Climate & Weather Averages in Patagonia, Argentina

Hello mongolia! How is everyone doing? I am here today as an ambassador from argentina, wishing everyone here a great day in the name of said subreddit. So, why am I here? argentina has started this community program called "Embajadores de REDDIT" or "Reddit ambassadors", with the objective of visiting the subreddits of different nations so that we can have a friendly interaction and get to know eachother a bit better! This year, I will be argentina's ambassador on this subreddit. During the post, I will be touching different topics. Feel free to skip around them or ask any questions you might have, and I will do my best to respond! And if you have any doubts, interests, or questions that haven't been covered in this post or the comments, please do visit argentina to ask more! We are happy to welcome you!
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The Food
To start, I would love to tell you guys a bit about my country, and as a foodie, I will start with the traditional foods you may find in Argentina. The most common and iconic meal here is the Asado, which is a type of barbeque traditional in southern latin america. You see variations of it in Brazil and Chile, but it is in Argentina and Uruguay where it shines. Given that Argentina is known for its meats, massive pastures, and agriculturally friendly weather, it should come as no surprise that it is tradition here to eat meat in great quantities. There are regional variations on what meats you'll most commonly find, but the typical Asado you will find in the centre of the country (that is to say anywhere between Buenos Aires and Córdoba, two massive cities) is mainly composed of beef and pork, and it is a tradition (one that has been impacted by Covid, sadly) to share the meal with friends and family every sunday! We usually cook the asado on a parrilla (grill) over either a wood or charcoal fire (gas grills haven't caught on here), and the end result is a delicious lunch or dinner.
Now, how do we get all the meat down? Usually, we go for wine, which is another of my country's strong suits. The Andes mountain range works as the geographical backbone of the country, and it is prime ground for wine making, with the province of Mendoza being particularly famous for producing internationally acclaimed wines of amazing taste and quality, but that isn't the only drink we have here. Mate, an infusion made from yerba mate leaves, traditionally drank from a cured gourd which is passed around in a circle, with everyone sharing the same gourd and straw (another covid impacted tradition). It is Argentina's (and southern south america's) version of tea, to give an approximation.
Now, I mentioned regional foods, but these two are eaten everywhere. Truth be told, most "regional" foods in Argentina are found all across the country, only one region tends to consume them much more heavily than others, and one example of this is the empanada. Usually associated with pizza in the plains region of the country, the empanada really shines in the rocky, mountainous steppes of the north west, in the North West region of the country. I had the pleasure of visiting the city of Salta and trying the local empanadas, and I will say there is a reason why that city, and province of the same name, is known for empanadas the same way Mendoza is known for wines, but... What is an empanada? Well, it is a type of dumpling, filled with many possible fillings, although the most common ones are cow meat, ham & cheese, and corn, usually baked in an oven or fried. They are absolutely delicious, and work well as street food, even though you usually get them in sit down restaurants.
That covers the far north, but what about the south? That is where you start losing track of the cow meat in the asados, and goat begins to take its place. The south of argentina, the Patagonia region, is known for its mostly arid and desolate weather, where the grass needed to properly maintain cows is not found, but this lends itself to ovine friendly regions, making goat and sheep the go tos. Traditionally, goat is cooked a little differently, usually roasted whole over an open flame. The gamey flavour of the animal really shines through in Ushuaia, the southernmost city of the country, where you get goat that is fed with rock moss instead of grass, making the meat taste particularly great.
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The Country
Anyway, enough rambling about food. Let's talk hard, cold facts. Argentina is the 8th largest country in the world, spanning 2,780,400 square kilometres in territory. It is divided into 5 regions: The regions of the North West (where you find the best empanadas), North East (where yerba mate comes from), Cuyo (where we make wine), pampeana (the plains/grasslands where cow and pig is the most prevalent, and what got Argentina the nickname of "the world's barn"), and Patagonia (where the goats and whales and penguins are, but we don't eat the last two). We have 210 years as an independent country, but have been around for longer under the kingdom of spain, which we promptly kicked out in 1810, helping kickstart the liberation of the entirety of south america in the process. Our official language is Spanish, although it is not your usual spanish. As an immigration happy country, we had our fair share of migratory waves, one of them being italian. This caused Argentina to develop its own way of speaking spanish, which sounds completely different from the rest of spanish speaking countries (except for uruguay, because they had the same happen to them), yet it still remains perfectly understandable to other spanish speaking nations of the world. Our economy (or what is left of it) is mainly based on agriculture, our culture is infuenced heavily by Spain and Italy in the pampa and cuyo regions, the Patagonia region has a bit more UK and German influence (yes, its because of the nazis), and both regions up north are more influenced by local south american cultures such as the guaraní tribes, as well as the fronteering countries.
As a people we tend to be fairly cheery (except for Córdoba. Those guys are jolly as F**K. They also have a very unique way of speaking that nobody really has a clue as to where it came from), and we have gauchos, which are the south american equivalent to the American Cowboy. The gaucho is a rural man, who lives off of the land, with a strong tradition in farming, cattling, and horse riding (something I will come back to later, as I wanna ask you guys about this). The gaucho is an iconic image in Argentina, always sporting their traditional pants called bombacha de campo, a handkerchief around their neck, a hat or a beret, boots, and the signature facón, an argentinian knife often described as an extension of the Gaucho's hand. A gaucho without a facón might as well be handless, some say. It is the gauchos who helped kick spain out, and make the Asado and Mate what they are today. now, there is a distinction between countryside and city folk here. City folk are your typical "on a rush to work" folk, with no time for bs, and usually hot headed (we are very passionate people), but they still tend to help you if you need directions somewhere without a second thought. Country folk? Those are truly generous, kind, easy going people, although a little more reserved.
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One last fact about Argentina is the flag. Parting with the european tradition of making french flag copycats, or using the red, white and blue colour palet, Argentina had its flag designed by Manuel Belgrano in 1812. The blue and white represent the sky. In the centre, you have el Sol de Mayo (the Sun of May). The flag takes its colours from the sky, but it was actually based on the escarapela (cockade in english), which... we really don't know where it came from, but just like the cordobesian accent, it is here to stay. It was used to show patriotism and support for the independence of the country. A little romantic perspective of the flag is that, no matter where an argentinian is, if he or she looks up at the sky, they will see a part of the argentinian flag.
The Sports
Argentina is well known for our sports. We excell at polo, rugby, hockey, and football, although our national sport is pato (which means duck). As horse happy people, gauchos devised this game in which you ride a horse and have to throw a leather ball with handles into a net. Think of it as a mix between football and quiddich, but with horses instead of brooms. Now, where does the duck come in? Let's just say that the use of a leather ball with handles is a bit more recent than the sport itself. You can fill the blanks there.
I am no expert on sports, but Argentina is very keen to let you know that we LOVE football, and with the recent loss of Diego Maradona, you might have seen what that sport - and that man - means to us. Football here is seen as a way to escape the slums, it is the sport that unites everyone, be it from the richest, to the most poor, and it has shaped argentinian culture to a massive degree. The loss of Diego is truly a massive blow to the morale of the country. He was seen as a god on earth by some, a legend, a hero, and a pain in the ass to the british (something we LOVE to have). Due to his passing, football is going through a tough spot.
Rugby is also on a tough spot but... How do I put this? Currently, the argentinian rugby team didn't homage Maradona, which is the argentinian equivalent of turning a cross upside down in a christian church, and at the start of the year, there was a murder in which 7 rugbiers fought one guy, and by fought I mean they attacked him from the back and kicked him to death on the floor, so rugby is a bit tainted as of late.
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Anyway, enough talking about Argentina for now. I will save some info for the comments.
Mongolia
Here in Argentina, we don't really study much of asian history at school. Can't say I remember studying about Mongolia, which is a shame, as I know your country and culture have been around in one form or another for hundreds, if not thousands of years! Wether it is falconry, throat singing, and as I mentioned before, the absolute mastery of horses, your country is rich in traditions that here in Argentina, we sadly do not know much of. I want to know what you guys would consider interesting about your country! What are your traditions, food, sports? What are some places you would recommend an argentinian to visit? I want to learn more about your culture, your country, and your history. Whatever you guys would like the people of the world to know about you, I am eager to hear it! I hope we can learn from eachother and share a great day!
Some questions I like to ask, especially to countries I don't know much about: Do you have more than one local language? What are some traditional clothes from your culture? What are your traditional foods/dreens/cheeses (for some reason, every country has their own cheese, which I find fascinating)? What is the dumbest thing your country is known for? What stereotypes are true, and which ones are false?
To finish this post, I wanted to thank the moderators for giving me the green light to post this, as well as all of you for taking some time of your day to participate.

I grew up fly fishing in Montana. I got my guiding license when I was 18, and was guiding fishing and rafting trips by 20. Barely squeaked through college with a useless communications degree and a C-average, having allocated most my mental bandwidth and effort to guiding, chasing trout, and exploring rivers throughout the American west. After college, about 5 years ago, I applied for a job at a guiding outfitter in Bariloche, a town in Argentine Patagonia. Just visiting Patagonia to fly fish had always been a dream, so moving there to fish and do what I love was an obsessive fantasy. I got the job, and moved down to South America. I learned Spanish in high school, took a couple classes in college, so within the first year I was somewhere between advanced-conversational and fluent. I love the Argentine food, culture, people, the clients who come to fish and explore these mountains, Patagonia itself, and, obviously, the fishing.
The company I work for has a fly fishing, rafting and mountaineering shop in the town of Bariloche. We take clients on horseback mountain trips, mountaineering, climbing, skiing, rafting, hunting, and, more than anything else, fly fishing. We have some more “reasonable” packages, but for the most part, our clients are pretty wealthy. Spending several thousand dollars to float a river and go fly fishing with catered meals at your camps along the way obviously isn’t something everyone can afford. Other than the fishing and landscape, the tips are the best part of this job.
Couple weeks back my boss, Javier, the lead guide and head of this outfitter, pulled me aside to discuss an upcoming trip that a few guys from Idaho booked. Javier was a big, sweet man in his mid-60’s, who’d become a father figure to me since moving down here. A legit gaucho who grew up running cattle in the foothills of the Andes, Javier was the epitome of Argentine cowboy culture.
There’s a small lake way up in the mountains above Bariloche that’s hike-in only, and very rarely visited. It’s eleven miles from the closest place to get a vehicle, and way off any of the main trail routes, so it had been years since Javier had heard of anyone making it up there. Some fly fishing writer went up there in the 1980s and wrote about how it had the biggest brook trout in the world, so some Idaho guys wanted to get there to fish, and had recently contacted our company about booking a trip there. Javier wanted me to lead the trip. I’d heard of this lake before. It was shrouded in local legends. One involved Nazi gold (as most mysteries in Argentina do, it seems), another involved an old ghost that would torment anyone who visited. That kinda bullshit.
My boss wanted me to take one of our aid-de-camps (guide assistant; dude who sets up camp, rows the baggage boat, cooks meals for clients, etc) and a couple pack mules up there a month in advance of these Idaho fellas’ trip. This was something we’d do on big backcountry trips every once in a while, to make sure the route was passable, and to stash some provisions for the clients’ camp so we didn’t have to haul everything up there with the clients. Javier offered to pay me and whoever I picked to come along $500 each to do it. My boss kept reiterating how I didn’t have to, and how he wasn’t trying to pressure me, and kept talking about how dangerous it could be, but I was all about it. Get paid to take a multi-day back country trip to fabled fly fishing holy water in Patagonia that no one’s fished in years? Uh, hell yes.
That next week I asked one of the aid-de-camps, Josh, to come with me (another gringo who moved down here from the States to fish), and we started prepping for the trip. We’d load the pack mules up with dry bags stuffed full of food, camp gear, fishing gear, rain gear, extra feed for the mules, and a full wall-tent for the clients. We also started planning our route in. The first six miles could be done on an existing trail in decent condition. However, the old abandoned 5-mile route from that point to the lake was hard to evaluate with satellite imagery. We could tell it was doable, but couldn’t really tell how bad the landslides or forest windfall had been over the years. On well-maintained trails, with loaded pack mules, I can usually hike about a mile every 20 minutes, so if the route were clear it’d take about 3.5 hours to get up there. However, with the route in bad condition, it could take significantly longer stopping to clear or set paths for the mules. With all that in mind, we agreed to allocate 4-days from drop off to pick up before Javier’d call search and rescue.
We got the mules in the trailer, and Javier drove us up to the closest trailhead to set off. Javier would be back to the trailhead in four days to wait for us (it was a Wednesday morning, so he’d get there Saturday morning). Having grown up elk and deer hunting in Montana, I quickly became Javier’s head guide for the 3-4 British aristocrats, Russian oligarchs, or American… well, rich Texans, who’d come down to Argentina every season for a guided stag hunt. So, that morning Javier gave me his .270 bolt action hunting rifle, “in case of puma,” which Josh and I thought was pretty hilarious. Javier is terrified of mountain lions, or “puma” as they’re called down here, despite the fact there hasn’t been a recorded puma attack on people in Argentina or Chile for decades, so we always gave him a hard time about the fear.
Josh grew up in the foothills of the Wind River range in Wyoming, and had been fishing, hunting, and mountaineering in the back country his whole life, so going with him made me feel safer than Javier’s old rifle.
Josh, Javier and I loaded the pack rigs onto the mules, slammed a quick breakfast at the truck, and Josh and I were ready to set off. I shook Javier’s hand and he gave me one of his “safety lecture incoming” looks, so I jumped into it before he needed to.
“I’ll be safe, Javier. I’ve rucked thousands of sketchy mountain miles under your employ over these last years, many of which were with stupid ass out-of-shape clients, and I did every one of those miles safely. This trip will be no different, my friend. And trust me, if a puma tries to eat one of your mules, I’ll make sure it knows it’ll have to get through me first.” Javier grinned, but I could see concern in his face. He spoke better English than me, but with a strong accent; the kind of accent you’d think would’ve fallen by the wayside on the path to formal fluency, but just never did.
“Ok, ok, ok Rambo. Hey, I mean this, you need to keep yourself safe. There are stories of things at this lake far more dangerous than the puma, ok? I doubt they’re true, but I mean this. Old things go up into these mountains to be forgotten, beasts that do not want to be found. Beasts that want to be left alone. Trust your instincts. Turn back if something feels wrong, ok?” I promised I would, and with that, Josh and I set off.
We each lead one of the mules by rein. The first six miles of the trail was relatively easy. I mean it was steep as hell, but there was a trail in decent condition to enjoy, which wasn’t too technical for the mules, so we made that first stretch in good time. After that we had to veer up a canyon toward the basin where this lake was, and there was no longer any discernable trail at all. You could tell where trees had been removed decades earlier, but it had long over-grown with brush and fallen trees, so it was pretty slow going. Long story short, we navigated lots of deadfall trees, rock slides, and other steep country to get into the basin where this lake is, and made it by late afternoon. From there, based on the GPS, we only had about a mile and a half of relatively flat ground to cover to get to the lake.
We eventually came through the forest and were able to behold the lake from an elevated position. It was breathtaking. On our side of the lake, it was open, with a big several-hundred-acre boulder field leading to the shoreline. On the other side, it was densely forested right up to the water. It was stunning. We could see trout rising to eat the evening-hatched bugs all over the lake. We were both stoked. We decided to set up camp on the boulder-field side of the lake, in a nice sandy area in the alcove of a rock formation for a nice wind break. We found a nice grassy knoll nearby along the creek to tie up the mules so they could eat, hydrate and chill, and we got right to fishing. By sunset, we’d both caught some of the biggest brook trout either of us had ever even seen, let alone touched, and we started a fire and drank some whisky, raising our flasks to the Idaho clients who prompted this scouting trip.
After eating, we were setting up our cots and getting ready to call it a night when I saw a faint light across the lake, on the forested side. It looked like the light of a flame. I pointed it out to Josh. “Fuck me” he exclaimed. “I can’t imagine who else would’ve made it up here the way we came without us having seen their tracks and path, but that looks like a camp alright.”
I nodded. “Could it be a structure or a more established camp someone spends the summers at?”
Josh considered that. “Could be. Definitely looks like a lantern or a cooking fire. We should check it out tomorrow.” With that, we went to bed. I laid in the cot under the most amazing stars you can imagine, and fell asleep watching the small light across the lake, wondering who’d be all the way up here.
The next morning, we got to establishing a more solid camp for the clients, grading a site for the big wall tent, setting up a cooking area, and stashing some of the provisions we brought for the trip with the clients. After that we decided it was time to fish, and maybe check out the camp we’d seen the night before. We packed our day packs with some rain gear, snacks, and I strapped Javier’s rifle onto mine (even in such a remote place, didn’t want to leave a firearm unattended at camp).
After a few hours, we’d worked our way about a quarter of the distance around the lake from camp, hopping along the boulders that pocked our side of the shoreline, fishing and bullshitting as we went. It looked like some weather was rolling in. It had gotten pretty windy and we could see clouds forming over the high pass above the lake basin, so had begun our jaunt back to camp, slaloming back through the boulders and walking in the water when they got too big to climb.
Josh was about 50 yards behind me, when I heard a blood-chilling scream. It actually made me gasp, and adrenaline immediately shot into my hands and face. I turned back and couldn’t see Josh. Then another scream, this one was deeper, which petered out into a groan.
“JOSH!” I yelled. He screamed back. Not my name, or any coherent word, but his scream said pain.
I scrambled back toward where I’d last seen him as fast as I could. I spotted the top of his pack and his head in some gravel between two boulders. When I got closer, I could see he’d fallen into some kind of hole, straight down, about 4 feet deep. I fell to my knees behind him.
“What the fuck happened man?! What’s wrong dude!?” He was screaming in pain. I threw my pack off, and grabbed the shoulder straps of his pack, thinking to pull him up and over the edge of the hole he’d fallen into. I moved him an inch when he let out a horrifying shriek of pain followed by gasping commands; “stop, STOP, dude stop.” I scooted around him and looked down into the hole, and saw the bottom of the hole was lined with sharp, rusty spikes. One was clear through Josh’s left foot, punching up through the laces of his boot, covered in blood, “what the fuck” I breathed out.
Josh was starting to panic. “It’s so fucked dude, it’s so fucked. Oh man this is really bad. Who the fuck did this!?” His eye lids were getting heavy, and he wasn’t focusing, looked like he was about to pass out.
“Josh don’t pass out. We need to get back to camp now. Don’t pass out.” I started to sift through the malaise of the various factoids and procedures from the wilderness first responder training I’d done years earlier, wishing I’d paid better attention. “Josh I’m gonna see if I can get that spike out of the ground.”
I was able to scoot down into the hole on the other side, keeping my feet away from the spikes. I noticed there were pine-branches that had been placed over the hole, all of which still had green pine needles on them. That caught my attention. Obviously this was a human made trap, but based on those green pine needles, it’d been covered up pretty recently. I was able to bend down and get a grip on the 4-5 inches of the spike below the sole of Josh’s boot, which I could feel was warm and sticky with his blood. It was set into the sandy earth probably 5 inches, and I was relieved to find it had some give.
I looked up at Josh. “Dude, I’m going to try and wiggle this thing free, I need you to move your lower leg with my motions so it doesn’t hurt like a motherfucker, alright? We’ll go real slow, I’ll call out the directions.” He nodded frantically. “Ok, right!” I cranked on the spike to Josh’s right, and it moved more than I’d expected. Josh groaned through clenched teeth as we did that 4-5 more times until I could feel it loosen sufficiently. I told him to lift with me, and I hauled it upward from under his boot, and the spike came from the ground. Blood dripped into the sand as Josh held his skewered foot aloft and I scrambled out of the pit.
I was able to pull him out by his pack straps, onto his back in the gravel. Josh picked his head up to look at his skewered foot, aloft in the air with a bloody 15-inch rusty spike through it, and then turned his head to the side as he vomited up the Cliff Bars we’d had for lunch. He coughed and tried to spit the last of his puke out, and I could see the pain of his injury surge and wince through his body with each cough.
Camp was about 500 yards away down the shore of the lake, with the full briefcase-sized first aid kit we’d packed. We agreed to try and get back to camp before removing the spike.
It was slow going. I was Josh’s crutch, and we took lots of breaks so he could rest his quad which was screaming with the effort of keeping his leg out in front of him to avoid smashing a spiked-foot onto the ground. When we made it to camp, we collapsed in the sand at the foot of the boulder we’d slept under the night before. It had started raining so I scrambled into the gear and pulled out the tent we’d brought for ourselves and pitched it as fast as I could to get Josh in there, and keep a dry space for our upcoming “operation.” He scooted in on his back as I held his foot in the air, and I went in after him with the first aid kit.
Josh looked at me with worry. “Dude, I don’t know if we’re supposed to pull this thing out, it could start bleeding really bad, I just don’t know…” I wasn’t sure either. However, it wasn’t bleeding that bad any longer, so we agreed the best course of action was to tourniquet the lower leg, pull the spike out, keep it elevated, cover the wounds with gauze and sterile dressing, then just pad the fuck out of it. After that, we’d figure out how to strap him onto a mule without having to hang his foot, then get the hell back to the trailhead.
My anxiety was matching the wind speed step-for-step as it was increasing outside the noisy, shaking tent. Getting Josh and the mules out of here was going to be a fuckin nightmare in the dark. We both had our good headlamps and rain gear in our backpacks we’d left down the beach, not to mention Javier’s rifle. Josh and I agreed we’d need the packs and that gear to make this escape even remotely possible. “Alright, I’ll go grab our packs, don’t go running off now.” I got Josh to crack smile with that one. I climbed out of the tent, leaving Josh flipping through the first aid booklet that was in the kit, scanning for any additional insights that our dumb asses couldn’t remember.
My fear ramped up as I stood up outside the tent. The clouds were building and coming in over the lake, with the colors of a 2-day old bruise from a horse kick. I set off toward our discarded gear at a trot. With every wind gust and its wolf-howl down the steep, granite slopes around me, I felt the tendrils of panic creeping into my mind. I just kept giving myself the old backcountry mantra: “chill dude – get a grip – panic kills – chill dude – get a grip – panic kills.” I got to our absolutely soaked gear, took a knee, and strapped Josh’s pack onto mine. I heaved the awkward load onto my back, grabbed our fly rods, and started back toward camp.
I trudged about 300 yards when I heard a scream from straight ahead of me. I stopped and looked up, straining my eyes to see through the 200 yards of sideways sheets of rain between me and camp. What I saw shocked me.
A man in a dark coat was standing outside the tent where I’d left Josh, staring down at Josh, who was now lying on his back in the sand outside, with his foot in the air. Josh had his hands up, palms facing the man standing above him, and it looked like the man was talking to Josh. I couldn’t believe it. It was shocking seeing another human in a place this remote. Then, suddenly, the presence of this man, the fact that Josh had just fallen into a man-made trap, and Javier’s ominous warnings about this place all weaved together into a cist of dread that ruptured in my gut. My adrenaline revved into the red and I began sprinting toward camp.
I made it maybe 15 steps when I heard a crack that shot ice into my veins and froze me in my tracks. A gunshot. I strained my eyes again to look toward camp. Josh’s hands and feet were now flaccid in the sand. As soon as my brain registered what looked like the man aiming a pistol down at Josh’s head, a flash at the muzzle of the pistol made me blink in surprise. A fraction of a second later I flinched so bad I almost lost my footing when a deafening crack smacked into my eardrums, as the noise of the bullet raced after it’s light. I couldn’t process what I’d just seen. Did he actually just shoot a gun?
Then two more flashes, with delayed blasts slamming into my ears a split-second later. All three times the muzzle flashed, a halo of sand kicked out around the grotesque twitch of Josh’s skull and shoulders. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think. Maybe 4-5 seconds passed between the first shot and the last, but it felt like an hour.
I dropped. I dropped into the gravel behind the closest boulder and frantically tore off the packs. Javier’s rifle was strapped under Josh’s pack and onto mine, and with shaking, wet, cold hands I tore away at the straps and buckles until I got the rifle free. I yanked it out as I frantically dug around in my bag, finally locating the soggy cardboard box of 20 bullets Javier gave me. I pulled the bolt of the rifle back and started loading the rifle as the weight of everything hit me. What the fuck. What the fuck. What the FUCK was going on.
I loaded the 5th round into the rifle and slammed one into the chamber. I picked my head up to look back toward camp, and my heart leapt into my throat as I saw the man was standing on my side of Josh, staring down the shore of the lake toward where I was hiding. I ducked my head back down, and shouldered the rifle. Was I about to shoot a guy? Did he just kill Josh? What the fuck is going on. I felt like I was going to throw up.
I peaked my head out again, and just as I made out the shape of the man extending an arm toward me, I saw four flashes. Before I could register they were gunshots I heard the wisp-crack-wisp of bullets breaking the sound barrier above my head, followed by the deep, roaring blast of the gun echoing off the mountain sides above us. I dropped back down again, hearing one of the bullets hit a rock behind me, ricocheting out into the storm over the lake with a whining scream. My mind was a frenzy, but one thought tore through the chaos of panic: you need to move - you need to move - you need to fucking move right fucking NOW.
I rolled to my right and saw an opening in the boulders behind me, pushed myself up to my knees and bounded it for it. Just as I dove into the opening I heard three more of the menacing cracks above my head, barely preceding the heavy pop of the gunshots. I saw another gap in the rocks and kept going, then another, and I weaved my way back through the boulders probably 70-80 yards before I stopped behind one and tried to think. Is he coming after me? Maybe he is. He definitely is you fucking idiot. Is Josh dead? Is this really fuckin happening? Get a grip, locate the guy.
I moved a few feet to where it looked like I could get a line of site back to camp, and I saw the mules near the tent. That didn’t make sense, I’d left them roped behind a rock outcropping that morning where they’d have a wind break. Then I saw the man in front of the mules, leading them the other direction, down the opposite side of the lake. He’s stealing the fucking mules? Did he kill Josh and shoot at me to steal some fucking mules?
I shouldered the rifle and took aim at him. I couldn’t see shit, the lens of the rifle’s scope was covered in wet sand. I dropped to my knees and wiped at the lenses as fast as I could with the inside of my soaked shirt. Breath man, chill. I shouldered the rifle again and saw the mules, and then the man leading them, partially obscured by the leading animal. I was shaking horribly. I took a step to where I could rest the rifle across the top of the boulder and took aim again.
I could see him clearly then. It was a surprisingly old ass man with snow-white hair. He was wearing what looked like canvas pants and tall mud boots, a wool great coat, and a bolt action rifle slung over his shoulder. He had the reins of the lead mule in one hand, a hand that looked big; white-knuckled as it gripped the reins. When the lead animal closest to him slowed to navigate around a rock, he turned to look back at it. He looked calm. He looked calm and he looked fucking dangerous.
I looked back to where Josh was lying. He was in the same position I’d last seen him in, with a ton of blood leading away from his body, running with the rain through little channels in the gravel and sand. Holy shit. Holy shit. I looked closer and saw blood had poured out of his nose and ears, and a series of dark, mangled holes in the center of his caved-in forehead. I started swearing, and realized I was whimpering and crying like a child. I felt nauseous again.
I redirected the rifle toward the man and thumbed off the safety. I saw he had his back to me again, leading the mules for where the forest began along the opposite bank. I squared the reticle of the scope on the middle of his back. My mind was going insane.
Am I going to shoot this man? Am I about to shoot a fucking person? Is he 140 yards away? 160? Can you even make this shot? Definitely. Are you going to take the shot though? Holy shit. Yah. Yah you are. You *have to. Pull the trigger. Pull the fucking trigger. SHOOT*
And I did.
Javier’s rifle bucked as hard as one of the mules being stolen by this murderous old mountain bastard. The recoil of the rifle made all the water on my shoulders, head, and rifle jump into the air, obscuring my vision with a brief shower of mist. I didn’t hear the shot, probably out of shock, but I could hear the roaring, ghoulish echo of the blast. I hauled the bolt back and slammed another bullet in the chamber, then scrambled to locate him in the scope again.
The mules had spooked and were trotting back toward camp, I panned to the right and saw the man bent over, scurrying for the tree line, left hand planting into the gravel between steps, with his right hand clamped on his right side below his rib cage. He stumbled and face planted. When he used both hands to push himself back up, I could see blood on his right hand. I’d shot him. Sweet holy fuck I shot a man. And I need to shoot that man again, I thought. He was moving fast and frantically. I was shaking like a leaf. I trained the scope on his back again, and pulled the trigger.
The rifle bucked back into my shoulder again, but I was more prepared for this shot, kept my target. I saw the bullet shatter a chunk off the face of the boulder next to him, shooting dust and fragments into the air, leaving a deep white scar in the stone. The man flinched from the impact, and kept scrambling for the trees. I slammed the bolt back and loaded another round. I found him again in the scope just as he disappeared into the trees, and I took sent a third desperate into the forest after him. I lowered the rifle. Fuck. Fuck what do I do. A thousand things were running through my mind.
Then I remembered; the flame we’d seen across the lake the night before. That’s where this fucker must’ve seen us from, and that’s where this fucker is heading. I looked into the rain over the lake, toward where we’d seen the light, and realized I was much closer to it than the old man, and didn’t have as much forest to navigate through to get there. If I started now, I could definitely beat some old, bleeding man there.
I was sprinting before I had even rationalized it, weaving through the boulders on the shoreline. I was almost to where the trees hugged into the lakeshore, so I knew I’d only have another 300 yards to go through the forest as soon as I crossed the tree line. My mind was screaming at me to stop, stay low, hide, move slowly, but I could see across the lake, I knew the last spot I’d seen the guy, and that even if the old man was somehow sprinting as fast as I was, he didn’t have a wax cat’s chance in hell of beating me to the spot we’d seen the light; the camp, hut, or cooking fire I’d convinced myself this murderer was trying to get back to.
I broke the tree line and kept my speed, dodging through the pines and jumping logs. The noisy, swaying trees offered a welcome reprieve from direct wind and rain. I kept going until I figured I must be getting close. I stopped, pulled back the bolt of the rifle, and loaded three more rounds. I saw a big clearing up ahead, and at the same time, I smelled smoke. This is it, and I definitely beat him here. I went another 40 yards or so and made out what looked like some kind of roof. Another 20 yards and I could see a log-framed structure under the roof. I passed a few more trees and was stunned.
It was a cabin. A full-on god damn cabin with windows, a stone chimney, stone foundation, a porch with plated flower boxes, and a lantern glow coming from within. It was… beautiful, like some post card. There was a big half-acre garden behind the cabin, a small stable, a couple sheds, and there were 8-9 goats milling around with bells around their necks. It was mind-blowing. I was floored, I couldn’t believe there was such a well-maintained cabin up in the middle of the Andes like this. Is this the home of the fuck who killed Josh and tried to kill me? What the fuck?
I looked beyond the cabin, toward where I knew the man would have to approach the area from where I saw him last. I saw a bit of a trail heading in that direction, and figured that’s likely how he’d be getting back. But what if he wasn’t? What if he anticipated me having come this way? I bolted to the side of the cabin, and decided that I’d set up somewhere behind it to catch him either coming in straight along the lake, or somewhere else farther up behind the homestead.
I saw an old pushcart behind the cabin tipped over next to a stump, and went for it. I had a clear line of sight on either direction he had to approach from. I waited. I got here fast. I mean real fast. I can’t imagine he’d expect me to be here already, or to do anything but head back for my own camp. About 6-7 minutes passed, which felt like 5 hours. The noise of the wind and rain in the trees made trying to listen for footfalls or twig snaps damn near impossible, plus the wind-twitch in the understory growth made it damn near impossible to pick out movement. I could hear my heart thundering in my ears.
Then I saw him. Right as I looked at the trunk of a large pine tree about 50 yards off, I saw him step out into a gap between the tree and a clump of shrubs. Holy shit, I thought, how’d he get this close.
He was above the trail, coming toward the back of the cabin. I zeroed in on him. His eyes were so blue it was shocking. He was old, I mean he looked real old, but he had strength in his movements. He had his rifle slung over his back, his pistol was drawn and aimed out ahead of him, and his right hand was clamped on the wound I’d given him on his right side. Guess I missed that third hail mary shot I took.
He was scanning the area, moving slowly, but deliberately. Fuck, I thought, I cannot get into a gunfight with this guy. He’s got a semi-automatic pistol, while I had a single-shot bolt action rifle which I had to use a scope to aim. He was way too close. With every ounce of physical control and focus I had, I nuzzled my entire body into the space between the cart and stump, making myself as small as I possibly could. God damn, I thought, what in christ’s name was this ancient bastard doing up here, killing innocent people, and trying to steal mules. What in the fuck was this?
I heard a tree limb crash in the woods above the cabin, and apparently the old man did too, because he spun around, startled by the noise.
That’s when I shot him. My shot went wide from his spine where I was aiming, but still thunked into the outside of his left shoulder blade. The force of the bullet whipped him around, knocking all of the water droplets on his upper body into a mist around him, and the pistol went spinning out of his hand. I didn’t realize it until it was already happening, but I was sprinting at the old fucker as fast as I could, before he’d even completed his crash down into the mud.
He landed on his side and I could see urgency and alarm flush into his features as soon as he saw me charging. He tried to roll over to get the rifle sling off his shoulder, but I was on him. I jumped on top of him and straddled his chest, pinning his arms with my knees. I was too close-in to swing or aim Javier’s rifle, so I just held the rifle stock down across the bridge of the old man’s nose, and pressed all my weight behind it. I could hear him grunting with pain and effort as I watched his head sinking into the mud until his ears were almost submerged. He had surprising strength for his age, but I could see pain wince through his body every time I put pressure on his left arm. He stopped struggling within a few seconds and let his arms go slack, staring up at me with a fiery hatred I’d never seen.
I realized I was screaming, not anything coherent, there were some “fuck yous” in there, but it was mostly just a fear-fueled roaring. I was pierced with a moment of panic once he gave up his struggle; oh shit, I thought, you’ve taken this fucker prisoner, now what? I caught my breath. I pulled Javier’s rifle away from where I’d had it pinned into the old man’s now-bleeding nose, and sat up a bit while still straddling his chest. I yanked the bolt back to reload the rifle, which ejected the spent shell, spinning out of the chamber down onto the old man’s face—causing him to blink and flinch in annoyance—then I slammed a new round into the chamber.
I was out of breath, and spit flew off my lips as I snarled the first thing that came to mind, telling him in Spanish that if he moved, he was dead. “Si te mueves, estas muerto.” I planted one foot in the mud, took the rifle in my right hand, and ripped at the rifle sling over his shoulder, causing him to grunt in pain. I slung his rifle across my back, then patted down his pockets, waist line, and under his arms for any other weapons.
I stood up, stalked over to pick up his pistol, then trained the rifle down on his head. Not sure why, but the first thing that came out of my mouth was “quitate las fuckin botas,” telling him to remove his boots (I mix English profanity into Spanish sentences when frustrated, or drunk). He looked at me for a minute, unmoving, then sat up with significant discomfort, and pulled off his boots. When he was done, I told him to stand up. “Levantate, fucker.” He did.
Now what, dumbass, I asked myself. Ask him some questions? First one that came to mind, why in the hell did he kill Josh: “porque mataste mi amigo?” He stood there in the mud, looked me up and down, then responded with a strange accent in his Spanish I couldn’t pin. “La gente me esta cazando – pense que eras esos cazadores.”
My volcanic heartrate and emotional frenzy put a strain on my Spanish comprehension, so it took a few seconds for me to realize he’d said: “people are hunting me, I thought you were those hunters.” I looked at him in confusion and fury while shaking my head. I screamed my response back to him reflexively in English, with tears welling in my eyes: “What!? We’re fucking fishermen you piece a shit, we have no idea who the fuck you are!”
He put his palms up toward me, and responded in English, which surprised me, as did another strange accent I couldn’t place right away: “I apologize, young man. I sincerely apologize. I had reason to believe you were the people who have been hunting me, and had come here to kill me. If you did indeed come here to fish, I regret taking that young man’s life. I very sincerely do. Please, young man… lower your weapon, I mean you no harm. This was an honest mistake, one that I will take accountability for.”
My emotions were going nuclear, as well as my confusion. Tears were rolling down my cheeks. I couldn’t think of what to say, but eventually I stepped toward him, leveling my rifle at his eyes, and spat back at him: “fuck no, fuck you. You have a radio in there? You’ve gotta have some kind of communication.” He nodded slowly in the affirmative. He really did have an apologetic sincerity in his eyes, but he also had the roguish essence of a predator. It was his eyes. He was dangerous. I could feel the violence he was capable of. It came off him like a heat.
I gestured toward the house: “Where? Is it a radio? Where is it in the fuckin house?” He responded calmly: “there is a VHF radio on the shelf along the wall, with an antenna as well. You’ll need to get the batteries off the charger hooked to the solar terminal in the upstairs room.”
I saw a coil of wet rope hanging off a log-pole fence surrounding what looked like a goat corral behind the cabin. I yanked him over to it by his collar, his socked feet sucking in the mud with each step, and let go of him to grab the rope. I pointed through the gate to the little corral and told him to get in there. He gave me a slight grin, which shot goosebumps across my body, nodded, and walked in. I could see the ghost of pain in his movements from the gunshot wounds, and I could also see his effort to conceal that pain.
I slung Javier’s rifle over my shoulder next to the old man’s, grabbed the man’s elbows, and began tying. In my panic I must’ve tied 5 different knots, one cinched tight on top of the other, then another awkward series around his ankles. I left him sitting in the mud and goat shit as I walked up onto the cabin porch, and opened the front door. Admittedly, it was a charming, neat little cabin. There were glowing embers in the wood burning stove, and several glowing lanterns. It felt cozy. Felt lived-in.
To my right, I saw the bookshelf next to a window where the radio sat, and approached it. A series of framed black & white photos on the shelf below caught my attention, and I leaned in for a closer look.
The photos were of soldiers. Not that you’d have to be one to catch it, but I’m a military history buff, and from the uniforms and insignia I knew right away what I was seeing. There was one man in most of these photos; a young man with icy, cold eyes. I was looking between the photos in disbelief, when I saw a knife tucked behind the row of frames. An ornate knife sheathed in a black and silver scabbard. I grabbed it, and inspected it closer. What I saw took my breath away.
I grabbed a photo with the best closeup of the man present in most of the frames, the man with the predator’s eyes. I looked between the frame and the knife, until a realization—packaged with rage—hit me so hard I lost my grip on the framed photograph, which fell from my hand, shattering on the worn floorboards of the cabin.
The old man died in that stormy forest later that same evening.
When the young man walked out of the cabin into the rain and looked at him with a mix of wonder and disgust, hands clenched into fists instead of carrying a radio, the old man knew the time had finally come. The moment of candor the old man had been dreading and relishing the prospect of for so many years.
See, the old man had long prepared for this moment. Not his actual death, but the well-versed recitation on dedication to honor, duty and order; a monologue the old man assumed would be demanded immediately preceding his death, and maybe, if convincing enough, could prevent it. The mere possibility of a well-rehearsed shpeal saving his life turned the process of tailoring it in those countless quiet hours into a defense mechanism. Over long years and many dark nights, however, it turned into something more. It turned into a validation, a justification. A prayer for his own soul.
Alas, despite the decades of quiet preparation for this moment, the old man couldn’t bring himself to speak. Instead, as the young man set upon him, he just wept. While engaging in unbridled, savage violence was as familiar to the old man as the face of a lifelong friend, he could see it was new to the young man. The old man saw that new found rage as a subtle mercy, knowing, from experience, that it meant death would be relatively quick.
At the conclusion of the young man’s bout of seething butchery, the old man’s consciousness and pain shocked him, and that shock grew to horror him as he realized his death would not be quick after all. The old man gazed up into the stormy canopy with the remaining eye that hadn’t been cut out by the young man’s frenzied, unpracticed blade work, and begged in desperate wheezes through a mouth of broken teeth for the young man to just kill him.
After writhing around in pine-needle crusted goat shit behind that cozy little cabin for what felt—to the old man—to be several hours, he finally died in what appeared—to the young man—to be a considerable amount of pain and discomfort.
Stuffed into the old man’s mouth as he let out his last ragged breath was a crumpled-up picture of himself taken many years earlier before fleeing his home for Argentina—at the same age as the fisherman he’d murdered earlier that day—smiling, and sporting a handsome uniform that betrayed the rank of Captain.
Stuffed through the old man’s kidney into his small intestine at that same moment was an ornate knife he’d had since he was just a lad. It was smartly adorned with silverwork, and engraved with a vow along the blade: Blut und Ehre.

Source Previous part
Note: I'm not sure whether a trigger warning for mentioning depression is appropriate here, but better to be safe than to be sorry.

Questions	Answers
Did you have any sort of health insurance during this time? (I'm thinking mainly in the United States where an unexpected visit can cost thousands)	yes. There are specific TRAVEL INSURANCE which cover medical and unforeseen expenses like the one you mentioned. I use Worldnomads, which costs me around $800 a year and cover the whole world.
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The hell?! Can you get that even if you stay in only one country? I live in the U.S. and it costs $500 a month for insurance.	I believe it depends from your country of residence. Ouch
This is such an incredible story! This is one of the coolest things I’ve ever heard or read. I just recently finished reading “The Motorcyle Diaries”. I gave you a follow on ig too. What’s the next country you plan on traveling through?	Thanks a lot!! :) I am planning to ride back to Australia via Asia. Not quite sure yet about the itinerary...since covid stopped me for now. Thanks again for the nice words!
Sorry to ask yet another money question, but I think this is the biggest block to doing something like this for most people! 1. When you went to LA initially (when you were 24), you say you pretty much only had enough money for the plane ticket. How did you sustain yourself when you arrived and how long did it take for you to 'get on your feet'? 2. How do/did you deal with 'scarcity' mentality of perhaps one day not being able to find a job (even an odd job, or a temporary position) and running out of money, and facing a more unstable housing/financial situation? Thanks!	Thanks for the question mate. Again, absolutely plausible. When I flew to LA, I had saved some money for the plane ticket and arranged a couch for the first 2 weeks with a friend of a cousin of a distant uncle (the only real connection I had a the time). Meanwhile I was trying to sell my motorcycle at home in Italy. I sold it 2 days after I left and my family helped me completing the sale and sent me the money overseas. I think I sold the bike for 1200 euros. That lasted me quite a while. I did back and forth from Italy to USA few times and I was getting some occasional jobs in Milan to pay for my trips. I made just enough to pay for flights and accommodation. But I remember that a lot of food was offered to me. I was sleeping on people's couches and at times I was eating one Starbucks Frappuccino a day. I know...not the best diet...but I think It was around $2.5 and full of sugar and coffee so It kept me going. Generally I survived thanks to people I met along the way and their generosity. I had a wonderful time in USA. Most people are really willing to help. Some other instead want to take advantage of you. Learned both lessons the hard way, I guess.
	Eventually, after thousands of closed doors, I managed to find an IT company that was willing to sponsor me for my visa stuff. It was a complicated time for me, mostly because I wasn't prepared mentally for such cultural gap and such challenges. When you are alone, without your family and friends around, and you have to take care of yourself and your life, you start to know who you really are.
	Somehow It is an experience that I would recommend to everybody. Those are some of the most intense yet rewarding experiences I had in my life.
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Thanks for answering! I was curious to know the reality of upping and moving somewhere without a job waiting for you or much money in your pocket and a frappuccino for your daily meal is certainly a peak behind the curtain!! But I agree with you that most people are kind and willing to help. I believe in that in general. I admire your resilience. I've certainly dealt with a lot of closed doors and isolation from family and friends too, but often get scared to "do what I really want" because I'm so afraid of being stuck somewhere without money. Wishing you continued success and safe travels!	I wish you good luck too! I am sure you can endure much you can think. Go for it!
Can I join you ?! Lmao This is my Dream .. good for you man . Good for fuckin youuuu !!! Share the love & grow strong .	Thanks for the support mate!! Go for it! You can do it!
How come you’re happy and I’m depressed as fuck?	I don't want to open a can of worms, but I was super depressed too. Depression is a state of mind in which you tell yourself that "something is wrong". Whether the wrong comes from inside or outside of you, your mind is telling you that there's something that needs to be fixed. It's a good indicator that you are on the path of healing yourself if you want.
	Sincerely, if one is not depressed a bit, these days, it would be completely unaware of your surroundings and even your own existence.
	Before leaving for Australia, I spent 2 and a half years in deep sadness (you can call it depression if you will), caused by several factors. I had a meaningless job (for me), I HAD TO live with my parents and I was even going through break up with my ex, which ripped my heart apart. I basically didn't get out of my room for 2 years, while I was helping my grandma on her deathbed and my dad was sick with Alzheimer. Fun, uh?
	I am not saying that it's good to be depressed, but you can choose to use it as a propeller to wish for something better. You can change your reality. It's entirely up to you, how you see the world and the opportunities you have in life to grow.
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I understand what you are trying to say but I have to disagree. It's a bit like telling a person with a broken back that if they wished hard enough to walk, they will walk just fine. Depression doesn't work like that. You may have made it out of it but to somebody that is currently in a deeply depressive state, the only thing they will hear is: "You aren't trying hard enough, you could do it but you just aren't even trying. You are a useless piece of shit because you are too lazy to change. It's entirely up to you! You useless fuck."	I agree with you. But I believe that there is somehow a bottom line...and when reached somebody will try to react to it and fight back. It's a self preservation mechanism.
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Nah, believe me, there is no bottom. If there were, there wouldn't be people killing themselves. I don't have any self-preservation left, for example. I'm so dead inside that I don't even bother to kill myself because I even lack that energy. It's just chugging along, time flies, and I'm not really there.	Seems like you are inside "the spiral" mate. You ll get out of it, trust me. Sounds silly but enjoying a bit of sun, seemed to have helped me at that time when I felt like that. In any case, just give it time and don't give up. Try to get outside and stay in nature if you can. It doesn't change much but It helps. Stay strong, mate. Give it time.
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I live in one of the most beautiful areas of the world (county Galway in Ireland), right at the sea. I can see it from my window and the beach is 5 minutes away. It doesn't help. I don't even have the energy to go outside, even on a nice day. You've been lucky to get out, all I ask is you not blaming people that can't. It's not a thing of willpower or sunshine. It's a thing of lacking any kind of willpower. I've been like this for over 20 years, sometimes better, sometimes worse. That's not a spiral anymore. It's a chute.	I'm sorry mate. I hope you ll get better anyway.
I was just looking at your Instagram photos... Wow! You take gorgeous photos and have such an interesting story to share. Have you ever thought about writing a book? It seems to me that travel and adventure magazines would also pay you to write stories for them. Just something to think about. Good luck!	Thank you, but I think that I'm not doing anything that hasn't been done before. I do like to share and help people see the world for the beautiful place it is...but that's about it. Thanks for the compliment, though!
Do you avoid public attractions where you have to pay a fee like castles, palaces or other famous tourist attractions. If you avoid them, are you curious about them and want to visit them but you don’t have enough money or don’t you care about tourist attractions?	Good question! I recently posted the story on my instagram about Machu Picchu in Peru, which I refused to visit because of the exorbitant entry fee. $70 USD to enter the site is an unreasonable amount...regardless the fact that it is undoubtedly a beautiful site to visit. I usually avoid big tourist traps, but sometimes you gotta pay. The most I've paid was $35 to enter Iguazu Falls and $35 to enter Perito moreno Glacier. Both worth it sincerely, even if overpriced. I left the others aside and went for the cheap ones instead.
I am from Greece.Where in Greece have you been?And how did you make money during these years to "pay the bills"?	Oh mate!! what a beautiful country! I had a great time there! I spent most of my quarantine and lockdown in Crete, but I entered Greece from Albania, then rode down to the Peloponnese and rode to Athens, Evia and even Santorini!! Check my insta for all the amazing places I've seen! I am still stoked for the great hospitality I received from the greeks and the amazing places I've seen!! For the economical part of your question, please see previous answers, where I explained in details the money factor.
How do you plan what route you will take? Do you navigate primarily with map+compass? GPS on your phone? Both? If M+C, what sort of compass do you use, and where do you obtain your maps for each country or locality?	Hello! I mostly use Google maps for my navigation and planning. Most of the info i get from the places I want to visit, are obtainable from the app itself. It's a brief guide but works for me. If in remote areas I use Maps.me, which works offline and has trails too.
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Have you tried getting a sponsorship from google for using their maps	I actually thought about it...but never really went through with it. Maybe they let me mount a gigantic 360 camera on top of my helmet and then I'll be stuck with it. Haha
How do you deal with dirty toilets in some areas where you cannot find any usable ones if that has ever happened? Also what do you do when there are none around, like on a desert road or something? This and my trust issues with getting help from strangers is what keeps me from even thinking about doing something like what you're doing.	Very pertinent question as I find myself sometimes with no toilets around. There's a basic system, which I wasn't really accustomed to...that is "squatting"...that help with the mentioned activity. When in the wild, you need to have the curtesy at least of (some privacy, obviously) digging a hole in the ground with a stick or something...and then covering it up when you are done with your business. Toilet paper and wet wipes have to be bagged and disposed in the first available garbage bag. This concerned N2, clearly. For N1, being a guy, it is quite practical. But there are a lot of girls travellers which simply "hide behind something". It is quite unorthodox but I guess you get used to it eventually. It's just a matter of doing it the first few times. Then It becomes ok.
What was the moment you thought, ''It was all worth it''?	It was when I arrived back in Sydney, after riding all around Australia... After the first few days of riding I remember I had still some doubts on my mind about resigning and selling everything, etc. When I returned in my own beloved town, it was like i saw myself in the mirror. I saw myself as the person I was before...and the one I had become. And I didn't like the person I was before...so I understood that my life had changed forever. I realized that giving everything up was worth the realization of who I was at that time. I also realized that I couldn't stop there...
Wah! Thanks for the AmA! I've always wanted to have a chat with people who like to travel the world. Your answers are very straightforward, I love that! Did you ever get into trouble with local people like pickpockets and tourist scam? Did you ever have any emergency medical troubles? Do you try to enjoy local street food? (If so, did you ever had any stomache because your body isn't used to that type of food?). Err I think I've made too many questions at once. Have fun & enjoy your life adventure, whatever you decide to do in your future!	No problems! It's a pleasure!! So, I never really had problems with pickpocketers. But I also always look around while walking in big cities. As I mentioned before, the only bad occurrence I had was in Canada, where somebody stole my rusty tools bag from my bike, while parked in Vancouver. I never had medical issue...hurray!!! I do LOVE to try all food. The "weirdest" the better! I think I have a fetish for local street food. So yeah, I eventually had a bit of stomachache but it was mostly my fault. I had a raw shrimp from a market in Mexico. Not wise! haha I built my immune system I think, just drinking tap water from everywhere. If locals don't die...I shouldn't either, right!? ;)
Is your ass now made of steel?	I had to draw a line in the middle of my bum to see where my cheeks were... ;)
Have you been to Bulgaria yet? How much did you see if you have?	No, I haven't. But It's definitely on my list.
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Are you taking reccomendations for places to visit in countries? Because i have a few reccomendations for bulgaria.	Of course!! 😊 maybe send those to me as DM so those don't get lost in the post. Cheers!! 🙏
Have you ever worried about not being able to get a job later on once you stop travelling, due to the big gap between jobs in your CV?	I am not an HR guy...but If I was... I would hire a guy that travelled the world on a motorcycle to have on my team, instead of somebody with straight AA, tons of certificates and no life experience. but maybe I'm wrong. ;)
100k+ on a KTM and no major problems? INCONCEIVABLE! Do you have an ADV th'd?	ahha I know right!??! It's actually almost 200000 km mate and still going strong with no mechanical issues!! Crazy!! I am in awe too! I am on ADVRIDER, yes. But don't have a thread about this.
When did you find out about COVID and how has it affected your travels? Thanks and warmest regards!	Oh man, that was such a bummer! I left italy on the 15th of Feb, 10 days before the first case in Lombardy. One week later it was already mayhem. As soon as the Italian disaster exploded, people started to look at me as carrier of virus...like they were doing with asians in general, no matter if they were from indonesia or mongolia or china. I entered Albania and there were rumors of borders starting to close. So I headed to Greece, since it is still EU and I could get sent back to Italy easily. After spending 4 months in Greece, I took the first available ferry back to Italy, where I am waiting for the pandemic to settle a bit. Then I'll leave again.
Hey Paolo, I recently rode a motorcycle across Vietnam and it got me inspired to ride from Alaska to Argentina, hopefully leaving next summer, virus permitting. I’ll most likely be riding my Honda CRF250L, not quite a KTM haha. Do you have any advice for a young man looking for more adventure?	Yes. Great bike first of all!! You ll love it! South america is kind of paradise for motorcycling so...yeah. I would recommend you to pick the right seasons to ride alaska and patagonia. Crucial for the outcome of your expedition.
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I appreciate it! I’ll definitely keep the seasons in mind for Patagonia and have already made sure to head to Alaska in the summer.	I mean, I went to Alaska in september and weather was amazing...and rode through patagonia in autumn which was chilly but absolutely fantastic! Less people and beautiful colours!
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Less people would definitely be a plus! What are the average speeds in South America or are certain country’s faster than others? I’m worried my CRF might not be fast enough in places.	Your bike is absolutely fine. Do not worry about that
Ciao! I am a italian too, precisely sicilian. Next summer I will probably travel all sicily, how much money do you think i need to bring, and how can I save as much as possible? I want to stay a bunch of days while traveling through cities. Like 3 days at Agrigento, for example. Any suggestions are welcomed! Sto scrivendo in inglese pure per far vedere ad altri i tuoi suggerimenti	Ciao! well, I cannot tell you how much you'll need to travel...even just Sicily. It depends where you are willing to sleep, what are you willing to sacrifice in terms of food and what time of the year you are planning to travel. Just know that food and accommodation are the most expensive elements of your trip.
Did you get any inspiration from Emilio Scotto’s ride around the world? Any plans (or desire) to try and break his record?	I do not know him. I also never read the Motorcycle diaries or Zen and the art of motorcycle. Also never seen long way around or tried to grow a beard like Che guevara.
	Just doing my thing, my own way. But there have been many before me for sure.
Did you ride in Nepal as well? If so, how did you find the roads and the journey through Nepal? Also what was your most adventurous experience here? I am a Nepalese so I am asking these to learn what people think when visiting my country.	I haven't been that part of the world yet. But It's on my list!!!
Did you ever get down and dirty with anyone?	Yes. Mostly with my motorcycle. :)
Why did you choose such a big bike? Is all the driving on roads? What modifications did you make before heading out?	I chose my dream bike. I had no Idea where I would have taken my motorcycle in the future. At the time of purchase, I was in love with it. I still am!
	I just added a lighter muffler, skid plate and rear rack. The bike itself is a marvel of technology.
	I go on and offroad. see my youtube videos... ;)
Hey man, back when you were trekking across south america, did you visit Venezuela?	When I was In brazil, It didn't occur to me to enter Venezuela. Then when I reached Colombia, the border with it was closed for vehicle due to the unstable situation. I really want to go. It's the pebble in my south american shoe. ;)
I have enjoyed watching your travels on IG. What is the scariest situation you have ever gotten yourself into while traveling?	Thanks for tagging along! I had few close calls with my bike...but I guess, If you ride a motorcycle, it is quite common. I almost fell into a canyon... Ouch
Hi Paolo. Where would you say the best roads were? I mean, good condition, few potholes. Where would you say the best views were? What kind of spare parts did you bring along to make sure you could always keep going?	Mmm best roads...i think ecuador had pretty spectacular new roads. At the time I think most roads were 5-10 years old and conditions were optimal.
	Best views probably Peru. Nothing can beat the view from a 6000 m mountain...
	You can't possibly carry all spare parts. You never know what could happen...but I did bring a spare front tube in case of a flat and some spare screws. Duct tape and cable ties are also a must for any traveller
[deleted]	I do not have a single moment which I consider my favorite. Generally speaking, I could say that the "feeling of freedom" that riding with no schedule and limitation gives, Is the happy memory that I will bring with me even when this experience will be over. The scariest is certainly the moment when I almost fell into a canyon, while riding in Peru. Colca Canyon is one of the deepest canyons in the world and I lost control of the bike, riding down on a tiny dirt road. Fortunately I managed to stop right at the edge of it...but It took me a good 10 minutes to recover from that close call.
Have you ever feared for your life? As in, did it ever cross your mind that you might get mugged or something? Have you ever been mugged while traveling or been in that situation? Do you carry some sort of knife or gun?	Never feared for my life. No. Maybe it's a bit naive of me but I've never felt in need to carry a weapon to protect myself. I don't think there are people out there willing to kill me to take my stuff. But i did cross countries where this kind of stuff happens. In any case, the probability that this would have happened was in my opinion way smaller than the contrary. In fact if you ever have the chance to talk to some of the other thousands of travellers that have been around for a while, none had the need to carry weapons or any sort of defense aid to protect their personage or belongings. Not even girls.
Have you had any accidents or near misses in your travels? If more than one, are there any that stand out?	Tons!! Unfortunately riding a motorcycle doesn't leave any choice. I almost fell into a canyon in Peru. That wasn't good. Also, close calls with maaaany trucks in Bolivia. There are no driving rules there much... I crashed at 100km/h in Argentina and crashed against a wall, in San Francisco, distracted by my GPS. Normal day at the office! 😅
What was your favorite place you’ve traveled to so far?	I have one favourite place, which I always mention because I support the underdogs... I also love nature and food, so...
	Ecuador is my favourite country.
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Any specifics or highlights about Ecuador you can share? Looking for my next trip with a friend!	Galapagos is like Jurassic Park. But with no fancy shopping center. Would recommend Baños and Cuenca area too.
What was it like going through the Middle East? I've always wanted to explore that part of the world.	Haven't quite reached the middle east yet. Stopped by the covid. booo
Any issues or denials to get your bike through customs anywhere?	Nope. Just showing my paperwork and off i went! So far I haven't been in countries that required Carnet de Passage.
I see you have good amount of followers on insta and You tube. Have you thought about using it as a source of income like travel bloggers do or have you already done that? If not have you thought about doing it? Also might be rude but how much did you save in those years that can last so long. I mean if i were to do it like is there any bracket amount you'd like to give us? Also what about your fam?	Not enough to generate income on both i think. But yeah, maybe I ll give it a go in the future. Not sure though...because you need to constantly being absorbed by the platform and create content to generate a good income...which I saw with other people became a burden, in the long run. I saved up 40k in 5 years of work. Best advice I can give is to spend your money wisely. Do not spend it in booze or clothes or any other unnecessary commodity that is not relevant in the long run. Being constantly focused on the preparation of the trip is 80% of what it actually takes to go fo it.
	My family has been generally supportive about my trip. They sometimes worry but they do because they care. They don't fully understand my life choices but they respect those because they realized I am the only one responsible for my own future.
What is the worst weather you have had to ride through, and how did you deal with it?	Oh man!! 2 days. One was when I rode 750km under frozen rain in canada, against 60km/h headwind, along lake superior. After i reached my destination, i watched the news and saw that they closed the road I just rode on because it collapsed, devoured by the amount of water that fell from the sky. Average temp was 2 degrees Celsius.
	The other day was when I arrived in Vancouver 2 years ago in march. 30 cm of snow. -5°C and worst snow storm in the last decade. If i didn't die that day...
Great AMA. Just watched a few of your YouTube videos. Do you have music playing constantly while riding? How has your music likes changed and is there any songs you still play today from the Australia trip? Thanks	I never listen to music while riding. I actually put some earplugs and try to enjoy the ride and let my thoughts flow. It's my meditation moment. Music I listen to change constantly...depending on mood and situation. I probably still have some ACDC tunes laying around in my playlists somewhere. ;)
How did you cross the Darian Gap?	There were 4 options: - shipping container (Not so cheap, time consuming and risky in terms of getting the bike out from the port) $750 - air freight (fast. 4 hours and you are from one side to the other. not cheap, quick and headaches free) $1000 - fishermen boat (slow. Unsafe? Bike gets covered in salt for 5 days) $600 - sailing boat (5 days cruise to the san blas islands. Expensive. But fun holiday overall) $1200
	I went with the plane.
Where you ever afraid or unsafe? I’ve wanted to backpack through South America, but as a single woman I’m afraid of putting myself in a dangerous situation.	It's completely understandable to be worried in that sense. What I can tell you is that there is nothing to worry about. There are women travelling solo in many ways (backpacking, cycling, motorcycle, etc) through south america and they are FINE! No problems. I can list you the "do and don't" about travelling, but I believe that having a bit of commons sense is crucial. If you look for female solo travellers on insta, you will find tons of them. I am sure that they can give you a better and more specific understanding of what entails to travel solo as a woman in third world countries. But again, DO NOT WORRY. It is SAFE.
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I did it in Europe and Iceland, but South America makes me more weary. What about bringing children? Did it feel safe for kids? Also, when it came to your hostel stays, did you ever see any families?	Kids will have a blast in SA! I met plenty of families travelling with kids. It is challenging because of the school thing but it is possible!! The internet and online classes nowadays...
	People in SA are very family oriented and have special care for kids. It is an incredible experience for kids to see a reality like the one over there.
	Hostels are not quite the best for kids, I admit it. You can find plenty of bnb alternatives and family rooms all over the continent. The same options are available all over the world (hostels, bnb, hotel, motel, apartments, etc).
I'm thinking of purchasing the same bike, is it the R model?. What made you choose this bike as opposed to something that is shaft driven? how did you find the chain maintenance aspect over so many miles? It's amazing there were no mechanical problems at all. Is there a specific brand tyre you use and how many miles would you get from a set? were there many puncturers or blowouts? Knowing what you know now, would you have changed anything with the bike or added something before beginning the journey?	I ride the 1190 adventure NON R model. I prefer chain because it's sincerely I wouldn't want to find myself with broken shaft in the middle of Bolivia. Chain can last up to 40-50k km if well maintained and lubricated. It doesn't take much of your time and it helps reminding yourself that you have to take care of your bike too. I really loved Shinko 705 as tyres. Cheap and super grippy in all surfaces. I didn't have many punctures at all. Maybe 4 in the whole trip! Lucky!
	Sincerely, this bike has been beyond perfect and I am still in awe by the reliability and performances of this machine. Kudos to KTM for making such a monstruos bike! If you are not into fast corners and putting your knee down in turns, the R model is actually better because of the customizable shocks. Mine comes with WP electronic suspensions which can't be replaced with others.
Hi Paolo, been a long time follower on Instagram (since South America). Great to see you on here! Initially when you went to work in Australia, did you receive a job offer before moving there, or did you find it once already settled? How come you still have residency in Australia when you've travelled the world for years? Have you ever received any sponsorships along your travels (E.g. from companies or Instagram itself)? If not, have you considered going down that route in order to support your continuous journey? Best of luck, and I look forward to see where the road takes you.	Hey! Thanks for tagging along since such a long time!!
	When I moved to Australia I didn't have a job. I spent the first months just looking for some temp gigs, while settling in that new country, at the time. It was crazy because in 2010 people here in Italy thought I went mad for leaving my safe job here, and moving to Australia with no job and as an immigrant. Turned out to be a good choice after all!
	I have residency there because I am also a citizen there. Got my Australian passport in 2014.
	I haven't received any sponsorship or any monetary endorsement from any companies through Instagram. I don't have enough followers I believe to be considered an "influencer".
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It's always a pleasure tagging along. That's fantastic. I want to work in a different country but all of those I've looked at only allow a work permit if you have been offered work or have experience in specialised manager positions. And as far as I know, one cannot apply for jobs while on a tourist/visitor visa. How did you work around that? Amazing achievement to receive your Australian citizenship in just 4 years! Ah, I see. What a funny world we live in.	I moved to Australia with a working holiday visa, which allowed me to work only for 6 months at the time for each employer. I started working for a recruitment agency and then got bought and hired by my other company, that eventually sponsored me for my residency.
How has your sex life been on the trip? Haha sorry, it does say ask me 'anything'. I guess what I'm saying more specifically is a lot of guys have a fantasy of doing exactly what you're doing and doing plenty of "socializing" in different countries no strings attached. Just wondering if your trip has been fun in that regard or if it's too difficult when staying in hostels etc	I did answer this question already but I'll go into few details again. Travelling in hostels is good and bad. You meet a lot of people but there's no privacy. I tend to respect other people generally so I avoid having sex on bunk beds, bathrooms and stuff like that (which happened to me instead). Not the best to have your bed rattling and having to wear headphones with loud music, trying to get some sleep. Haha
	Anyway, the main "issue" in travelling and socializing is that you always have to leave. So unless you go partying and go for the wild night...every night...it's not simple to get close to somebody, even in that sense.
	Anyway, my sex life was definitely complicated, compared to the one I had when living in one fixed place in Australia.
Amazing. A question: were you an experienced bike rider before you set off on your trip, or did you decide to use a bike on a whim, and learned as you went? How much biking experience would you recommend to someone before they try a trip like this? Also, what are your thoughts about using a bike vs a car? With a car, you can sleep in the back, making accommodations cheaper, and maybe a bit more luxurious than a tent, but they're also larger, more unwieldy things that cost more to fuel and repair.	Hey! I've been riding motorcycles since I was 14yo (even earlier). So I guess I was kind of an experienced rider, but I wasn't an experience long distance rider so... Not sure if it makes sense to you.
	I met different people who recently learned how to ride, doing the same thing I was doing with small learner bikes. I mean, there are literally no limits on what can you do if you want to do it and just...do it, without thinking too much about it.
	You know what they say... 4 wheels move the body, 2 wheels move the soul.
Have you been to the Philippines? If so what was your experience and opinion about the place?	Nooo! but definitely want to go there!!! I have a lot of Filipino friends in Australia and they told me about some incredible places to visit!
Just out of curiosity, when you go across continents. Do you start saving up weeks beforehand since the tickets will cost more than your usual expenditure and not to mention shipping your bike as well? Hopefully I can meet you in real life someday! I'm from Hong Kong but just started learning Italian during the pandemic! Grazie mille!	Kudos to you, my friend!! Learning Italian is quite the challenge! just know that even most italians can't speak proper italian, so you'll be fine once visiting the country! ;)
	I've been living off my savings so I've been just crossing countries like that. no much planning. Just hop on the bike and go. Shipping of motorcycle only occurred from Australia to South America and from Canada to Ireland. First one was by shipping boat and second one was with Air Canada Cargo. Incredibly, flying was cheaper.
Did you ever wish you had a smaller bike? I‘ve wanted to ask this question for years, ever since I saw a Ewan McGregor travel show, “Long Way Around.” In Ewan’s journey, he used a large BMW 1150/1200, and he was always joking about how jealous he was of the little bike (Ural 500cc?) his friend eventually rode. Thanks in advance!	Yes. I was wishing I had a smaller and lighter bike when I was riding on sand in Brasil or Australia. But then I was quite happy to have a 1200cc engine under my seat when I was going up on some 5000m mountains or during long 800km day rides.
	I mean, there is no perfect bike... And there are pro and cons with any kind of bike.
	You just have to pick yours and go with it!
Have you heard of the bike dog? The_bike_dog on insta	Yes!! I follow him on Insta!! Amazing feed!
Where are you now and what are your next 5 countries on your list?	Italy now! The next 5 up will depend on how covid behaves in the next few months.
Did you ever make it to New Zealand? If so what was you favourite place in NZ? If not, do you plan to in the future?	I've been to new zealand but not with my motorcycle. It is one of my dreams to ride there though. After what I've seen...
Amazing! Are you going to cross Austria? We have Schnitzel and Apfelstrudel 😉	Ahah Austria is next on my list of countries to visit. I PROMISE! ...i mean, i ride a KTM!
Have you ever been attacked by locals? If so, what was the reason?	The only locals that really attacked me were stray dogs in Chile. Hundreds of those in the streets. They get pretty hostile when in groups...and they aim at the wheels mostly. They chase you and bark at your ankles. Haha 50 meters of pure adrenaline
How do you arrange money for food and fuel? How do you see yourself living your old age given that you likely don't have enough savings for retirement.... to survive in your 50+ or retirement age?	I already addressed the money factor, but I will answer to the second question. I see myself as an old man...living in a 4x4 campervan, parked on some remote beach in Australia, alone, maybe with a dog... Probably with an empty bank account and no big house, but a life full of memories and hopefully a better understanding of myself as a human being. You are only afraid to die if you haven't fully lived, mate!
What do you enjoy about this lifestyle? And what’s a typical day like for you?	The best thing about this lifestyle is the freedom that comes with it. No alarms in the morning, nobody that tells you what to do, no schedules. Free.
	I wake up, have coffee and a small bite while checking my social media. Then I look at the map to see where and which routes could be feasible for the day. Then i pack and ride off. Half way in i look for accommodations in the potential destination. When I get there i check around and see if i like it or not. If yes I stay, otherwise i move on to the next location. This is something that only travelling on a motorcycle can give you. Fast change of location, no traffic, easy stop and go, low visibility. Then i find my spot for the night, unpack and enjoy my daily meal. Usually fresh veggies or some local products. At night i rest or sometimes exercise a bit.
Great AMA! 1. Do you ever wish you were with someone, to not be alone in your experiences? Or maybe for people to tag along for a while? (A 2nd person all the time might be a bit much if you like being by yourself). I’ve travelled a little bit by myself and really enjoyed being alone, but sometimes afterwards you might want to talk about an experience with someone who was there with you. I found the freedom of being alone more important, but I’ve never travelled as long as you. 2. Do you ever think of a future where you want to settle down? Maybe wife, kids, and all that? Did your wishes about that change while on the road? Good luck to you!	I have travelled with another rider and even a couple. Not for me. It is hard to find another person you get along with 100%, especially when you are used to have it your way for so long! Said this if you are a solo rider, travelling with a couple 2up, is complicated because they usually have different speed and needs. I prefer to not have a partner with me. It would change the overall experience and I wouldn't be able to be by myself in silence and have moments of absolute peace. You can't be in touch with yourself and embrace the change with another person constantly reminding you who you are and who you have to be. Unfortunately the downsides are sometimes the moments of loneliness...but again, I got used to it. And now i prefer it this way.
	As far as family and settling down goes...i am 40 years old and most of my friends are married, with stable jobs and kids. So yeah, it's a constant reminder of my choice in life. But so far, i am happy with what I have done. It's a choice and I am aware of the consequences.

Hey all! I've seen quite a few questions on here about Antarctica. I think my trip to Antarctica in March 2019 was pretty typical of the average trip there, and would be helpful to read about for people who are starting their research. Also, thanks to COVID-19, I have a lot of time on my hands right now. So without further ado ... here is my Perfectly Average Trip to Antarctica.
Background: Most people go to Antarctica on a 10-12 day cruise, during which you get to land on Antarctica several times. There are many cruise lines that do trips like this - National Geographic and G Adventures are some of the most popular. I went with Oceanwide Expeditions because I had a friend who went with them in 2018. My goal was to spend as much time on the continent itself as possible and Oceanwide is good about this.
My Trip: A pretty standard 12-day cruise. About 2 days on each end are just sailing from Ushuaia, Argentina, through the Drake Passage and back. My total time away from work was 14 days.
Getting There: I was coming from New York. I flew to Ushuaia with Aerolineas Argentinas. It was a long flight with a connection in Buenos Aires - about 14 hours of flying in total. Most cruises will require you to be present in Ushuaia the night before the cruise leaves to ensure that you won't literally miss the boat. I actually had to send Oceanwide proof that I'd booked a hotel the night before. I chose Hotel Albatros, which is minutes' walk from the docks.
Ushuaia: This is a really funny town because it's filled with people who all literally have the same dream as you (going to Antarctica) wearing brand new outdoor gear (also like you).
The Drake Passage: Completely insane. I've been on plenty of boats and never got seasick, so, out of an abundance of caution, I bought dramamine and started taking it before we left land (as advised). It did nothing for me. After I threw up in my room (tmi sorry), I bought a seasickness patch from the ship doctor, which is about $12 and highly effective. So... prepare the best you can, but shit is crazy lol. Once I got the patch, it was all good.
On the Cruise:

• Oceanwide has a few expedition ships. I was on the Ortelius, which holds about 116 people. Whatever cruise line you go with, it's very important that you pick a ship that has a capacity of about 100 people. This is because the Antarctica Treaty only allows 100 people per ship on shore at any given time. So if you're on a very large ship, they have to stagger onshore activities and you may not have as many opportunities to actually be on Antarctica.
  
• Activities: Oceanwide does a morning and an afternoon activity every day. These are for everyone and usually entail just going onshore and hiking or walking around. There are also special activities that anyone can sign up for at no extra cost that replace the default activity. Oceanwide offers kayaking, mountaineering, and overnight camping, and it's as easy as just picking a day and signing up. The catch is that it's highly weather-dependent, so if kayaking is canceled on your day, you might just be shit out of luck. I only ended up doing kayaking because the weather was shitty on my mountaineering and camping days.
  
• Bonus Activities: Oceanwide also offered various other activities to pass the time while you are sailing between locations. They had photography workshops and lectures about wildlife, climate change, what it's like to work in Antarctica, etc.
  
• Staff: I was actually pleasantly surprised to find that our guides were highly educated and often experts in various Antarctica-related fields. They were scientists, biologists, researchers, outdoorsmen, and (literally) kayaking champions. They teach you a lot about conservation efforts on the continent and how climate change is affecting Antarctica. As a side note: we scrubbed and disinfected our boots every time we entered and left the ship to prevent microbial cross-contamination between the different sites we visited.
  
• Food: All food, tea, coffee, and snacks were included with our flat berth fee. I have to say that the food was delicious and beautifully plated. The only thing you have to pay extra for on board is alcohol, which was cheap (think like $8 for a glass of wine).
  
• Accommodation: Oceanwide offered various 2-person, 3-person, and even 4-person rooms. I had a 2-person room which was simple and adequate.
  
• Souvenirs: Yeah, I didn't expect there to be any stores in Antarctica, so I didn't really plan for this. You do have an opportunity to buy mementos at a gift shop on a scientific base. They only accept cash, so bring USD.
  

Getting Back: I was a total idiot and didn't realize I had an extra night to burn in Ushuaia after our cruise returned. All the hotels were sold out because it was busy season. Fortunately, my ship buddy hooked me up with his pre-booked hostel, Hostería Aonikenk. This hostel is a hike out of the city center, but I only paid $14 for one night with breakfast included. IIRC they cut me a deal because they prefer cash and that was all I had.
Cost: My total cost was about $12,000. For me, there were three main parts:

• The Ticket: Oceanwide does a flat fee that includes everything: all activities, all food, all snacks, rubber boots to walk on the continent, everything. For me, with a 2-person room, this was $9,800. I had a randomly assigned roommate. Honestly I actually wanted a 3- or 4-person berth but they sold out before I could get my time off from work approved. Those berths were more like $7,500. I think Oceanwide is a little on the higher end, price-wise, but I just kind of went with them since they were my friend's recommendation.
  
• The Flight: My round-trip flight from New York to Ushuaia was $1,100 with Aerolineas Argentineas. I couldn't believe it was so expensive, but there it was.
  
• Gear: If you already have a lot of winter gear, you can probably save a lot of money on this. I had literally nothing so I had to buy a dry bag, a waterproof winter jacket, crampon-compatible boots, a neck buff, etc. All together, it was probably right about $1,000. The only thing I really regret buying was my boots, because my mountaineering activity ended up being cancelled due to weather and I never used them.
  

Final Notes:

• Cost: I am aware you can go to Antarctica for cheaper. I've heard that some people go and hang around Ushuaia for weeks, waiting for a last-minute fare to open up for ~$4,000. I also know at least one person who got on my cruise for free because they were an influencer with a sponsorship deal. Finally, I'd guess that fares will be cheaper in general after COVID-19. Part of the reason I wanted to do a trip report is to get more information out there so you can do it for cheaper than I did.
  
• Conclusion: Although the second half of our trip had shitty weather and not everything went smoothly, I truly had the time of my life. Here's a picture I took of one of the many beautiful Antarctic landscapes.
  

So I’m planning for this trip to start in January of 2021 or whenever travel is more do-able and go basically until I run out of money. I’m a slow paced traveler and don’t like to have too many plans — I just like to get there, see what I like, and stay for however long! I’m looking for advice on how my itinerary looks, and also any other info you have like MUST DOS and hidden gems. I love history, cool natural phenomena, big views, and unique places to stay. Oh and partying as well. So here’s my itinerary, which is very loose as to leave room for flexibility:
Jan-May: roughly 5 months to get from Mexico City down to Panama. Planning on doing Spanish classes in Guatemala. If I feel like I’m running out of time I think I might skip Honduras or El Salvador.
May or June: I want to cross from Panama to Colombia via boat. Is this an ok time to do this? I’m kinda wary of sail boats so I want the weather to be good.
July-oct: A few months that are kind of open. I’m thinking of doing Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador in this time, but also open for anything.
Nov-dec: I’ve heard these are the best months to backpack Patagonia
Jan-feb: the rest of Argentina and then headed to Brazil for Carnaval 2022!
This is all I’ve got. Sorry it’s broad. Oh I should also mention, I’m 21F traveling solo, planning on staying mostly in hostels and some Airbnb’s, and my budget will be around 15-20k. Thanks!!!

About me: 22 year old British citizen who after graduating university wanted to take a big trip. I am already quite reasonably travelled and decided originally I wanted to travel South America for 6 months. In the end it ended up being 8 months and I recently just got back but I am so grateful I got to have this experience. I only recently just got back a few days ago so after some jetlag and some days thinking over my trip I decided to do this to help other fellow travellers who want to travel to South America.
Tips: Menu del Dia/Almuerzo/Cena: If you are ever travelling South America particularly in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia you will see an abundance of local restuarants doing these. Personally, for me these were tasty and gave you an experience of local culture and food. They are also very cheap, 2 USD more or less, and you eat a soup, a main and dessert filling you up for your day!
Free withdrawal ATM’s: If you had a Revolut card like me then these were very helpful. I can provide a list however South America does have these and take advantage. Colombia – Davivienda Ecuador – Banco Pichincha Peru – Banco BCP, Multired Bolivia – Banco BCP, Banco Fie Brazil – Bradesco Argentina – very expensive to withdraw here and I wasn’t able to find one in my short time spent in Argentina Paraguay – I don’t think Paraguay has any free withdrawal machines Chile – Scotiabank Uruguay – just used card as you get 25% back when paying with card here, also only spent 6 hours
Flexibility: I didn’t really have a plan apart from knowing where I wanted to go. I mostly just wondered around and found out about places from other travellers and even travelled with some for some time. I think keeping your schedule open is the best way to travel and you aren’t as stressed out from having to stick to a plan all the time.
Trip:
Colombia (2 months): One of my favourite countries in South America. An incredibly green and vibrant country which has anything you can imagine. Incredible mountains, lush green valleys, bustling cities, jungle, deserts and most definitely I witnessed the bluest sea I have seen in my life here. The people are friendly and welcoming and the culture across the country is very interesting. The only complaint I would have about Colombia is that the food is all fried and they don’t really have a cuisine but apart from that the country deserves its reputation and everyone I met who visited Colombia came out not wanting to leave myself included, I would highly recommend it here. I spent a month in Medellin learning Spanish and would also recommend Medellin as a great location to study Spanish.
I visited Bogota, Medellin, Guatape, Jardin, Cartagena, Santa Marta (for Minca and Tayrona National Park), Manizales, Salento and Neiva (for the Tatacoa Desert).
Ecuador (2 weeks): After 2 months in Colombia the bar was set high. Ecuador is a fascinating small country just a bit larger than my home country, the UK, but having much more diversity on the same level as Colombia. It was here I did my first hike up a mountain and reached altitudes of 5000m above sea level. I enjoyed my time here but for some reason Ecuador did not hit me like Colombia did and like other countries would. Ecuador did have stunning scenery which had me in awe such as both the Cotopaxi and Chimborazo volcanoes but for some reason in my trip isn’t one of the standout countries for me. I only spent 2 weeks here though of course and there is obviously still so much more to see so I will definitely be returning one day.
I visited Quito, Secret Garden Cotopaxi (for the Cotopaxi volcano), Montanita and Cuenca.
Peru (2.5 months): Another incredible country and one of my favourites, Peru is a fantastic country to visit and really gives you that stereotypical South American experience. Another incredibly megadiverse country from the beaches of Mancora to the north to the dramatic mountainous Altiplano region in the south, I fell in love with this incredible country. In Peru, I would say I enjoyed some of the best cuisine South America has to offer even if they have weird delicacies such as guinea pig. Here, I tried for the first time anticucho (cows heart) and ceviche, the national dish of Peru. Chicha Morada (a drink which is made with black looking sweetcorn) is something I will miss and was really tasty and of course Pisco sours, an alcoholic drink famous in Peru and Chile. The culture of Peru, particularly in the Andean highlands was beautiful particularly in Cusco where the majority of residents speak Quechua, an indigenous language, so for me this felt like a real experience of South America and I was grateful I got to witness it. I also fell in love in Peru with a beautiful Peruvian girl which is why I stayed here for quite a bit of time. One place I would highly recommend is Huaraz, the city itself is not very interesting but the cascading white covered peaks in the background of the city and the hikes it provides including Laguna 69 are well worth it. Machu Picchu for me was definitely one of the highlights of my whole trip, you see it on TV but when you are standing there looking, it just makes you feel special.
I visited Mancora, Trujillo (stayed in Huanchaco because Trujillo is quite unsafe), Huaraz, Lima, Cusco (for Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain) , Arequipa
Bolivia (2 weeks): Underrated. I understand Bolivia is gaining more traction now but what an underrated country which fully deserves its reputation as an upcoming tourist hotspot in South America. By far, one of the weirdest and peculiar countries I have ever visited but for me that added to the experience. La Paz is one of the most chaotic cities I have visited and again gives you a real experience of South America. The Salar de Uyuni I passed off as just a huge salt flat but wow when you are there it is magical… probably one of the highlights of my whole trip along with Macchu Picchu. Then you have the city of Santa Cruz de La Sierra, an enigma in Bolivia where I travelled to because I had curiosity. Not a very interesting city apart from the fact that it is built in rings but just the concept intrigued me. Coming into Bolivia, I had this perspective that Bolivians were on the main part indigenous looking however Santa Cruz, which resembles an American city, houses tall, white, blond haired Bolivians who are reasonably wealthy. Santa Cruz also represents a divide within the country with the Andes, indigenous peoples heavily supporting the current indigenous president Evo Morales. In Santa Cruz, he is not very popular and there are clearly different customs and views here which I found interesting. All in all, I enjoyed Bolivia and I think it is well worth the visit.
I visited Copacabana (for a few hours while I waited for my bus to La Paz), La Paz, Uyuni (for Salar de Uyuni), Sucre, Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Brazil (1 month): I can’t really say much about Brazil… it’s a huge country and I only visited Rio de Janeiro and the Iguazu Falls. However, I loved both places and Rio de Janeiro is an awesome city which provides lots to do.
I visited Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls.
Argentina (1 week): Again Argentina is a big country and I only visited Buenos Aires and the Iguazu Falls so can’t really gauge much. However, for me and I feel like this was a result of the ATM’s in Argentina which took 40GBP from me and the extortionate withdrawal fees, Argentina wasn’t one of my standout countries. Buenos Aires was great, it reminded me of home resembling European architecture a lot but I think next time I go to Argentina I will visit Jujuy, Salta and Mendoza as these seem more appealing to me.
I visited Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls.
Uruguay (6 hours): Took a ferry across the Rio Plata to Colonia for the day. Nice little colonial town which is well worth the day trip if you have time from Buenos Aires.
Chile (4 days): Just visited Santiago which I enjoyed especially with the Andes in the backdrop. Would love to visit Patagonia and the Atacama Desert area next time. Chile is very expensive though and similar to European prices.
Paraguay (1 week): A mysterious country for sure. Took a 22 hour bus to get here but glad I checked it out. There is not much tourist infrastructure here and at times it felt like I was the only tourist in the country but that’s what I loved about Paraguay. It does not have lovely beaches or dramatic mountains like any of its neighbours but one region which really stood out to me was the Gran Chaco region which resembled African savannah. The capital Asuncion has some things to do but is very tranquil while Encarnacion is even smaller and is a nice place to catch some sun. One thing I found cool is that despite being a landlocked country, Paraguayans use the banks of rivers as beaches to enjoy the hot weather. I probably would not go back but I was glad to check it out as it is a very mysterious country which you don’t hear much about in contrast to its neighbours.
If you would like to know more about destinations on my trip feel free to ask.
Budget: I don’t have any spreadsheets detailing my expenses unfortunately, but I lasted the 8 months with only 10K GBP for everything. I feel like it can be done even cheaper as I made a few mistakes such as missing a flight so having to pay an expensive last minute one. Flights probably cost me 1.5K-2K GBP including flights to South America and back. I also ended up partying a lot more with friends in Peru towards the end of my trip so spent a lot more on alcohol whereas other months I would spend little and be quite disciplined. I would say aim for 1,000 GBP a month and you should be able to live quite comfortably in countries like Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. However, in Brazil, Argentina and Chile it is more expensive. A Revolut card really helped me out and saved me on a lot of international transaction fees.
Safety: This is the big concern when people come to South America and understandably so. When I arrived in Bogota back in February I was scared and couldn’t even take my phone out to take pictures because I was so worried. However, I never got robbed and only felt really unsafe in the centre of Medellin and in Quito in my whole trip. If you use your common sense and do what you do at home you should be fine. The people in South America are friendly and welcoming and only a minority spoil that reputation. Take precautions however especially in Brazil where the crime rate is the highest in South America. Whilst I did feel safe in Medellin, for instance, the threat is still there as I read in April 200 people had already been murdered in the city in 2019. There are lots of tourists in South America and most trips go hassle free.
What now?: I came back with a cushion of money to support me back home. Dazed and confused from a lot of jet lag and applying for jobs so I can get back on track and make some money. After 8 months I think I’m going to relax on the travelling for now as I feel a bit burned out but want to get back on the road next year. Not sure which direction I want to go in life but this trip has certainly opened my eyes and I don’t want to be stuck in an office job for the rest of my life… have been strongly contemplating teaching English in Peru but the money isn’t the greatest… who knows what the future holds though?