[kerouac]

I am going to start planning my trip soon to Argentina, Brazil, and Columbia (and maybe some other places down under) and I was hoping I could get some suggestions from you guys.

First, budget, I'm thinking about trying to keep this around $5k, mas o menos. I would ideally like to live in one place for a couple of months (at least) to try to pickup un poco mas espanol, and from Roosh's guides, it seems like Cordoba might be the place, although that suggestion may not be as valid after his more recent trip to Columbia.

So basically, what's the best way to maximize pleasure and fun, and keep it around 5-7K for at least 3, and hopefully more like 6, months of travel?

Would it be better, do you think, if I limited myself to just Argentina and Brazil? Or would I be missing out on a lot?

[simonh]

I've traveled extensively throughout South America. I'm not too good at game, but I can say that the hottest girls are from Brazil (especially in the south) with Argentina a close second, and that the other countries aren't worth visiting if you're just going for the women.

[Kona]

What kind of South American travel have you done so far?

Your trying to keep it around 5g's, whats your absolute max?

Aloha!

[thegmanifesto]

I know everyone will jump all over me (so to speak) for saying this, but 5k for 3 months is extremely lean.

(Unless you plan on pulling heists, or moving cane like a cripple).

$5000/ 90 = $55.50.

If you can pull that off, you are The G.

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[kerouac]

Ok, then maybe 7000

I would like to live there for maybe 3-6 months, so I was figuring if I lived somewhere like Cordoba or Buenos Aires for 4-5 months paying an estimated monthly rent of $500-600 for a room, that would be $3000 (600*5), and that would leave me 2-4k depending on how I decide to live to study spanish at a school for a couple of months, and maybe teach a little English.

My goals are to start learning Tango, improve my spanish, and surround myself with beautiful girls.

And then, spend 1 month traveling Brazil and maybe Columbia before I head back.

So, 3k for rent in Argentina, and (conservatively) 3k for food/booze/classes. Food should be cheap, booze, I am guessing, will be cheap (good argentinian wine, beer, drink at home with invited girlfriends), and classes for tango/spanish.

Does that sound realistic?

[Roosh]

I think your budget is too low for travel to three countries. $5k is good enough to live in Medellin or Cordoba for 3 months (with occasional Spanish lessons) including airfare, and maybe a little less in Brazil without lessons. UNLESS you solely couchsurf.

If you've never been to s. america before, it's hard to go wrong with a Cordoba + Rio trip. The different languages will inhibit serious learning though. If you want to get good in spanish then do Medellin + Cordoba. Study two hours a day, get out of the hostel, and you'll be very proficient within 6 months.

[Roosh]

I think you can find rent more towards $300 a month in cordoba using http://www.compartoapto.com

To give you a guide, I spend about $1200-1500 a month in Medellin including everything except health care. I go out about 2-3 times a week but I cook all my meals. Budget estimations are really hard to pin down, but know that you can adjust there if you're spending too much. If you want to stay in south america for as long as possible, move to Cordoba or Medellin and when you have $2k left go to Rio and live like a king until the money runs out.

[Kona]

(10-19-2009 09:20 PM)kerouac Wrote:  

Surround myself with beautiful girls.

Mr. Kerouac,

I have read of your sweet spot for French girls. You should really consider The Guianas. The last actual from France French girl I landed was in French Guiana. They are everywhere and topless at the beach. It's like anywhere else, the girls tend to want to cut loose on foreign soil.

The big city there is Cayenne, and you know your gonna have a good time anyplace named that.

Aloha!

[elguapo]

I read up on Cayenne but I heard it's pretty pricey by itself + being euro based.

Does anyone speak English or is French mandatory?

[Kona]

(10-19-2009 10:18 PM)elguapo Wrote:  

Does anyone speak English or is French mandatory?

French is big, but there's a lot of English speakers. Its a diverse kind of place.

Aloha!

[speakeasy]

Where's Chile on the list? Lol.

I really liked Chile and would've voted for it. The women weren't anything to write home about so no need to go there for the girls, but scenery is pretty amazing. Glaciers, wine valleys, Volcanos, Andes, deserts. Valparaiso and Vina del Mar are pretty awesome towns too.

[kerouac]

Merci Mr. Kona for the tip. I will look into French Guiana. If there is one thing j'adore, as you know, it's la femme francaise. And if there's one thing I adore more than the French girl, it is the naked French girl.

Roosh, I know you're a big fan of Cordoba. When you say BA is too big and too polluted in your BA travel guide, is there a city in US or Europe you could compare it to? I'm imagining Barcelona for some reason.

I just found this site "Cost of Living in Buenos Aires". Would you guys say the prices on the site are a good guide?

Man, this is getting exciting. I can't wait to get On The Road again ;P

[kerouac]

(10-19-2009 10:44 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  

Where's Chile on the list? Lol.

I really liked Chile and would've voted for it. The women weren't anything to write home about so no need to go there for the girls, but scenery is pretty amazing. Glaciers, wine valleys, Volcanos, Andes, deserts. Valparaiso and Vina del Mar are pretty awesome towns too.

I thought I forgot something

How much time would you suggest to travel in Chile?

[thegmanifesto]

"When you say BA is too big and too polluted in your BA travel guide, is there a city in US or Europe you could compare it to? I'm imagining Barcelona for some reason."

That is the common thinking.

But I think it is a rough comparison.

Barcelona is more beautiful, architecturally and naturally. Plus it is on the coast legitimately.

Nightlife is kind of similar. Barcelona being more diverse and more options in my opinion.

BA has tons of beautiful girls and so does Barcelona.

More pinnacle beauty in Barcelona. BA's average girl is extremely high though.

Both places girls are not a walk in the park as far as easiness.

Barcelona girls speak less English, and they also speak Catalan.

Can't go wrong with either one though.

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[thegmanifesto]

(10-19-2009 09:33 PM)Kona Wrote:  

(10-19-2009 09:20 PM)kerouac Wrote:  

Surround myself with beautiful girls.

Mr. Kerouac,

I have read of your sweet spot for French girls. You should really consider The Guianas. The last actual from France French girl I landed was in French Guiana. They are everywhere and topless at the beach. It's like anywhere else, the girls tend to want to cut loose on foreign soil.

The big city there is Cayenne, and you know your gonna have a good time anyplace named that.

Aloha!

Kona, break this down more.

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[PartyTime]

The exchange rate in Argentina is REALLY great right now, poor in brazil, and ok in Colombia.

Rio is a very expensive city.

Cordoba is amazing. Its got all the good points of a smaller city (cleaner, cheaper, prettier, less traffic, etc) yet unlike most smaller cities, its got amazing nightlife, and lots of young college aged girls. If you are under 30, this tow[/quote]n is gold. Over 30, you might have some trouble hitting on the 19 and 20 year olds (BTW, I'd be interested to hear if any older cats have done well in cordoba. I want to keep hitting it up when im in my thirties

I realize this is not always possible, One of the best ways to keep travel cheap is to travel with friends. One my recent trip to medellin, there was 3 of us. We stayed in a really high end apartment in the best part of town. newly built, 2 months, wood floors, granite counter tops, modern trendy furniture, HUGE balcony, rooftop views, 24hr security, 3 bathrooms, 2 bedrooms, $70 bucks a night, divided among 3 is only $23 per person. A steal. Also taxi's, and other things are way cheaper when slit 3 ways.

[elguapo]

Rio is expensive.

The Brazilian real has appreciated against the USD$ the most out of all currencies this year. I'm not hurting yet, but I'd hate to see it reach new lows.

Brazil is a MUST see country, however. It's definitely in a league of its own when compared to other S.A. countries. It's like another planet here compared to the other countries...


Argentina (Buenos Aires) is cool overall with a European vibe and more civilized feel than Rio.

[Roosh]

Cordaba is similar to Merida, Venezuela. Can't think of city in the u.s. or europe like it.

I agree that Valparaiso, Chile is an awesome city, but more from a tourism stopover standpoint. Chile is quite expensive compared to Argentina, yet Argentina surpasses it in every way.

[speakeasy]

(10-19-2009 11:03 PM)kerouac Wrote:  

(10-19-2009 10:44 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  

Where's Chile on the list? Lol.

I really liked Chile and would've voted for it. The women weren't anything to write home about so no need to go there for the girls, but scenery is pretty amazing. Glaciers, wine valleys, Volcanos, Andes, deserts. Valparaiso and Vina del Mar are pretty awesome towns too.

I thought I forgot something

How much time would you suggest to travel in Chile?

Shoot, I don't know, depends on what exactly you want to see. If you want to go to Patagonia you could do that in several days. It's very long and thin country so if you wanted to cover the entire country from north to south you could be there several weeks at least. A lot of people fly into Santiago, spend a few days there, head over to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar for a few days, then head up north to San Pedro de Atacama and do the jeep trip to Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia. That could be done within 10 days.

[Kona]

(10-19-2009 11:16 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

Kona, break this down more.

It's a lot like the Saint-Tropez but smaller. Cayenne that is. There's an oceanside section with big yachts and buildings similar to the south of France.

Lots of French people running around because I think it technically is France. The French Navy has a big setup there.

The really strange part about FG that I remember was driving out into the jungle to towns filled with people (lots of people) the French had moved from Cambodia and Vietnam. It was like little Asian villages out there. It was pretty sick.

The water in the Atlantic is really clear there. There are a lot of little islands off the coast too. Diving and fishing were just ok though, something happened to their reef.

You should check it out G. You gotta hit the Asian towns though. Seriously they were like backwoods Burma.

Aloha!

[thegmanifesto]

Kona,

Any surf spots?

What time is last call?

Food good?

I have to admit I am impressed you have been to French Guiana. There is so little data out there on it, and difficult to get to.

Maybe bust out a fresh thread on it.

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[kerouac]

Re: Brazilian Visa & Banking

I'm reading up on the Brazilian visa and it looks like you have to use it within 90 days of the date issued. If I will be traveling to other South American countries for a period longer than 90 days before I enter Brazil, how will that work? Can I get a Brazilian visa as an American in Argentina or something?

Also, what about the Argentinian visa for stays past 90 days, can you get an extension to the tourist visa?

And for Banking/ATMs, I'm looking at HSBC and Citi, does anyone have any suggestions?

[elguapo]

Yes, you can get BR visa in any BR consulate abroad.

AR visas can be renewed indefinitely by ferrying over to Uruguay and back every 90 days.

For banks, can't go wrong with either HSBC/Citi. In fact I like to use HSBC ATMs.

[NeVerGymLess]

I did the same trip as your planning. I spent around 1000 a month in Argentina, 1200 in Brazil and 1000 in Colombia. I also spent $800 on a one way ticket to Colombia , I wish i went overland across Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador with this money though. The Caribbean coast is cheap as hell in Colombia. You could get by on $15 a day up there.


At the time I went to Argentina it was pretty cheap , $7 on hostel room , and i was eating $2 juicy steaks every day. Duno , what its like now, they always have crazy inflation goin on.

For your brazil Visa , takes one day at Iguazu Falls .

[thegmanifesto]

"At the time I went to Argentina it was pretty cheap , $7 on hostel room , and i was eating $2 juicy steaks every day. "

What year was this?

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com