First Time Latin America : A Rough Guide Special :

INTRODUCTION

Every year thousands of travellers set off on their own Latin American adventure. Some want to see for themselves the great monuments left by the mysterious pre-Columbian civilizations, such as the spellbinding lost Inca city of Machu Picchu, or join the samba-dancing crowds at Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, the largest and most spectacular of the region’s countless extravagant fiestas. Others are drawn by the stunning scenery: the immense, wildlife-rich rainforests of the Amazon; the soaring snowcapped peaks of the Andes; the idyllic beaches and kaleidoscopic coral reefs of the Caribbean; the dramatic glaciers and fjords of Patagonia.

But perhaps the greatest attractions are the sheer vitality of daily life in Latin America and the rich and varied lifestyles of its inhabitants. For though from the outside the region may appear to have a relatively uniform culture, in fact each country is made up of a diverse and compelling blend of indigenous, European, African and (to a lesser extent) Asian cultural influences, the product of Latin America’s complex and extraordinary history. Even within individual countries, regional differences in human experience can be remarkable, ranging from bankers working in high-rise city centres to semi-nomadic tribes hunting for their supper with bows and arrows. During your travels you may find yourself sipping caipirinhas on Copacabana beach or salsa-dancing the night away in the steamy nightclubs of Cali; eating barbecue at a rodeo on the Argentine pampas or chewing coca leaves with llama herders in the high Andes; searching for turtles by moonlight on the shores of the Caribbean or watching the sun rise over ancient Maya pyramids in the jungles of Central America.

Nearly all these things are affordable even for travellers on a tight budget, because most of Latin America is inexpensive compared to Europe or the United States (though generally a more expensive place to travel than Africa or Asia). Managed carefully, your money will go much further than it does back home, allowing you to travel for longer and take in sights and experiences you might not be able to afford elsewhere. Unsurprisingly, a growing number of young adventurers from all over the world are visiting the region, and there’s now a well-established "Gringo Trail" linking the main attractions in each country, with many cities and towns home to a lively travellers’ scene. This is nowhere near as intense as on the backpackers’ trail in Asia, however, and one of the joys of travel in Latin America is that it’s so easy to get off the beaten track and visit regions that as yet see few or no tourists. This becomes even easier if you learn a little Spanish (or Portuguese if you’re travelling in Brazil). The linguistic uniformity of the region is a massive advantage for travellers: picking up just one European language allows you to speak to and understand almost everyone you meet, making it far easier to get close to the local culture and people in a way that (unless you are a brilliant linguist) you just can’t do on a trip to other continents.

However, travel in Latin America can also be a disquieting experience. It’s not unusual to be shocked by your first sight of a sprawling slum and upset by your first encounter with a malnourished child begging for change. Many first-timers are distressed by the chaos and squalor of some Latin American cities and by the often appalling poverty and inequality. Some get frustrated by the sometimes labyrinthine bureaucracy that can complicate even the simplest transaction and by the locals’ flagrant disregard for punctuality. Others feel unnerved by suddenly being a relatively wealthy person in a poor country and paranoid about the risks of rip-offs and violent crime that await the unwary. And then there are climatic factors like oppressive heat or extreme altitude to deal with, not to mention the unfamiliar food and strange local customs and attitudes. The truth is, every trip involves a degree of hassle, and on reflection travel would be rather dull if everything always went as planned. Adventures are by definition unpredictable affairs, and it’s often the dramas and surprises that make for the most memorable experiences.

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