DO
* Track down a snazzy worldwide plug adaptor that also has a USB socket on the side.
* Carry some sort of life-saving snack at all times. Hunger is erratic.
* Only take clothes which can be hand washed, as not every hostel has a washing machine. Even then, it will be a cold-water wash. Watch out when you buy detergent in the shops, make sure it isn't bleach. And don't send anything to the laundrette if it might get burned by dry-cleaning.
* If you in the tropics, remember that it can and does rain. Often.
* Understand that there is virtually nothing you will want to bring with you that you could not just buy in Latin America. You could safely bring a bag with just your laptop and camera and that would be enough. You don't really even need a laptop unless you're writing a comprehensive blog every day :)
* Get photocopies of all your documentation.
* Bring shoes you can walk up (and down) hills in. There are a lot of hills in Brazil. Do not run up and down these hills in the rain, you will fall and that will go very badly.
* Be prepared for pricing to be different from home. Taxes are fairly arbitrary, and what you think ought to be reasonable will be the same price as home. Likewise, some things are unnaturally cheap.
* Let your bank know you are leaving the country before you go. If possible, sort out some sort of travel pre-paid card before you go too, as a back up.
* Acknowledge that you are at a different sort of risk than you are at home. When travelling in Europe you may be considered a soft touch by taxi drivers now and again. In Latin America, depending on where you are, you may be considered a soft touch by muggers. Different cities and neighbourhoods offer different levels of risk. But don't believe the hype that it is life-and-death when you step outside the front door of your accommodation. The world is changing quite quickly in 21st Century Latin America, enjoy it.
DON'T
* Believe the guidebook when it says 'You can sort your vaccinations last minute if you need to'. That's a big lie. Rabies and Hep B take at least a month (3 shots) and there's currently (2013) a Yellow Fever Vaccine worldwide shortage. Give yourself a good 3 months to sort this out (unless you're planning on going 'bareback' with mosquitos).
* TOTALLY FREAK OUT when an ATM doesn't work for you. Quite often it will work the second time, or the one beside it will work, or it will work on another day. You need to find a balance between getting money from bank machines when you have the chance, and not carrying silly amounts of money around. If hosteling, take out a big chunk (to avoid bank charges) then stash it in your locker at the hostel. If you are discrete, mostly you will be ok.
* Pack everything you think you need. I am here with a rucksack full to the brim. I have yet to use my sleeping bag, most hostels don't allow them. Likewise sleep-sack and pillow case, all provided by the accommodation. I have gotten the most use from my laptop, and even then only because I am doing a lot of writing on it. A camera is a good idea. But you could survive with one pair of shoes, buy some Havianas here, a couple of pairs of lightweight shorts, a couple of tshirts, and two or three days of underwear if you are prepared to be a little 'hygiene-flexible'. Anything you need to clean yourself or your clothes can be bought here for cheap. Even the Portuguese and Spanish dictionaries I have brought feel a little superfluous, given that the Brazilians are so happy to help.
* Track down a snazzy worldwide plug adaptor that also has a USB socket on the side.
* Carry some sort of life-saving snack at all times. Hunger is erratic.
* Only take clothes which can be hand washed, as not every hostel has a washing machine. Even then, it will be a cold-water wash. Watch out when you buy detergent in the shops, make sure it isn't bleach. And don't send anything to the laundrette if it might get burned by dry-cleaning.
* If you in the tropics, remember that it can and does rain. Often.
* Understand that there is virtually nothing you will want to bring with you that you could not just buy in Latin America. You could safely bring a bag with just your laptop and camera and that would be enough. You don't really even need a laptop unless you're writing a comprehensive blog every day :)
* Get photocopies of all your documentation.
* Bring shoes you can walk up (and down) hills in. There are a lot of hills in Brazil. Do not run up and down these hills in the rain, you will fall and that will go very badly.
* Be prepared for pricing to be different from home. Taxes are fairly arbitrary, and what you think ought to be reasonable will be the same price as home. Likewise, some things are unnaturally cheap.
* Let your bank know you are leaving the country before you go. If possible, sort out some sort of travel pre-paid card before you go too, as a back up.
* Acknowledge that you are at a different sort of risk than you are at home. When travelling in Europe you may be considered a soft touch by taxi drivers now and again. In Latin America, depending on where you are, you may be considered a soft touch by muggers. Different cities and neighbourhoods offer different levels of risk. But don't believe the hype that it is life-and-death when you step outside the front door of your accommodation. The world is changing quite quickly in 21st Century Latin America, enjoy it.
DON'T
* Believe the guidebook when it says 'You can sort your vaccinations last minute if you need to'. That's a big lie. Rabies and Hep B take at least a month (3 shots) and there's currently (2013) a Yellow Fever Vaccine worldwide shortage. Give yourself a good 3 months to sort this out (unless you're planning on going 'bareback' with mosquitos).
* TOTALLY FREAK OUT when an ATM doesn't work for you. Quite often it will work the second time, or the one beside it will work, or it will work on another day. You need to find a balance between getting money from bank machines when you have the chance, and not carrying silly amounts of money around. If hosteling, take out a big chunk (to avoid bank charges) then stash it in your locker at the hostel. If you are discrete, mostly you will be ok.
* Pack everything you think you need. I am here with a rucksack full to the brim. I have yet to use my sleeping bag, most hostels don't allow them. Likewise sleep-sack and pillow case, all provided by the accommodation. I have gotten the most use from my laptop, and even then only because I am doing a lot of writing on it. A camera is a good idea. But you could survive with one pair of shoes, buy some Havianas here, a couple of pairs of lightweight shorts, a couple of tshirts, and two or three days of underwear if you are prepared to be a little 'hygiene-flexible'. Anything you need to clean yourself or your clothes can be bought here for cheap. Even the Portuguese and Spanish dictionaries I have brought feel a little superfluous, given that the Brazilians are so happy to help.
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