| You set your mind and you're ready to
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| | South America's nature is overwhelming.
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| travel to South America, a magical place
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| | You'll walk for many hours day after day.
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| of immense beauty where myth and legend
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| | It would be a shame to walk in the
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| continue to walk hand in hand. I've
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| | footsteps of the Incas with blisters on
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| traveled 18 months in South America and
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| | your feet. My biggest recommendation is
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| can give you some tips on how to prepare
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| | to invest in high quality walking shoes
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| yourself for an unforgettable adventure.
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| | with Gore-Tex.
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| Common Sense
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| | Health Vaccinations
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| We all hear the unpleasant stories and
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| | Yellow Fever (if you plan to go to the
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| South America has a fame of being
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| | Amazon Basin), Typhoid (consists of two
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| dangerous. I traveled thousands of miles
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| | injections taken 4 weeks apart),
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| traversing cities, jungles, islands and
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| | Diphtheria-Tetanus, Polio, Cholera (only
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| mountains. I survived 6 weeks in a street
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| | when necessary), Smallpox
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| child care center in the favelas of
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| | Medical Kit:
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| Salvador da Baha (Brazil) and had the
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| | Depending on what you plan to do you can
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| party of a lifetime during carnival.
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| | include the following:
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| Nothing, I repeat, nothing happened. Use
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| | Antiseptic cream, aspirin, lomotil for
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| your common sense. Avoid badly lit
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| | diarrhea, antibiotics, throat lozenges,
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| streets at night and if your sixth sense
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| | ear and eye drops, antacid tablets,
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| is giving you the "something is wrong"
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| | motion sickness medication, alcohol
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| sign then take a taxi to your
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| | swabs, water purifier, lip salve, foot
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| destination.
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| | and groin powder, thermometer (in a
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| Travel Guide Book
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| | case), surgical tape, assorted sticky
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| The first thing that you will need is a
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| | plasters, gauze, bandages, butterfly
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| travel guide book. It will be your best
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| | closures, scissors and last but not
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| companion in your search for adventure. I
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| | least, first-aid booklet
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| can highly recommend Lonely Planets South
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| | Note: malaria pills are required in the
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| America on a Shoestringto get you
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| | amazon basin, please be aware that those
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| started. The book covers all you need to
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| | pills are very b and you should check
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| know to get the most out of your trip and
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| | with your doctor before departure
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| is ideal to plan your journey ahead. I've
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| | Traveling Gear
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| used the guide extensively during my 18
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| | Backpack:
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| month adventure. They offer excellent
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| | Obviously a high quality backpack is a
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| separate travel guides of all the
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| | must. Choose the type that has different
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| countries (besides using the Lonely
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| | compartments that can be opened
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| Planet Shoestring I've used their
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| | separately. Very handy if you need
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| separate travel guides of Peru and
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| | something quickly. Travel as light as
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| Brazil). Their guides are the most
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| | possible. A heavy backpack is destined to
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| popular among backpackers.
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| | undermine your traveling pleasure.
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| Other popular guides are The Rough Guide
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| | Clothing:
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| to South America and the South American
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| | Depends on where you go. If it's the
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| Handbook. Ideal, but not practical
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| | mountains and the jungle, get some
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| because you want to travel light, would
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| | quality clothing from home. If it's the
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| be to enjoy the adventure with a Lonely
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| | beach, buy your t-shirts there (cheap).
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| Planet and either the Rough Guide or the
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| | Camping and Climbing Gear:
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| Handbook.
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| | You can rent camping and climbing
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| Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese
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| | material in South America but the quality
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| The most rewarding thing for me was the
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| | may be questionable. Always check the
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| fact that you can travel in a huge
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| | material. Bring your own gear if
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| continent like South America with only 2
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| | possible. I traveled 18 months with my
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| languages. Spanish and Portuguese. If you
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| | own tent and various camping utensils.
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| plan to travel just for a few weeks you
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| | Photography
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| can invest in a Spanish and/or Brazilian
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| | Pictures are something personal. Some
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| Portuguese Phrase Book. English is not
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| | people just want some snap shots, others
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| widely spoken and even a basic knowledge
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| | want to publish in the National
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| of Spanish and/or Portuguese makes the
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| | Geographic. All my pictures were taken
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| trip so much more rewarding (they're
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| | with a cheap Nikon F50 camera. Have a
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| extremely willing to help you, so don't
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| | look at some amazing photographs at
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| worry, be happy).
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| | I had two zoom lenses, a 35-80 mm. and a
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| If on the other hand you're planning to
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| | 70-210mm. I also dragged a tripod and an
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| travel for a few months I can highly
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| | excellent flash with me. I used FUJI
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| recommend taking a language course. Ideal
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| | slides (100 ASA) but you definitely need
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| would be in a school in South America (I
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| | 200 to 400 ASA if you plan to go to the
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| took lessons in Quito, Ecuador, and had a
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| | jungle. A polarize filter enhances the
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| private teacher for $2.50/h).
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| | colours tremendously on sunny days.
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| Walking Shoes
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|
