Well… I just turned 25. That is a quarter of a century. My only adventures involved getting stuck on some places, drinking way too much and ending up in a park bench at 5 am on the middle of the night, some cave exploring… and nothing much else. I want to go on an adventure. A friend of mine went with a group of people From Sao Paulo, Brazil to Tierra del Fuego, in Argentina, driving a Fiat Uno. They managed to get there in one piece. Since I heard this story I want to go on a similar adventure. Probably on a better car, so I won’t die a terrible death…
Would anyone be interested on a travel around south america? Or maybe drive from south america all the way to Alaska? Is that even possible?
No, because there’s no road between eastern Panama and Colombia (the “Darien Gap”). It has been crossed by vehicles a few times, but you basically have to mount an expedition and chop and winch your way through (not to mention eluding the Colombian guerrillas en route).
Otherwise much of South America can be traveled by car. And yeah, driving in many places (including the major cities) is quite an adventure.
Around that age, me and two friends went to Spain. We had no hotel reservations and no plan at all. We rented a car at the airport in Madrid and drove south. We stayed wherever we were at the end of the day. We spent the middle part in the Costa Del Sol region, and then drove north by a different route.
I have traveled in South America, but it was some time ago now.
I just came here to say, "Do it, Do it, Do it! The time for adventure, in your life, is your 20’s. While you’re still somewhat fearless and open minded, while you’re still plastic enough for your experiences to have impact. Young enough to abide an all third class train ride, or the back of an open truck! Healthy enough to eat on the street without pause, that kind of thing.
Learn a language in a foreign country. Seriously – I spent a several months in Honduras in 07/08, staying with a local family, and learned Spanish… much of which I still remember! It was quite cheap – something like $150 per week, all inclusive (room, food, and lessons), and I’ve heard that the same thing in Guatemala can be even cheaper. I stayed with a family in the little town of Copan, minutes from some cool Mayan ruins, and the mom I stayed with spent 4 hours a day one-on-one teaching me. Had a lot of fun and met cool people.
People always assume that the birthdays ending in 0 are the big ones - 30, 40, 50… but for me and a lot of people I knew, 25 was a bigger deal than 20 or 30. At 25, it seems like suddenly you really are a grown-up. But still young and unencumbered compared to what will happen later, with relationships/jobs/mortgages and so on.
Have a fantastic time, whatever you end up doing. Take tons of photos and keep a diary/write a blog. Make memories for a lifetime. You won’t regret it.
It’s quite an adventure, but something like the Pacific Crest or Continental Divide Trail is much more exotic and remote. You pass through too much suburbia on the AT for my tastes.
But adventures are everywhere. Buy a plane ticket to New Zealand, Kathmandu, or Paris and explore!
Do it! My long trips have been some of the best times in my life. Let us know if you need any help travel planning. Don’t feel constrained. Outside of active war zones, there are few regions on earth that aren’t easy to travel with a Lonely Planet and a backpack.
One thing to consider is the possibility of living some place for a time teaching or volunteering. Travel is awesome, but it pales compared to living someplace, learning the language, integrating in with a local community and getting we out of the backpacker bubble. If takes more organization and more of a commitment to live abroad, but it’s a richer experience than just passing through.
Yes, I need help planning… and some travel buddies. I was calculating and I think it would probably be cheaper to fly to Alaska, buy a car there (is that possible?) and go all the way down. I really like some of the ideas suggested, but I am really not a long-distance walker (although I do quite well walking on the middle of the jungle. And no, this is not because I live in Brazil!).
The idea would be to document my trip… is it too risky to bring a camera on such adventure?
What kind of car should I use? I was thinking about a cheapo 4x4, but it seems that they really like to rob those cars here in South America (on the wrong neighbourhoods).
Can a Foreigner buy a car on the USA and get around driving?
From what I understand, buying a car in Alaska is very costly. No car factories up there, so they have to be transported from elsewhere, which adds a considerable amount to the cost. I’ve heard tales of people buying a car or RV in the lower 48* and driving it to Alaska, then selling it for a profit, effectively paying for the trip. You might consider that approach instead.
And by all means, take a camera! No matter what you end up doing, take a camera!
You might have a problem buying a car if you don’t have a US driver’s license. You would certainly have a problem getting it registered and licensed without one. But yes, a car can be purchased in Alaska. They even have electricity and everything.
Bumbershoot: cars are no more expensive in Alaska than elsewhere. They have the same MSRP on the window and you can negotiate just like anywhere else. RV’s are a different story, since there are few dealers and they can charge whatever the hell they want.
Would a VW camper van be a good option? It is easy to repair, it can take s hell of a beating and iss less likely to get robbed than a Land Rover, for instance. It is also cheaper…