very strange art about aliens. Seemed out of place in a catholic convent.
On I walked until I reached the San blas area where I wandered amongst the pretty streets, admiring the colonial buildings. Half way up a pretty set of stairs, I paused to catch my breath. The altitude makes stairs and hills very challenging. From a cafe a woman came out and said “You rest” and pulled me inside, parked me at a table with a gorgeous view and gave me the wifi code. There was no expectation to buy something. Wow! So I went to the counter and ordered coffee and cake.
I continued till I found the Sacsaywaman (affectionally known as SexyWoman) ruins. I was standing outside a small shop pondering my options when a woman came out. She explained that the ticket was for 4 ruins and they are far apart; too far to walk so she offered the services of her husband who would drive me. I thought about it. A lot. I’d noticed very few tourists in this area yet there were lots of shops. Recent protests had SERIOUSLY reduced tourism. These folks were obviously suffering. They weren’t badgering me, just waited for my decisions. So, I agreed. Didn’t even barter on the price 60 soles. Carlos took me first to the furthest ruin Tambomachay where I got out, bought my ticket, wandered about and came back to find him waiting in the parking lot. Next he took me to Qenqo and Pua Pucara and then our final stop at Sacsaywaman where he explained that I could walk out the other side and back down to Cuzco. With his bits of English and my bits of Spanish we figured it out. In the end I probably could have done it cheaper with a tour but I really enjoyed wandering on my own, at my own pace. I’d seen so many ruins that I could just guess at what I was seeing and that was good enough for me.
Walking back to town I again saw the woman outside her shop. She thanked me profusely again. Later when the group was all talking about what we’d done, JC did not look happy with me so later I asked if there was a problem. He said what I’d done was kind of dangerous. I could have ben kidnapped. Yeah. I told him I DID think about that when chatting with the couple but I trust my own judgement and had only good vibes from them. Besides I feel like I got a great service and helped them out in these difficult times.
Today we were supposed to take a bus to Puno but due to the protests had to change our route. We were to fly directly to La Paz instead. Sounds simple but involved night flights. We left Cuzco on a 10 pm flight, then left Lima on a 3 am flight to arrive in La Paz shortly after 6 am. UGH.
This trip started with finding a really good deal on a tour with G Adventures. Most of the time my trips start with a deal on flight but post covid those seem harder to find.
March, 2023
Lima’s airport is in a notoriously dangerous area so I had prebooked a ride with Gringo taxis as it came well recommended. Thomas was there to pick me up and dropped me of at the Hotel Santa Cruz. By then it was midnight and I just crashed.
The next day I set off on a walkabout and boy, did I walk. I covered Miraflores Beach, Barranca beach, all through Barranca, back into Miraflores and around the Huaa Pucllana ruins. I didn’t go in as it was closed and apparently reservations are required By the time I got back to the hotel I was dripping with sweat and had done 35,000 steps. A burrito sounded great for dinner.
Swimming with Sea Lions!
Day 2 I had booked trip on a yacht to swim with the sea lions and visit the Palamino islands out of Callao. Since I had to be there for 9.30 I called Walter from Gringo taxis and asked if he’d take me. Thomas was available. They’re expensive, but reliable.
Nobody told me that weekday tours actually start at 11,30 so I was 2 hours early. I was NOT impressed! I wandered the area a bit but didn’t want to go far as again, the area is known to be somewhat unsafe and I was alone.
The tour was nice. A shuttle took us to a small yacht. There were about 10 of us. 2 of us spoke English. The rest Spanish. The guide nicely translated everything for us and I learned a lot. Then came the highlight. Most of us jumped in the cold Pacific to swim with the sea lions. They’re noisy, smelly creatures and very curious. They would come close and just stare as if asking “who and WHAT are you?” Wearing a wet suit and a life jacket made swimming difficult and the current and waves made staying away from the critters a challenge too. It was great fun though and I was sad when they called us back to the boat.
The guide in the water spoke only Spanish so I missed a lot of sea lion facts. I tried asking some of the folks who spoke English as well and they tried.
Afterwards I called an uber and he was there in less than 5 minutes. It cost 1/4 of my morning ride. I had been told that Uber isn’t reliable. Who knows? I just know this one worked for me.
Back at the hotel I showered and cleaned up, put on my dress and went out to find civeche. La Red was highly rated and close so I went there and enjoyed a heaping plate of civeche mixta. YUM! (The next night I suffered with some kind of food born illness for several hours so it might not have been a good idea 😦 )
I met Davindar who was to be my room mate for the next few weeks and the other 12 people on our G Adventures tour plus our guide, Julius.
The next morning we all boarded a bus that took us to the airport for our flight to Cuzco
In 2019 I spent 3 weeks touring Belize with friends. Despite the fact that Belize is a tiny country, there is a LOT to see and we covered a lot of ground. This post sums up what we saw with links to detailed posts if you’re interested in more.
Belize it or not! This is a budget itinerary for 3 weeks in Belize. It includes a 3-day sailing trip and a visit to Tikal.
One place we missed was Ambergris Caye. This time I decided to escape winter. I spent 10 days solely on the island. I was a little concerned I’d be bored but since I LOVE the sea I figured I could just spend a lot of time swimming. I needn’t have worried. There is a LOT to do!
Belize City to Ambergris Caye January, 2023
I arrived in Belize city still undecided on how to get to Ambergris Caye. To get there by water taxi you need to take a taxi to the terminal which costs about $30USD. If you can share a taxi, it reduces the cost. I was alone, so I decided to fly. It’s much more convenient and not that much more expensive. $56.50 for a return ferry trip plus $60 in taxis vs $179 USD for a flight with Tropic Air. Luckily I could buy a ticket last minute. Should you decide to book this flight ahead of time, don’t worry about making it if your flight is delayed. They’re very flexible and will just put you on the next flight should you not arrive on time. Besides, the flight is a tour in itself as the view is fantastic!
Just so you know Belize has it’s own currency and it’s valued 2 to 1 on the USD. You can use US dollars there but will likely be given Belize dollars in change. ATM’s supply Belize dollars.
An advantage to traveling light is the ability to walk everywhere. Most San Pedro accommodations are within easy walking distance of either the ferry or the airport. Mine was no exception. I walked to the Drift Inn and checked in to my bed in a 6 bed dorm. Drift Inn is right behind the Sandbar and the relationship serves as a great advantage to all the guests. The kitchen in the Drift Inn is accessible to both as is the pool in the Sandbar. Nice! I connected via “WhatsAp” with reception. They kept me up to date on things going on in town. They also informed me about tours available. First thing I did was book the tours I knew I wanted.
Tip. During high season book ahead. They fill up and I met a few travellers who couldn’t get rooms. Book here: https://www.booking.com/Share-PnYKaX
Here are my recommendations in no particular order 😀
#1 Watch the Sun Rise!
It may be the windy side but the sun rises shortly after 6 every morning and it’s definitely worth getting up to watch it come up. If you go to the dock to the south of Palapas, you might even get to see the eagle rays. Several times I saw three of them gracefully cutting through the water. Once I was treated to dolphins gracefully jumping right in front of me!
#2 Visit the Iguana Sanctuary
The Iguana Eco Corner is a 5 minute walk from the Drift Inn and on the Lagoon side of San Pedro. There’s an eagle’s nest right outside it so don’t forget to look up. The sanctuary is small but it’s definitely worth a visit. Walk the path slowly and make sure you look deep into the mangrove trees. There are some big beautiful male iguanas in there. Leave a donation if you’ve enjoyed your visit.
#3 Visit Secret Beach
Secret beach isn’t much of a secret and everyone tells you to go there. You need to rent a golf cart or a bike to get there. Apparently you can rent ebikes too. If I’d known that I might have chosen that rather than a golf cart since I was on my own. Oh well. It was fun and I ended up picking up a couple of young men walking to work. Picking up hitch hikers is certainly NOT something I’d do at home but lots of folks do it on the island. I never felt in danger and I do trust my instincts. It’s only about 13 km but takes about 40 minutes by golf cart as the road is horrible. I chose to stay overnight and had booked room at Secret Beach Cabanas. I highly recommend them. Giselle was very welcoming and my room was wonderful. Check it out here: http://secretbeachcabanas.com/
I’m glad I did as I got to experience more than the typical tourist thing. The beach is covered in bars with picnic tables and palapas right in the water. Waiters will serve you drinks no matter how deep you’re in there. There’s an inflatable obstacle course that looks like lots of fun too.
If sitting on the beach eating and drinking isn’t your thing, (it’s not mine) you can walk for a few km south. You will find some beautiful “secret” beaches there. Nobody else will be there. If you snorkel in front of the Secret Cabanas there’s a big green, moray eel. Further south in front of the Blue Bajou is a pile of stones in the water that’s nice to snorkel around too. There are lots of pretty fish and I did find a lobster there. The Blue Bajou is a great place to watch the sunset. The food is okay, though not as great as I’d heard. Note that most of the kitchen’s on the beach close at 5. So, make sure to order before then. Alternatively, eat at the little cafe in front of Secret Cabanas. It’s open later. Not only is the food great but the young couple who operate it are really nice and their prices are the best I’d found on the beach.
#4 Go Bar Hopping
That’s right. I don’t drink and rarely go out at night and I’m saying you really should go bar hopping. The music scene is incredible and there’s always live music playing somewhere. You don’t have to drink or even stay out late but you really should experience the bar scene. The Jerry Jeff Walker festival starts at the end of January. There is even more music on the island then. Musicians come from all over to play together and enjoy music. Since Jerry Jeff died, his song Django has taken it on.
#5 Go on a FOOD tour
San Pedro is home to too many good restaurants to try them all. A food tour lets you sample an really good assortment from Fry jacks to conch fritters and even traditional soup. Book that here: https://www.belizefoodtours.com/
I did a lunch tour and ate so much I didn’t need dinner. You really do need to visit as many different restaurants as you can. Estelle’s for breakfast, Lucy’s Treasure Chest for conch ceviche, El Fogons for conch fritters, Sandbar for the snapper fillet, Maxie’s for traditional rice and beans …. the list goes on. In 10 days I wasn’t able to eat at every restaurant I wanted to. Then there are the bakeries, ice cream shops and the Belize chocolate factory to try as well.
#6 Take a Snorkelling tour to Mexico Rocks
The only way to visit is to go with a tour as it’s a National park and well regulated. I booked it through the Drift Inn with Searious Adventures. (https://seariousadventuresbelize.com/) Bob was a great guide and we saw a lot. There are big chunks of coral there and lots of sea life. Even though it was windy, the surf wasn’t bad for snorkeling and the water was clear.
#7 Take a Snorkelling tour to Hol Chan Reserve and Shark Ray Alley
This one too needs to be done with a guide due to the national park. It’s a busy area with lots of people so not as relaxing as Mexico Rocks. The coral there is not as nice but there is a lot of ocean life to see. Shark ray alley is intense. The guides feed the sharks so they come at the sound of the boat. Yes, you swim amongst them. They’re nurse sharks and not dangerous. They may be curious about you but don’t bite. Apparently the worst they could do is give you a big hickey.
#8 Watch for local fishermen and snorkel from Shore
I spent some time chatting with Roberto, the conch hunter and watched while he cleaned his catch. Shortly after he dropped the leftovers from the conch in the sea, the fish and rays came along for the feast. I stood for quite sometime just enjoying the beautiful creatures as they swam over my feet.
Most mornings I got up early to watch the sunrise from the dock just south of Palapas. Several mornings I saw spotted eagle rays there and once even saw dolphins. You can snorkel around that dock too. There’s a giant green moray eel living in a concrete pot just in front of the dock.
#9 DIVING!!
If you’re a diver, Ambergris Caye is paradise. The MesoAmerican reef (https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/mesoamerican-reef/ ) is the second largest in the world and it meets the island at the north end. There are a lot of dive spots along that reef. Snorkeling the blue hole isn’t worth it as, well, it’s just a hole. Diving it would be really cool. You’ll need to be an experienced diver to do it justice though.
#10 Take a day trip (or spend a couple nights) to Caye Caulker
I didn’t go this trip but if you haven’t been, you really need to experience it. Caye Caulker is very different from Ambergris Caye and easily accessible by water taxi. Learn more about that here: Panama layover. Caye Caulker! Sailing the Meso American Reef.
There’s a lot more to do on the island. I’ve just noted the highlights. There’s a group on facebook called Ambergris Caye tourists. Join that if you’re planning a trip. They’re a wealth of information! https://www.facebook.com/groups/362819780938311
This is a travel blog and sometimes traveling in my own backyard is the best. Fall in Northumberland county is always nice but this year (2022) was particularly amazing. All the stars aligned for beautiful colour and, most of the time, great weather for hiking. I just finished raking the leaves and using most of them to compost my gardens. The rest get brown bagged for pick up and compost by the county.
These were captured within a block of my house near the shores of Lake Ontario
There are so many places to see fall colours in Ontario but if you’re a visitor you will likely have to drive. Public transit can’t get you to the places with the best foliage. For the best views, get out of your car and hike.
Here are some shots of hikes within a 1/2 drive of my home
Some of these hikes are enjoyed with fellow members of the Pine Ridge Hiking Club. They meet at a predetermined location in Northumberland county most Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday mornings and are rarely cancelled due to weather. These hikers are a tough bunch! Interested in joining? Find information here: https://www.pineridgehikingclub.ca/
A highlight of this year’s hikes (2022) was a multiday trip to Frontenac Provincial park. We rented cottages at Snug Harbour where we shared accommodations. Thankfully the cottages were warm and comfortable as we didn’t have great weather. Below are views from the resort: http://www.snugharbour.on.ca/
Despite the amazing weather we’ve had most of the fall of 2022, we managed to go on a hiking trip in the worst weather. One day we even had hail! Oh well. We’re hikers and are a tough lot and for the most part, we could dress appropriately. The trails are varied, with lots of interesting terrain including many bridges and lots of beaver dams. We took turns preparing dinner so we were well sustained too. It was a great trip and I look forward to going again next year!
Frontenac does a challenge every year. Over the months of September and October you’re challenged to hike all 11 loops totalling 160 km of trails in the park. Get more info here: https://www.ontarioparks.com/parksblog/frontenac-challenge/
In 2020 I went on a road trip to see more of Ontario. The province is HUGE and you could spend months exploring without getting bored
*I update this whenever I learn something new (to me) so check back often! Last update August, 2025
If you really want to travel, you probably can. That’s right. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. You DO have to be flexible, be willing to put in some time to do the work and you may have to make some concessions regarding “luxuries”.
Hi! My name is Jodi and I’ve been traveling extensively for about 15 years and visited 82 countries at this point. Along the way I’ve learned a LOT. Several people have asked me how I do it (no, I’m not rich!!) so I thought I’d put it in a post. If you’re interested in traveling for more than a week or two at a time, this post is for you. You will discover how to get off the beaten path a bit and learn how to get away from “resort life”. I’m a budget traveler. I’d rather not spend money on things not important to me so I can spend more on others. I don’t really care what my room looks like. It just needs to be clean, as I spend very little time there. What’s important to ME is seeing and experiencing as much as I can. I’m willing to give up some comfort in the short term. This allows me to utilize the resources I have more efficiently. Here’s what I have learned. If you have more tips, feel free to post them in the comments. There’s always more to learn!!
Travel during shoulder seasons. Not only will you find better deals but there will be fewer crowds too. Often the weather is better. Europe in the summer is high season. It’s often way too hot to do some of the things you want. I love to hike and that’s not nearly as much fun when you’re sweating like crazy. For instance, I visited Plitvice National park in mid May. The weather was gorgeous! I know I lucked out and was prepared for rain. I’d even budgeted an extra day there, just in case. A 2 day ticket to the Plitvice park was 300kn. During high season that’s the fee for ONE day.
Depending on where you’re flying you want to check out skyscanner or Kayak as well. You can set alerts on them and they’ll notify you when the price changes. I also follow a few “deal” sites that occasionally find mistake fares or just some really good deals. You do have to be quick though as those seats go quick! I’ve never had to use it but generally you have 24 hours to change your mind. So you can book something first and figure out how you’re going to manage it later. Here are a few you can follow: If you’re flying out of Toronto, this one is excellent. I follow this and the one for Montreal on Facebook as well. https://www.yyzdeals.com/ This one has provided some great deals too: https://nextdeparture.ca/ Then there’s secret flying. https://www.secretflying.com/
Be Flexible! Try not to pick your dates until AFTER you choose your flight! There are no hard and fast rules on days of the week to travel but often midweek is cheaper. Try alternate airports. Sometimes for me it’s cheaper to fly out of Montreal (rather than Toronto). The train trip there is more expensive so I have to balance that. Recently I travelled South America. I wanted to fly into Lima and out of Buenos Aires. I did some research and juggled dates. I discovered it was about $200 cheaper to fly home from Montevideo, Uruguay. Getting there from BA wasn’t difficult and I got to spend some time in Colonia and Montevideo. Bonus. Doing this for trips to Europe is even easier. It’s cheaper to fly into major airports like Paris, Brussels, Lisbon….etc. Check out the price of trains or buses to where you want to go. Is it worth the price difference? Can you afford the extra time? I enjoy it for the opportunity to visit another destination.
Look for flights on Sundays. Yes, it used to be Tuesdays but recent studies show that the best prices are often on Sundays. Fly on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursdays. Flights are often more expensive on the weekends.
Go to less expensive destinations. The flight might cost more but if accommodations and food are a lot cheaper, it works out. South East Asia is a great destination with lots to see. Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia…..The Philippines are all amazing. Colombia is still really reasonable. There are some areas in Europe you can visit on a budget as well. If you can get there on Aeroplan points all the better! Check out Flytrippers https://flytrippers.com/travel-tips/ to learn how to use credit cards to accrue more points.
Collect points for EVERYTHING! You never know when they’ll add up. I get free groceries with airmiles and PC points. In Canada Triangle rewards can add up for use at Canadian tire or Mark’s Work Wearhouse too. All these savings add up to funds you can use for FUN. Aeroplan, Avios, Westjet rewards…..check out Fly Tripper’s credit card evaluations and utilize your credit to get sign on bonuses. They often have special deals that make getting points faster and easier. I’ve managed to score a few free flights recently. Again, this takes research and time to figure out how best to use the points and when. Again, IF you REALLY want to travel for less, it CAN be done.
READ THE BOOKING PROCESS CAREFULLY!!! Do you want to check a bag? Bring carry on only? Don’t just assume their “bundles” are the best price. Often you get things you don’t need. Example. I recently flew Ryan air and wanted to bring a carry on bag. That’s extra. The bundle included priority boarding and seat assignment, neither of which I cared about for a 1.5 hour flight so I read further. For me it was cheaper to CHECK my bag than carry it on! Airlines are charging for EVERYTHING these days.
I start with mapping it out using Rome to Rio. Find that here: https://www.rome2rio.com/ This is an EXCELLENT tool for mapping out transportation. You can use trains, planes, automobiles, ferries….you get the picture. Play with it. It’s great fun for figuring out different ways to get places. You can use it for just getting from A to B or for creating an entire itinerary.
There are a couple of apps that can be handy for planning a route. You can use Google Maps or Maps.me. ALLTRAILS has lots of routes for cyclists or hikers and sometimes has town walks. Nomadi is one that’s new to me that I used in recent trips to Europe. It’s great for city walks and planning routes to see points of interest and restaurants.
Trains are my favourite. Stations are in areas of town easily accessed by other public transit or your own two feet. You can book those for all over through OMIO: OMIO LINK Trainline works for most of Europe too.
FERRIES
If you can’t get there by train then ferries often work great. Right now OMIO is offering 15% off ferry trips if you book through this link. OMIO LINK
Getting around
Don’t be afraid to use public transit!! Even if you don’t speak the language, there are often English signs. Just take your time and enjoy. Don’t worry about getting lost. You’ll get found again and you might see something interesting along the way. Google maps is your friend for transit and for walking, use an app called Maps.me You download the map and it works without data. It’s often easier than google to use when walking.
My favourite site is Booking.com. Click here to search for your accommodations: Booking.com With all the bookings on one site, it keeps track for me of where I’m going and when. It’s got great directions too and even in the local language. If you have to ask someone for directions, that’s handy. I try to find something as close to the sites as possible so I can walk everywhere. It saves on the cost of transportation. From there I choose by price, lowest first, and I check the reviews. I look for something with a 7.5 or higher. READ the reviews, especially the bad ones. They can be enlightening as sometimes it’s the negative reviews that convince me it’s the place for me. I have learned that a higher price does not mean a place is nicer. It is not more comfortable, and it definitely doesn’t mean it’s cleaner. Smaller, family operated accommodations are often friendlier and more helpful than that big chains. The bonus is you often get a more culturally authentic experience. Some folks like AirBnb. I’m not a fan. I’ve seen the negative impact it has had on places like Porto, Lisbon, and Barcelona.
There are other sites that are helpful for finding budget accommodations. Expedia is good when combining a flight. Agoda and hostel bookers are other sites that are decent. Fly trippers recommends hotels.com as they offer rewards of 10%
If you like fancy hotels, Hotwire often has great last minute deals.
In some places I’ve stayed in hostels. If you are traveling with a friend, you can often get a private room in a hostel for a decent price. Often you even have access to a kitchen and a common room. You can save money by making some meals or even just making your own coffee. A bonus to hostels is you often get to meet people too. In the Abraham Hostel in Jerusalem we got to participate in a Shabat dinner. That was really interesting! Hostels often have a travel desk. They can help you find less expensive ways to see sights. These include free walking tours. Those are my favourite. In most cities it’s one of the first things I do. Free walking tours are tip based. Most of them are excellent because they don’t get paid unless you’re happy. It’s a great way to acclimatize yourself to a new place. They often have great recommendations for things to see and where to eat. Sandeman’s tours are world wide. Here is their Europe site: https://www.neweuropetours.eu/free-tours/ For tours world wide: https://www.freetour.com/
There are many times I prefer to take a tour rather than plan everything myself. There are lots of good operators out there. I look for small groups, less than 20 people. I don’t want to feel part of a herd. I also look for lots of free time and few meal inclusions. I don’t want to eat 3 meals a day. Not only will I get fat but it’s very time consuming. I don’t want to be with the group all the time as I like to explore on my own. However, it is nice to meet and spend time with people.
Start with looking at Tour Radar for ideas. CLICK HERE
One company I’ve used a lot is G Adventures. You can look through my posts at all the trips I’ve taken with them (over 20 now!). They’ve all been great. This is especially true for solo travelers. There’s no single supplement if you’re willing to share a room. I’ve done it many times and rarely had a difficult room mate. Often I combine a tour and time on my own. I’ve even met several future travel buddies that way!
I haven’t used a travel agent in years as any I’d tried were of very little help. Recently I connected with Maude Mainguy who has REALLY helped me save some money on tours. She specializes in G Adventures sales and knows her stuff. Maude responds quickly and uses many communications methods including Messenger and WhatsApp. Check her out!
None of these are expensive. While it might be cheaper to do on your own, it often balances out as they help optimize your time.
This blog post is written by Carly, a travel agent who specializes in small group tours. Here she compares various companies. It gives you a fantastic explanation of all of them so you can all the info in one place. Check it out! G Adventures VS Intrepid….etc
Some folks use Viator or Get your guide for day tours or even multi day trips. I’ve used them occasionally. Most of the time, I use them for information and figure it out on my own.
That’s a big one. In these days of smart phones, it’s your best friend when traveling. Take pictures of all your documents. You can store plane tickets, boarding passes, train tickets, tour tickets….everything goes on your phone. For that reason you MUST guard it carefully. Pick pockets are your biggest threat in cities, especially at train and bus stations and any crowded place. I have mine on a tether strap. When walking with it I often wrap it around my wrist when it’s not around my neck. This one is great:
To stay connected you’ll need a sim card. Sure, you can pay for international roaming but that’s expensive. I have purchased local sims at the airport in the past. It’s not the cheapest place to get one but I often need it to navigate my way to the accommodation. (Have I mentioned how good I am at getting lost?) On my last few trips I discovered eSims They work great for the most part. You don’t have a phone number with E-sims. Make sure you don’t need two factor authorization for banking, etc.
You install it at home at your leisure and activate it upon arrival. On my recent trip to Greece, it received as much service as any other. Sometimes, it performed better when others had no service. The one I used is called Airalo. https://www.airalo.com/
For my trip to Greece it cost me $16 CAD for a month with 5 gig of data. Since then I’ve purchased one for a trip to the UK, South America and the USA. The beauty of this is you don’t have to take out your sim card and fear losing that tiny thing. It stays in your phone and you just reactivate it on the plane on the way home.
Use this code and both of us get $3 USD off our next eSim purchase! JODEA3430 Airalo.com
On my last trip I tried a new eSim from Singapore. It worked great for Europe but apparently doesn’t cover South America. The nice thing about Eskimo is that you can get a 10 gig global eSim. It doesn’t expire for 2 years. So if you’re doing lots of travel it might be the way to go for you. Go to this link ESKIMO Use the code JODEA171729 and we both get an extra 500 MB free.
If a tech challenged person like me can install an eSim, so can you.
This one is a toughie. Of course it depends on your destination but regardless, I don’t usually check a bag. There are many reasons for this. It saves time at airports waiting at the carousel to pick up your bag and ensures your luggage won’t get lost. Most airlines now charge extra for checked baggage. The BIGGEST reason is I don’t want to carry a lot of stuff with me. It’s so much easier to climb 3 flights of stairs with a back pack than a heavy suitcase. Navigating trains and buses is much easier with less stuff as well. So. What kind of bag do I like? Well, I’ve tried a LOT of them.
Travelers love Osprey. I don’t get it. I used a fairview 40 for a trip to Japan for a month. The best thing about it was that it was comfortable to carry. However, the compression straps are on the outside. They make it impossible to access any of the pockets without taking it all apart. The water bottle pockets are useless. Since it’s so highly rated, it was easy to sell when I got back.
My favorite bag is the eBags Mother Lode Weekender. I had the larger version but switched to the Junior, which is spacious enough. It’s expandable, so packing is easier with an extra 2″ of space. Start with it compressed to fit in airline measurement boxes. The blue bag from Hynes is good too, but it feels less durable. I’ve tried Eagle Creek bags, but they tend to be heavy. The Eagle Creek Cargo Hauler (40 liters) is lightweight but lacks pockets. Wheels add extra weight, often making bags hard to lift into overhead compartments, especially for shorter people. Wheels are impractical on stairs, and not all hotels have elevators. My soft-sided bag fits easily in overhead bins, even when airlines measure carry-ons. Since the pandemic, airlines have tightened policies on oversize bags. On a recent Ryan Air flight, checking my carry-on was cheaper than storing it in the overhead. Always check your airline’s luggage policies before flying!
Now what to pack IN your bag? I use compression packing cubes. Link here. It helps keep your bag organized and lets you put more in it. One is used for under things one for shirts and one for trousers. On the last trip I also took one for a couple of dresses. Pack enough clothing for a week and do laundry on the road. Undies can be easily washed in the sink using hand soap. Soap is soap. Depending on the climate you’ll need: 5-6 underwear (some say 3. One to wear, one to wash and one to spare but I just can’t do it!) 3-4 pairs socks. Again, depends on climate. An extra bra. 2 swim suits if it’s a hot trip. A bikini top can double as a bra if needed. 4-5 tee shirts, 1-2 long sleeved, layers for colder trips. 1 pair of pants. 2 shorts. A dress or nicer top to wear for nice dinners. On the plane wear layers. A tee shirt, long sleeved shirt, pants and jacket and your heaviest shoes. I wear hiking shoes and bring sandals as well as a pair of flip flops. If it gets colder you can bring a packable down jacket. I’d wear it on the plane. It doubles as a pillow on the flight too. Your list might be different but you get the point. LESS is better. Make sure everything goes together. Pick a colour scheme you can mix and match. I didn’t pack much more than that for a 10 week trip to Australia and New Zealand or a 2 month trip to Europe. I picked up a couple new tee shirts along the way as I was so sick of my clothes. Toiletries. Is there anything special you can’t buy there? Remember all your liquids must be less than 100 ml (3.4 oz) each and fit in a 1 litre bag. I usually bring the minimum and buy things like body lotion on the way.
Personal Item. You can bring a small back pack or purse. When I’m going on a trip where I plan to hike a lot, I bring a light weight packable backpack pictured below. For recent Europe trips I was visiting more cities so I took a “nicer” back pack. It’s a little more pick pocket proof as the big pocket sits against my back. In that bag you must fit any electronics and necessities. Some like travelon or other official antitheft bags but you have to REMEMBER to close the lockable zippers properly. I’ve never had a bag slashed but that is a consideration. That bag goes under the seat in front of you on the plane.
Some say you don’t need cash but I’ve found when budget traveling, you use it a lot more. Smaller establishments prefer it. I usually bring about $200 USD or Euro for back up. This I carry in a money belt with my passport. It’s the emergency stash. I rarely use it and just keep it for the next trip but when you need it, you NEED it. Also in the money belt I keep a spare credit card and a debit card. If you’ve ever had a card compromised, you know that you do NOT want that to happen when you’re far from home. You want to avoid this situation at all costs. If it does you want to have access to an alternative.
I have a credit card I use specifically for travel. In Canada, the one I used recently changed their “no fees” to a 1.5% conversion fee. It still saves 1% and has a 1% cash back so you break even. The BRIM mastercard. It has a few other perks too.
One is Hometrust and the other is an RBC card that has a fee. That one might be worth it if it has a good sign on bonus. It also offers other perks. One is lounge access if that’s your thing. YES. ALL the other cards charge you 2.5% conversion fee on EVERY foreign currency penny. That adds up. There’s also a WISE debit card that you can preload with the currency you’ll need on the road. https://wise.com/
My debit card is from Motive Financial and it too has no conversion fees. Your bank might have one too. Make sure you ask. Many add another 2.5% or more to the conversion rate in addition to ATM fees. Nobody likes paying bank fees! Upon arrival at my destination I often take the maximum amount from the ATM and split the cash up in various places. I’m lucky enough to have never been robbed but have been with several people who have.
If your debit card isn’t great, you can preload your brim credit card and use it as a debit card. As long as there is NOTHING owing on the card, you won’t pay interest on a cash withdrawal.
Sometimes it’s worth it to pay fees for credit cards and I’m still learning the credit card hacking thing. They often have sign on bonuses. You use those to accumulate points to obtain free flights or hotel stays. It’s always been a big thing in the US and is getting better here in Canada.
If you’re really serious about traveling for less, credit card hacking is really worth looking into. YES, it’s work! I have learned a TON from Andrew on this site. He does videos on how to use credit cards to accumulate points and travel for MUCH less. The banks always make money. Why not use them to your advantage?
Don’t leave home without it. Seriously. Check your credit card. The insurance on that may be enough. Review it carefully and make sure you are covered for a medical emergency as you NEVER know when that will happen. Make sure you know the process if it does. Have the numbers in your phone. Better yet, print out a copy of the insurance certificate. Trip interruption is often on your card as well. USE IT! I’ve submitted claims for a hotel room and breakfast when a connecting flight was canceled. It worked. They often have some cancellation insurance as well. Before you waste money on an outside policy make sure you’re not already covered. I have an annual policy with Medoc but if your trips aren’t longer than 2 or 3 weeks (or are over 65!) you probably don’t need that. For me it’s great as they have supplemental insurance for trips over 35 days that is reasonable. Note that in Canada you might need out of province insurance even on domestic trips. Again, check your credit cards!
There’s a LOT of information in this post! Way too much to process at once and more than you’ll need for any one trip. Bookmark it and refer to it next time you’re planning a trip. Only YOU can set your priorities. If you want to travel, only YOU can make it happen. Good luck! Please share any tips you have in the comments!
Thanks!!
Rakuten: Not exactly travel related but helps save a bit of money
Do you use Rakuten (formerly Ebates)? If not, you really should. It’s easy and costs you nothing. It’s a cash back site. Retailers pay a commission and Rakuten in turn shares that with you in the form of cash back. Many travel sites have access to it including Viator and Booking.com. Use this link for an extra 10% backRAKUTEN
Where in the world is Jodi? 