Highly recommended experiences in Brazil

• Lanches for afternoon meal. It's a vast spread of many local delicacies offered as a buffet and savored by the locals and office going crowd
• Soccer match
• Para sailing at the beach
• Eating an acaraje by the road side in Salvador
• Staying with a local or two if you have the opportunity
• Watching late night dances and musical performances on the streets of Salvador
• Fresh juice at the local road side shop in Rio

Colca Canyon, a must visit if you are in Arequipa- pristine, lot of llamas and ofcourse Candors

We visited Colca Canyon through a 2 day, one night tour we booked at our hostel. Surprisingly the cost is negotiable so dont feel bad in asking if they can give a deal. Our tour left in a mini bus with 15 of us from Arequipa town center(or pick up at your hotel/hostel). 


The journey to the Colca Canyon is completely amazing...lots of llamas, preserved lands, beautiful landscapes and small villages. You will be driving through clouds and its a surreal experience. We spent a day travelling in to a village near the canyons and then the next morning left early to get to the canyons. The hotel itself was basic but comfortable. Since it was already evening, and some folks were experiencing morning sickness we could either take it easy or visit a hot spring near by. The hot spring itself was more like an outdoor swimming pool full of gringos. However its backdrop was beautiful, peaceful and relaxing. 


At the canyon itself, we only got a couple of hours, which is not a lot so if there is an option to stay longer, do pick that. At the canyon you see candors flying high- they are majestic against the backdrop of green, looming mountains. 


On the way back we stopped in a village square where there were locals selling handicrafts and some of them were showing their pet animals-owl and llama. All of this is a way for locals to earn some money from the tourism industry so dont hold back. Overall a must visit.

Pisac Market: Colorful vibrant market where one should look beyond shopping

Its a short bus ride from Cusco which locals also use. Once you get there its a mix of touristy experience and local feel. While selling their crafts you see the locals enjoy home cooked meal & beer. We tried the corn beer it has a strong taste but its fun sitting with the jumbo tumbler and sipping with the villagers. Of-course there is tons of stuff to buy from crafts, bags, jewelry and vegetables. However we loved watching the colorful attires of the ladies selling their wares, their braider hair and different head gear. I was in awe of the way they juggled their little babies wrapped in colorful cloths on the back while working hard through the day.

Article in India New England

Looking for India in South America

My husband was asked by a smart, professional Brazilian, does your wife have to seek your permission before she leaves the house. Is Sati still prevalent? Stumped, we wondered while sitting in a jeep in the Bolivian city of Uyuni, why a guy from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, would ask a question like this. We laughed with amazement as we were told of a popular soap opera – produced by a Brazilian and acted by Brazilians – about a family in India. Who knew India would be so popular in Brazil, but maybe for the wrong reasons? As we travelled more we realized the adulation Shah Rukh Khan enjoyed and how Hare Baba was such a popular phrase. And we constantly wondered why did we not come across any Indians on our journey and why Indian food was not popular. We decided to travel across South America, down the Andes this winter. It would be a backpacking trip. Yes, just carry bare essentials in a backpack, stay in hostels, live like the locals, interact with them and see what most tourists would not. We started our journey in Lima, Peru, and flew out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All borders were crossed on foot and most travel was done by bus, unless walking, rickshaw or train made better sense. As we planned for this adventure and the word spread, we got various reactions. Most of it was positive, but some friends and family wondered if this was the best choice. There were warnings of unsafe countries, places, drug wars and even lack of vegetarian food. There was encouragement that we were following our dream. We were apprehensive, no doubt. Not about South America, but about how “un-Indian” we would be by doing this. As doubts continued to creep within our minds, we continued planning our trip. Renting out our present apartment, planning for the journey, booking tickets, getting visas – the list seemed endless. Finally, after crossing various hurdles, we managed to leave. During our first few days in Peru we were pretty shocked. How different it was from the United States, and how similar it was to India! The feeling continued as we went past small villages, met locals and ate different cuisines. Villages were as colorful as what I would see while travelling across Rajasthan. Does adversity become easier to deal with when one is surrounded with more color? One morning, we thought we were dreaming when we heard a song from Ashoka. Stepping outside the room we see a Bolivian guy lounging in the other room and listening to the song. Out and about in La Paz, we were surprised to find a Middle Eastern restaurant. Even more surprising was sitting and eating while we were being watched by a giant picture of Sushmita Sen. Crossing a scenic border while entering Peru. A very collectivistic culture, the warmth and generosity shown by locals in South America was similar to what you would find in the family-oriented, atithi devo bhava culture of India, in which a guest is God and should be treated as such. What else would justify our stay with a family in southwest Brazil? We were invited to stay with them when we were not able to find a good hostel in an unsafe neighborhood. Initially apprehensive, we ended up taking their offer and soon to realized that this would be one of the highlights of our trip. Of modest means, they nevertheless made us feel at home, and even used all the people resources they had to get all we needed delivered for us at their house. Of course, into the bargain, we got a ton of neighborhood folks coming to look at us and maybe try their hand at sign language, so we could exchange a few thoughts. Yes, we were the new animals in their zoo, but we were treated with respect and love. Potatoes, rice, grains and vegetables – if given a kitchen, any Indian could dish up a wonderful meal with such ingredients. Yes, vegetarianism is not very popular in South America, and being vegetarian meant more time spent looking for food. However we never went hungry and, surprisingly, found some very delicious meals, too. We did have to learn some key phrases to explain what we could eat and, in some places, justify why we could not eat meat. But after these initial hurdles we were able to enjoy good food. With some patience and perseverance, it seemed, a vegetarian Indian would do just fine travelling in South America. Dazed by the wonderful experiences, we are now home and settling back into our routines. While looking for a job and getting used to the lack of crowds, sounds and hustle, we hope to spread the word of our delightful journey so that South America may becomes a destination on the list of globe-trotting Indians and, perhaps, more Indians are encouraged to travel with their backpacks.

Must do in Bolivia

• Cross over the border by foot-especially from Peru side. This experience will show you how it feels to not have borders! It is truly liberating
• A trip to Salar de Uyuni. Miles of sparkling white dry salt, see geysers, bathe in natural hot springs and if you are lucky see the best milky way you can imagine. Guidebooks will also recommend but it is so spectacular I did not want to skip over this in my list
• Take a bus ride in a colectivos. Keep an open mind and you will meet many locals and see small towns along the route ,the scenery, if you travel during the day, can be amazing

Must Do's in Argentina

This is a run down of what we cherished during our stay in Argentina. There are details on all touristy things we did in other blogs, but these are highlights that we highly recommend. This may or may not be covered in travel books.

- Not Touristy Tango night at La Catedral in Buenos Aires. You will be thrilled with this authentic local experience. Architecture, music, performances, classes and locals make it a fulling evening out
- Tafi Del Valle in Tucuman province is a perfect spot to rest, and enjoy a local Argentinian experience. Its a spot Argentinians go to for weekend visits and to take a break. We were lucky enough to be there during the Queso Festival. If it is en route during your trip stay there for a couple of days, you won't be disappointed.
- Check out a Gaucho Show. We experienced it during the Queso festival and what a sight it was.
- Buy fresh cheese, olives and wine from a local store and relish it along a country side.
- San Telmo Antiques Fair on Sundays in Buenos Aires. As street vendors sell their heirlooms, singers and dancers move amid the crowd to tango music. Among the 270-plus vendor stands, you will find antique silversmith objects, porcelain, crystal, and other antiques.

What would it cost to travel in South America?

It's always hard to determine at the get go how much a trip is going to cost, especially when it is 2 months long.

Here is our breakdown for each country. We did not splurge in our overnight stays, took overnight bus where possible, ate as locals did(not in fancy restaurants unless there was something we were celebrating) and our motto was "do what the locals would"

$40 / day /person in Brazil, Chile
$25/day /person in Argentina
$15/day/person in Bolivia
$20/day/person in Peru

Don't miss this while in Peru

Over and above what every book may tell you to do, this is what we cherished during our stay there:

• Travel by Micro in Lima
• Horse back riding to ruins across Cusco
• Sunday Pisac market in Cusco
• Bus journey through the Peruvian Andeas. We took the bus from Lima to Cusco and once you are past big towns it is absolutely gorgeous
• Huacachina is a nice surprise! Nasca is a popular tourist destination for the Inca Lines but I would recommend staying in Huacachina instead of Nasca
• Colca Canyon visit from Arequipa is a must! Arequipa itself is so quaint but if you want to walk through clouds, treat your eyes to lush green canyons, large candors and small villages book a trip to the canyon
• By lunchtime, definitely eat ceviche roadside. Also pick up a boiled corn with hot salsa from one of the vendors. The taste will linger on

Websites & Books that helped us

Couchsurfing


This was an invaluable experience living with locals wherever possible. Its a great way to learn more about the culture of the place through an insider. We got insider tips on places to visit, restaurant reviews, transport options while making a new friend in different countries


Thorntree Lonely Planet




First hand experiences and advice from travelers. We used this extensively when we were planning our trip and finalizing the itinerary




Hosteling International


Great resource to get a run down on reliable hostels. We did not always stay at Hosteling International since they were sometimes more expensive. But typically we were able to find many hostels in the area close to HI. It was our guiding force!

Books

Lonely Planet South America



Valuable information for itinirary planning and on the go travels was available here

What if you are a vegetarian?

We are predominantly vegetarians (eat eggs) but we don't really consider that as a handicap. However people always ask us, how did you manage with food?
Let me give you a rundown of our experience in each country. Typically we loaded up on breakfast, had a snack for lunch and dinner we would cook at the hostel with groceries bought from local store. Also we carried some basic indian spices with us (turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry spice) which helped us a lot when we decided to cook a meal or when we missed home cooked food.

Peru
In the large supermarkets, there are food courts with buffet option. We found plenty of vegetarian options available there, and quite delicious.
Also there seems to be a large network of restaurants run by Hindu temple in Peru. We found this in Lima and there is a similar one in cusco and puno as well.
While going through small towns usually street food such as corn, pastels (pastries), queso(cheese), huevo(eggs) were easily available.
Overall our experience has been that if we were in a local market with many small shacks we were successful in finding vegetarian food. They also were more accommodating to our needs

Bolivia
Surprisingly we found Middle eastern food in La Paz(lentils, wraps, falafel) and it was really delicious. There was abundance of cheese empanada shops that served fresh juice as well. It is however hard to find vegetarian options in the interiors and best bet is to make your own sandwiches and dinner. Eggs are the fallback everywhere.

Argentina
We completely freaked out on the wine and cheese! We were able to find pita bread in local stores which we used for dinner with a vegetable cooked at the hostel.
Also there is an abundance of pastry shops, small stores serving salad, quiches and also some Mediterranean items. Pizza and Italian food is also offered at many restaurants.

Brazil
Brazilians are big on lanches(lunch buffets) very commonly found in small and big restaurants. There is a huge selection of meats, veggies, rice and sides and will make for a filling meal. Lot of work force at lunch time rely on this so expect big lines. You will also come across subway shops across Rio. We enjoyed our breakfasts of fresh fruit juice(over 30 options) and sandwiches or empanadas.