Backpacking Boisterously

Well, I just had to write and tell you all about the amazing lunch I had at Sarkis, in buenos aires. While the city is known for its steak and Malbec, I dined on some delicious greecian food. Much to my delight it was cheap and the helpings plentiful. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a change from steak, pasta, pizza, pasta, steak, pizza, pasta and white bread, that you far too often can’t get away from in Buenos Aires.

When I was looking for hostels in Ilha Grande, I came across this awesome one! I would suggest it to anyone who ever wanted to go there. I found it via one of those hostel booking sites, MiniHostels. Anyways, if you’re heading to Brazil, don’t miss out on Ilha Grande, or this hostel.

I met a guy in Brazil that was considering starting up a travel gear business centered on tailoring solutions to the customer.  By that I mean having a basic pack or pair of pants, then having options to customize by pockets, features, etc.  It sounded like a great idea to me after having trouble finding certain features in travel gear that I like, although making that work as a business seems like it would have lots of challenges inherent in custom designing something.

Thoughts?  Would there be a market for customizable travel gear?  Would seasoned travelers go for this?

I made the choice when I graduated that travel experiences were more important to me than material gains, at least in the short run, and it has paid off in spades so far.  I came to Buenos Aires with a plan and not much else beyond wanting to see the world.  I now have steady work and a growing side-business I’ve started, all done online.  I can work from anywhere with my laptop and a wifi connection.

What’s the point of this post?  I think if you have illusions that travel isn’t attainable for young people (I graduated in May) you’re flat wrong.  It takes hard work and dedication, but you can set up your lifestyle to fit directly into long-term travel.  I know I’m enjoying myself right now a lot more than some people I know working low-end jobs back home.  They might make more money than me, but my lifestyle is much, much richer.

My trip to Brazil just came to a close, and let me tell you… I’m hooked.  The beaches, the culture, the food, the women, they’ve got it all.  Florianópolis was an absolute blast, and the perfect getaway from Buenos Aires.  You can quickly lose yourself in the slow pace of life there, especially if you partake in their caipirhinas.  Our hostel bartender, Jay, made a particularly deadly variety.

I’d recommend Florianópolis to anyone that is looking for a beach vacation, be it a nutso party plan or yearning for a secluded spot.  The island has such a range of beaches that everyone can find what they’re looking for.  I’ll be back again soon I’m sure, packed for a longer stay!

I´ve made it to Florianopolis, and I have to say Brazil is making quite the impression.  The beaches here are beautiful, and I plan on going diving in the next few days.  Today there´s the threat of rain, so I´ll be sitting in the hammock and catching up on some reading.  This vacation has been perfect thus far.  I´m hoping the diving is as good as advertised, then I´ll be completely smitten.

Oh, and everything they say about Brazilian women?  Completely true, all of it.

Iguazu is the top natural wonder I’ve seen in my life.  Granted, I haven’t seen many natural wonders beyond the border of the US, but Iguazu easily trumped the Grand Canyon in my mind.  The falls are absolutely breathtaking.  I even sprang for the boat that runs you right up to the falls, which is plain awesome.

There’s a trail in the park called the Macundo, that is rather lengthy but is worth it if you’ve got the legs.  Hike the whole thing and you’ll stumble upon a natural pool with a tiny waterfall running into it from above, perfect for swimming.  I’m taking a friend there when she comes to visit, hopefully her legs hold up!

Well, I made it.  First day of my vacation in Brazil.  Took an excellent bus up to Iguazu last night, and I’m writing from my hostel now.  Tomorrow I’m going to see the falls all day and then the day after I’m going on some jungle excursions.  After that I’m off to Florianópolis.  All told I’ll be gone until the 31st.

I also packed the bare minimum of clothing.  Two pairs of shorts, 3 shirts, one pair of pants, 3 pairs of underwear, and just my river sandals with some flip flops.  Nothing fancy.  Discourages me from throwing money away in some club!  Dive and beach bars here I come!

I was thinking about another great aspect of hostels last night while writing, about how easy it is to meet people when traveling.  Hostels bring together individuals that are traveling and by their very nature are open to new experiences and meeting new people.  Travelers in hostels always have an interesting story to share or something exciting to teach to others.  I can’t count how many times I’ve ended up visiting a fantastic spot on the recommendation of a random encounter from a hostel.

In that vein, I’m hoping there’ll be lots of travelers around Iguazu and Florianópolis during my trip, because this’ll be my first time away from home for Christmas.  Us travelers will have to band together and try to put together a special night!

I love how far hostels have come since I first traveled outside the country in 2004.  The hostels I stayed in on that biking trip were dirt cheap, and usually had dirt caked in a lot of places.  They were the cheapest accommodation available.  Nowadays, all of the hostels I stay in are just as cheap, but they stacked with amenities: wifi, pool, bar, free breakfast, AC, etc.  It’s great!

I think backpacking and flashpacking in general are really starting to take off, since traditional forms of travel have become prohibitively expensive.  Even after I start a career and can afford to throw down cash on a nicer hotel, I see no reason to.  I’m barely ever in my hotel anyways on trips.  Just give me a simple bed and I’m good to go.  Here’s to progress!