Would you like a mugging with that?
Last time we left you we had just crossed the border into Brazil at Foz do Iguaçu to take in a second helping of the gorgeous Iguazu Falls. That night, we hopped on an overnight bus that would take us to the massive city of Sao Paulo—a semi-cama bus (think airplane-style reclining seats), with no meals, no wine, no late night champagne, and no movies, all at a higher cost than the most luxurious bus we took in Argentina. Next time you get into a ‘my bus system is better than your bus system’ fight, side with Argentina. Seriously, we got into a few on our travels. It...
Read MoreHow to access your money in Argentina
Though I know most of you are waiting (somewhat) patiently for our Bolivia post, we thought it was important to interrupt the order of our blog temporarily for some travel advice. How to access your money in Argentina. Though we have been loving most parts of Argentina since we arrived 30 hours ago, one aspect has been hampering our fun. We couldn’t take out more than 320 pesos ($110 CAD) from an ATM at a time. With, with a hefty bank fee of $3 to $5 dollars a transaction, this was going to make Argentina notably more expensive than anticipated. To make matters even worse, we could...
Read MoreThe Bad, and The Ugly
Ok, so “Peru was full of highlights”, “some of the most amazing sights that we have seen in our 307 days on the road”, etc. etc., but there is another side to Peru—a darker, frustrating side. What Allison failed to mention about the Amazon Basin is that everything there wants to either kill you or make you want to itch, a lot. Want to go for a relaxing swim to counter the oppressing daytime heat? Watch out for piranhas. Leisurely stroll through the jungle? Beware of the tree that shoots fire ants when you brush up against it. Relaxing in a hammock? Just be...
Read MoreA very expensive experience
Well, we’ve finally had the quintessential South American experience. We’ve been robbed. More accurately, we’ve been robbed twice. The first time was in the middle of the Amazon jungle. Foolishly thinking we were isolated from societal ills, we left one of our money belts buried deep in one of our bags in our room. After returning from dinner one evening, Allison asked me why I had taken out the passports. As soon as she finished that sentence, I knew. We were out 400 soles (about $160 CAD). Fortunately, the culprit did leave our passports (if you’re reading...
Read MoreThinking about Koala’s Backpackers? Think Again.
If you are thinking about taking a self drive 4×4 tour to Fraser Island and wondering who to go with, I would think twice about booking through Koala’s Backpackers in Hervey Bay. Our trip was fun – the 4×4 was sketchy but roomy, our fellow travellers were great company and for the most part the provided gear worked (make sure to check your ground sheet for holes before you set off!) – but the staff at Koala’s really are terrible and I would recommend going elsewhere. Here is the letter of complaint I sent back in January and didn’t ever receive a...
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