In this episode: We dish on the best Southern Hemisphere destination to get away from sub-zero temperatures. And we tell you how we survived a Chilean volcano. (Recorded 1/20/24 in Montevideo)
Unstable place I visited: Acapulco. Beautiful spot very unstable. One day as we sat around the pool, eating our lunch, we were told we have to get up and leave. The president's wife was coming for lunch and she wants no guests there! We complied and later went to a lovely place for dinner. really beautiful restaurant 1/2 outdoors. The next day, we read that the same restaurant had been "shot up" later that evening! Several tourists dead and all jewelry, money stolen from the "bandits". the country seemed very unstable plus they still have not repaired their water/plumbing problems. For a country that makes so much off of tourism and has such lovely people, it is a shame that they do not overhaul water filtration/distribution.
In 1978, as a 17 year old, I traveled to Argentina as an AFS exchange student. My uncle, a high ranking official with the DoD, told my father to not allow me to go there, but was prohibited at the time, of disclosing why. So I went. The nation was doing everything it could to polish its image to the rest of the world. At the time, the dictator and his regime were trying to silence those attempting to expose governmental corruption. “The Disappeared”. The city in which I lived had armed soldiers on street corners. I was told to carry my passport with me at all times and was often asked for my documents. I was advised to never speak of politics. As well, inflation was out of control. The few US dollars I was allowed to bring with me to purchase incidentals, was like pure gold. Stable and highly desired.
All of this was far more disturbing to my parents than to me, a rather naive teenager looking for the adventure of a lifetime. Good news is that lifetime adventure was just that. I still have close contact with my host family and I have had the good fortune to return in far more stable times.
I'd like to go to FarmersMarkets to learn about the area. Love to talk with vendors about the produce! Hard not to buy everything since we usually stay in hotel ! Ki know bad but we are old and travel with Elderhostel!
We (the wife and I) were in the US Army '89 in Berlin when the Wall came down. Official Army warnings for days not to go anywhere near especially check point charlie. Sections of the wall were eventually torn down sporadically with no (re)action by East Germany Polizei to intervene. Everyone was on alert for weeks! Still have a piece.
Haiti. Have been there every year since 2002. Was there when Aristede was ousted and missed the Earthquake of 2010 by 3 days. Last year was the scariest with the gangs, kidnappings and murders
I haven't really been in an unstable place. I've witnessed " incidents"; once in Paris and once in Berlin, but each was isolated and efficiently handled.
On another note: Aren looks so much like my son Stephen at that age, I did a double take when I saw his photo! ❤
I have to say for us it was being in Saint Petersburg Russia in 1998 when the city was in disarray crime was high, and it was not safe to walk in the streets at any time.
Your son needs to link up with T-Mobile, then he wouldn't need another SIM card as T-Mobile works in over 100 countries inlcuding messages and emails. Calls typically cost 25 cents per minute.
I like to visit grocery stores to check the price of staples, such as cooking oil, laundry detergent, flour, etc which gives me an idea of the cost of living for the locals. And before so many places went cashless, I would use up any local money by buying chocolate bars.
Unstable place I visited: Acapulco. Beautiful spot very unstable. One day as we sat around the pool, eating our lunch, we were told we have to get up and leave. The president's wife was coming for lunch and she wants no guests there! We complied and later went to a lovely place for dinner. really beautiful restaurant 1/2 outdoors. The next day, we read that the same restaurant had been "shot up" later that evening! Several tourists dead and all jewelry, money stolen from the "bandits". the country seemed very unstable plus they still have not repaired their water/plumbing problems. For a country that makes so much off of tourism and has such lovely people, it is a shame that they do not overhaul water filtration/distribution.
If you like meat don't forget to eat at "El Mercado del Puerto". An huge old market converted to hold dozens of beef restaurants.
In 1978, as a 17 year old, I traveled to Argentina as an AFS exchange student. My uncle, a high ranking official with the DoD, told my father to not allow me to go there, but was prohibited at the time, of disclosing why. So I went. The nation was doing everything it could to polish its image to the rest of the world. At the time, the dictator and his regime were trying to silence those attempting to expose governmental corruption. “The Disappeared”. The city in which I lived had armed soldiers on street corners. I was told to carry my passport with me at all times and was often asked for my documents. I was advised to never speak of politics. As well, inflation was out of control. The few US dollars I was allowed to bring with me to purchase incidentals, was like pure gold. Stable and highly desired.
All of this was far more disturbing to my parents than to me, a rather naive teenager looking for the adventure of a lifetime. Good news is that lifetime adventure was just that. I still have close contact with my host family and I have had the good fortune to return in far more stable times.
I'd like to go to FarmersMarkets to learn about the area. Love to talk with vendors about the produce! Hard not to buy everything since we usually stay in hotel ! Ki know bad but we are old and travel with Elderhostel!
San Francisco, last March. Drugs, violence, homelessness all over. What a change from 1996, when I spent the summer working there.
We (the wife and I) were in the US Army '89 in Berlin when the Wall came down. Official Army warnings for days not to go anywhere near especially check point charlie. Sections of the wall were eventually torn down sporadically with no (re)action by East Germany Polizei to intervene. Everyone was on alert for weeks! Still have a piece.
I never unpack, I take "living out of a suitcase" literally. Enjoy your time in the meat and mayonnaise capitol the world.
In the state of Guerrero on the way to Acapulco our bus was stopped and searched by the federales. At least, that’s who I think they were.
Haiti. Have been there every year since 2002. Was there when Aristede was ousted and missed the Earthquake of 2010 by 3 days. Last year was the scariest with the gangs, kidnappings and murders
DMZ in Korea not too many years after the axe killings. Always a dicey location, but memories were fresh.
I haven't really been in an unstable place. I've witnessed " incidents"; once in Paris and once in Berlin, but each was isolated and efficiently handled.
On another note: Aren looks so much like my son Stephen at that age, I did a double take when I saw his photo! ❤
I have been to 27 countries, and I really can say what the worst place is because every place has good and bad.
I have to say for us it was being in Saint Petersburg Russia in 1998 when the city was in disarray crime was high, and it was not safe to walk in the streets at any time.
Your son needs to link up with T-Mobile, then he wouldn't need another SIM card as T-Mobile works in over 100 countries inlcuding messages and emails. Calls typically cost 25 cents per minute.
I like to visit grocery stores to check the price of staples, such as cooking oil, laundry detergent, flour, etc which gives me an idea of the cost of living for the locals. And before so many places went cashless, I would use up any local money by buying chocolate bars.
Haiti