South America 2006

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I arrived in Buenos Aires on 28 June 2006. The next day I travelled to Posadas and a few days later went to Puerto Iguazú to see the famous Falls. Then I moved into Brazil and spent 4 weeks there. After Brazil I travelled for 6 weeks through the Spanish-speaking countries of Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, Bolivia, and Argentina.

In all, I covered about 16,000 kilometres in buses and 4,000 in internal flights. I spent about 282 hours on buses (that's nearly 12 full days) plus many hours waiting in bus terminals. My longest trip - but not the worst - was 32 hours between Fortaleza and Belem. The best trip was that from Salta to Buenos Aires near the end.

I carried all my stuff in one large backpack (mochila) and one small backpack. Basically I lived in two pairs of trousers and two shirts which I alternated. I wore my walking boots the entire time; (although I had ordinary shoes with me I used them only once). 

I carried my large backpack only while travelling and then stored it either in the hotel room or a locker in the hostel; but my small pack generally accompanied me everywhere I went. It contained emergency toilet paper, chocolates, my rainproof jacket, water bottles, toiletries (like toothpaste etc), the guide book, pen, pencil, Sudoku book, reading glasses and any other item I considered useful/necessary.

My money - in US dollars or local currency - and passport were carried in a body pouch, and/or several pockets including one hidden pocket.