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Epic Solo Adventure: 62 Days from North to South America! 🌎
Just wrapped up an incredible 62-day solo trip, blazing through 6 amazing countries from North to South America! Get ready for the ultimate travel inspo – I'm talking USA, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Brazil! Buckle up, here's the lowdown on my journey:
My Whirlwind Itinerary:
- Days 0-4: San Francisco, USA 🌉
- Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh - San Francisco (Vietnam Airlines)
- Days 4-8: New York City, USA 🗽
- San Francisco - New York (Delta Airlines)
- Days 8-10: Boston, USA 🦞
- New York - Boston (Amtrak train – snagged an early bird deal for $30!)
- Days 10-12: Washington DC, USA 🏛️
- Boston - Washington DC (Amtrak train – another $30 early bird!)
- Days 12-14: Valladolid - Yucatan, Mexico 🇲🇽
- Washington DC - Cancun (Spirit Airlines)
- Cancun - Valladolid (ADO bus – about 2.5 hours)
- Days 14-16: Cancun, Mexico 🏖️
- Valladolid - Cancun (ADO bus)
- Days 16-18: Oaxaca, Mexico 🌶️
- Cancun - Oaxaca (Volaris)
- Days 18-22: Mexico City, Mexico 🌮
- Oaxaca - Mexico City (ADO bus)
- Days 22-26: Lima, Peru 🇵🇪
- Mexico City - Lima (Avianca, transit in Bogota - Colombia)
- Days 26-27: Huacachina, Peru 🌵
- Lima - Huacachina (Bus Sur)
- Day 27-28: Lima, Peru
- Days 28-33: Cusco - Machu Picchu, Peru 🏞️
- Days 33-35: Puno, Peru 🚢
- Cusco - Puno (overnight bus)
- Days 35-37: La Paz, Bolivia 🇧🇴
- Puno - La Paz (bus ~8 hours)
- Days 37-40: Uyuni, Bolivia 🏜️
- La Paz - Uyuni (overnight bus)
- Days 40-42: San Pedro de Atacama, Chile 🇨🇱
- Transfer straight from Uyuni tour
- Days 42-45: Santiago de Chile, Chile 🏙️
- Calama - Santiago de Chile (Latam)
- Days 45-49: Punta Arenas + Puerto Natales, Chile 🏔️
- Santiago - Punta Arenas (Latam round trip)
- Punta Arenas - Puerto Natales (bus, 10000 Chilean pesos)
- Day 49-50: Santiago de Chile, Chile
- Days 50-54: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 🇧🇷
- Santiago - Rio de Janeiro (Latam)
- Days 54-57: Sao Paulo, Brazil 🌆
- Rio de Janeiro - Sao Paulo (bus, ~6 hours)
- Days 57-60: Los Angeles, USA 🌴
- Sao Paulo - Los Angeles (Avianca, transit in Bogota & El Salvador)
- Days 60-62: Los Angeles to Hanoi (Starlux, transit in Taipei) ✈️
Visa Tips & Tricks:
- US Visa: DIY for $160 (and score free entry to Mexico!). My US Visa application review.
- Peru Visa: Apply yourself for $30 (application & approval within 2 weeks!). Peru Visa application guide.
- Brazil Visa: DIY for $80 (application & approval within 1 week!). Brazil Visa application guide.
- Bolivia Visa: Get it at the border for $120 (or try the Bolivian embassy in Lima - Peru for just $30 – I tried in Cusco, but they weren't processing them).
- Chile: Visa-free for Vietnamese citizens! 🎉
Money Matters:
- USD: Exchange at a bank in Hanoi. I got ~23.7 in September.
- Peru: Exchange a little at the airport, then head to the main square for better rates. Cusco's exchange rates near the square are decent too.
- Bolivia: Decent exchange rates at the La Paz bus station.
- Chile: Exchange in downtown Atacama.
- Brazil: Cards are your friend! Airport exchange rates are TERRIBLE for small amounts (just enough for the bus). Everywhere accepts cards, and the rates are much better than exchanging cash.
Stay Connected:
eSIM is the way to go for all countries! Or grab a SIM from Vietnam before you leave and pop it in. Here's the network scoop:
- USA: Free and surprisingly good public Wi-Fi all over the metro.
- Chile: I had to buy an extra SIM (my pre-bought one ran out of data). Got a SIM at Claro and had a convenience store top it up with 5000 Chilean pesos (~$5 USD).
- Brazil: Airport SIMs are pricey with 5G for around 50 Reais (~$10 USD) and limited data. Street shops are cheaper with more data, but you'll need a connection to find your way, and the airport Wi-Fi is nonexistent.
Language Barrier? Challenge Accepted!
This might be the trickiest part of travelling in South America.
- Only the USA speaks English. Brazil speaks Portuguese, and the rest are mostly Spanish-speaking. It's tough if you don't know Spanish or Portuguese! Google Translate becomes your BFF (even hostel/hotel receptionists often have limited English).
Stay tuned for more detailed posts on each location and travel tips! Huge thanks to all the amazing travellers who shared their experiences before me, making this journey safe and unforgettable! 😊
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