South of America

A new continent to explore. Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, Belize, and wherever else works in. Read more

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Trip start
October 7, 2023
South of America Traveler
Adventure
September 19, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F
You know it’s a new country when it requires this yellow form and many arm jabs. I didn’t have any side effects. Also the water filter is small and will be a backup to bottle water.
I’m starting my countdown to departure. 17 sleeps and a wake up.Read more
TravelerHave a great trip!!!
10/1/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Packing- the steps
October 5, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
Step 1 - Throw everything you think you want to take on the bed. Make sure everything fits. Don’t buy new things to take on the trip that you haven’t worn and washed a couple of times. Step 2-Get rid of 3 or 4 shirts.Read more
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South of America Traveler
Step 3
October 5, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
Side one with the buckles. Carefully roll up the shirts and put in a packing cube. Use the pants on the bottom to cushion around the wheels structure. Bathroom and tech bags on the sides and fill the remaining side. Side two (with the zipper) less structured things. Tripod, shoes, slippers, random individual items. Underwear and bras cushion on the side. Socks in the shoes. Zip up the whole thing and weigh it. This was 32 pounds. Too heavy and large for carry on but one bag works.Read more
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South of America Traveler
Backpack
October 5, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
Laptop, power cords, usb cables, back up power bank and iPad. Usually I carry the laptop and put the power block and cables in the luggage but this is a 9 hour layover in Houston so I will carry it along. Also paper copies of itinerary, travel docs, and passport. No Argentine pesos as the exchange rate is impossible do manage from the US. But I’m ready with crispy bills for exchange. The gray pillow thing is a blanket/pillow. Good for sleeping on the plane or worse case on the floor of a terminal. Works also as a picnic blanket, neck pillow, and a wrap up poncho.Read more
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South of America Traveler
24-hours to go
October 6, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 64 °F
Woke up early with the thought that I’d be sleepy and able to hit the pillow early tonight. A 5:00 am departure is a 3:00 to the airport. Let’s see how that goes…. And besides it is time to check in for my flight…. It’s getting real…Read more
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South of America Traveler
How to spend a 9 hour layover?
October 6, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 64 °F
Ahhhhhhhh……😃😃😃. Throughout the planning of this first leg I wasn’t sure about the 9 hour layover in Houston. I have lounge access from several different travel options (all from travel hacking), and For about 3 seconds I had looked at Polaris lay flat. But the $8,000 price tag made that impossible. So I used miles for the ticket and paid 200 for premium seating.
But…..
This morning when I checked in first class—- Polaris—- Lay flat seats showed up at check in….!! And it was 400.00. Say what?? Yesterday that seat was $8,000 so, I did what any self respecting traveller would do… clicked it and just like that… I’m going lay flat on the 9 hours to Buenos Aires!
The Polaris seat comes with Polaris lounge access on top so now I have access to the exclusive Polaris lounge (not the run of the mill United Lounge) for the 9 hour layover. It’s a total win/win/win/win… heck you get the idea. This will be me flying to Buenos Aires in 22 hours…I’ve never flown this level before…. I’m beyond excited.Read more
TravelerGlad to see you indulging in much deserved luxury!! Enjoy!
10/6/23Reply
TravelerMe too… I’m all giddy inside.
10/6/23Reply
4 likes
South of America Traveler
Its Early!!
October 7, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 64 °F
A benefit to the first flight of the day is seeing that your plane is already here. Disadvantage is that the Centurion Lounge doesn’t open until after you plane depart.
TravelerBoo
10/9/23Reply
TravelerI was hoping to see what your sleeping seat looked like
10/9/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Planet Houston
October 7, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F
Easy flight and I’m in the Polaris Lounge. So far it’s just like a regular United Lounge… is that pretentious or what? The dining room opens at 11:30 and we’ll see.
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South of America Traveler
Vending Machines
October 7, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F
Here’s what you can buy from vending machines at Houston (IAH). The lego machine is my favorite.
TravelerSo bored that you've resorted to doing an inventory on vending machines.
10/8/23Reply
Traveler9 hours is a long time…
10/8/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Walk-about
October 7, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F
I’ve got lounge lounge access in Houston (IAH) to five locations.
KLM - not open for my access until 7:30
Air France - not open for my access until after 5:30
AmEx CENTURION- open and a good looking food area, but really busy.
United (regular lounge) -open but a line out the door.
United Polaris (first class only)- this is where I spent most of 9 hours except a couple of walks to stretch my legs.Read more
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South of America Traveler
My driver in Buenos Aires
October 7, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F
This is apparently how I will find my driver in Buenos Aires. I can’t outrun McDonalds.
TravelerNothing suspicious here.
10/8/23Reply
TravelerPay no attention to the man behind the curtain
10/8/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Embassy Area
October 8, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F
I’m my first quest for pesos I found Embassy’s instead. Just one block from my apartment. I know one was the Philippines, and one was Malaysia. The street had lots of little guard buildings. Kind of cool.Read more
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South of America Traveler
Pizza Anyone
October 8, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F
These are my take and bake pizza options at the supermarket across the street. I’m not to sure about them but I will give one a try before I leave… which one should it be?
TravelerNot the egg one... yuck
10/9/23Reply
TravelerI agree. Two of them have eggs.
10/9/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Arrived Safe
October 8, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F
Arrived safe and sound in BA. No immigration trouble except that the document I had to prove I had a place to stay didn’t have the address. So there was a moment of fiddle with my phone and the internet and airbnb. But it worked out.Read more
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South of America Traveler
+1 walking, -2 finding pesos
October 8, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F
After shopping and then finding out I needed my passport to use a credit card (more on why later) I realized that having cash would be a good idea. So, I sent myself money to Western Union (a legal and safe way) but then found out that they close at 2:00 on Saturday and won’t open until Monday. strike two. Oh well, I will get a bus pass and see Buenos Aires… wrong again. The pass costs 300 pesos, about 85 cents USD, but they only take pesos. Out of luck. Oh well. I will walk for my adventure and health.
And to be clear… when I wrote this I thought it was Saturday. Turns out it was Sunday, so the wait was short. Isn’t travel fun when you skip a calendar day… but get it back…hmmmmRead more
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South of America Traveler
+1 walking - -1 pesos
October 9, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
A nice breakfast then day 2 of the pesos quest. Western Union should be open (it’s Monday, but I thought yesterday was Saturday which is my own issue). The WU that is literally 94 feet from my apartment still doesn’t have WU system. WU 2,3 and 4 same issue. I stopped for lunch. (Chicken with fries, a coke and a bottle of water 7,000 pesos or 20.00 USD). If I’d had cash I would have had a 3.00 pizza but such is the life when you are on a quest.
Then 5,6 and 7 same story.
I give up, That’s all for me.
Tomorrow I have a private guide who said she can help me with the “black market” exchange. Anything that works is good for me. Upside is that I did see some nice things today.Read more
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South of America Traveler
1 1
Worlds Most Beautiful Bookstore
October 10, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F
El Ateno Grand Splendid. A converted theater into a bookstore. What a great reuse of a huge space. National Geographic magazine gave it theWorlds Best title and I can see why. The stage is a coffee/pastry area and each balcony is either shelves or a reading nook.
It lives up to the hype.
I couldn’t resist getting the first book in the Spanish version of my favorite Enid Blyton series the Famous Five. I got my first book in English on my first trip to the UK in 1970… ish.Read more
Traveler The boy and the bull on an island Am I close? What book did you purchase?
10/10/23Reply
TravelerI should read you post before I start asking questions.
10/10/23Reply
Traveler Pretty amazing use of an old theater
10/11/23Reply
TravelerBeautiful!
10/13/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
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Cementario de la Recoleta
October 10, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F
I’ve been to many cemeteries, but this one is a different level literally, as what you see is only half of the space.
The most famous person buried there is Evita Peron. Everyone else, for the most part, was a city leader, or generally a rich person. It wasn’t as creepy or scary as you would expect. And I didn’t get any weird vibes, instead, it was really interesting to walk through and peek around the following doors, and past the cobwebs.
Absolutely I must see in Buenos AiresRead more
TravelerNeed to do a little research, find out if you have any ancestors behind one of these doors.
10/10/23Reply
Traveler Is this like a sitting room to visit the deceased?
10/11/23Reply
TravelerI think like a sun room. Some had ferns.
10/11/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
+3 -locate Pesos!!!!
October 10, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F
Finally success! I was able to exchange USD for Argentine pesos. It was a good day. Can you guess how much I exchanged?
Traveler100$ US
10/10/23Reply
TravelerI think that 1k bill is worth about $3. I can see more than 10 of those big bill. So it's more than $100. I do not think you would cash out more than $200. So I'm guessing it's $140.
10/10/23Reply
TravelerI'll go high...$300
10/11/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Food Tour
October 11, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F
I’ve done a few food tours in places but this one was amongst the top. Four restaurants all around the Palermo neighborhood and included wine, food and tips. I’m all about the wine, but I will admit the empanada was pretty darn good. Also, steak (of course) and a place with just cheese and wine, and the flan with dolce de leche and cream was excellent. I didn’t take many pictures as I was trying to “be present” and take it all in.Read more
4 likes
South of America Traveler
Penguin Wine?
October 11, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F
Adel, apparently in BA the wine decanter is a penguin. For reasons not abundantly clear. This one looks like it was dripping blood but the wine was pretty good. Why this is a “thing” will take more research and I would buy one but it won’t last 2 plane trips. Plus Adel would never drink wine from a penguin and it made me laugh.Read more
TravelerI have tried telling you that penguins are secretly evil things!... This is proof that they are carnivorous little bastards! that meat looks yummy tho!
10/13/23Reply
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South of America Traveler
Walking to Wine
October 12, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F
Today I came to the Palermo neighborhood for dinner before my wine tasting. I love BA for its cafe style. Restaurants everywhere and there is always movement.
The is a vibrant city and it’s always moving. Maybe it’s the 15.5M people combined with great bus/train/subway system that is about .12c ( yes twelve cents) a ride or it’s the weather. But whatever it is I’m all in.Read more
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South of America Traveler
Fernando
October 12, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F
A very herbal liquor mixed with coke…. Imagine hay, a handful of savory spices and coke. I’m not a fan but I’m told for many young Argentines it’s their “entry” to alcohol. I’d think it would swear them off alcohol but who am I to judge?Read more
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South of America Traveler
Argentine wine tasting
October 12, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F
Well, let’s just say I enjoyed my evening.
My favorite is the Clos de los Siete - a blend from Mendoza.
TravelerExcellent! $30 at BevMo
10/18/23Reply
TravelerAnd not expensive here either. It was really well developed
10/19/23Reply
3 likes
South of America Traveler
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No Stop Sign or Signal
October 12, 2023 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F
After sitting and eating my dinner, and staring out the window at this intersection I finally saw it.
There is no signal or stop sign. The intersection has cross walks but everyone (pedestrians, cars, bike, ambulance) takes the right of way. It’s amazing to me that I didn’t see a crash. But then again it’s this way all over and these drivers used to it. YIKES!!Read more
TravelerOMG!
10/13/23Reply
Traveler looks like the speed bump is pretty efficient at slowing people down, and the other people just have to "go for it"..... I would be sitting there for a month before I could cross...lol
10/13/23Reply
TravelerThis city would be hazardous for people who are rules followers as you’d never get anywhere. I learned the rule is…You cross when you see an opening, cars go when they see an opening. In the end you hope you all don’t end up at the same place at the same time.
10/13/23Reply
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