#noregrets: 5 Non-Regrets from South America
Here’s my 5 top non-regrets from my trip to South America. Pay attention!
1. Visiting the travel doctor
Oh dear Lord am I glad I visited the travel doctor (Dr Deb – the Travel Doctor, Brisbane, Australia) before my trip to South America! Getting sick in South America is inevitable (it’s all part of the experience), so visiting the travel doctor before you head off is an absolute must.
Not only is it important to ensure you’re appropriately vaccinated, but it’s imperative to stock up on basic medical supplies.
If you’re heading high to Cusco, Machu Picchu or La Paz (just to name a few), be sure to pick up some altitude sickness medication. The last thing you want is to feel unwell whilst taking in the incredible scenery along the Inca Trail!
Also speak to your travel doctor about the life saver of all life savers: Gastro stop (or equivalent) and antibiotics (you need both). When the gastro sweats take over, you’ll be thanking me for the hot tip (and so will your travel buddies)!
If you’re heading to the jungle, pick up some Malaria medication and extra strong mosquito repellent from your travel doctor.
Some over the counter pain killers, bandaids and some basic cold medications could also come in handy, as trying to explain your symptoms to a Spanish speaking pharmacist using your best Spanglish and winning charades combo isn’t as fun as it sounds.
2. Packing light
I am a serial over packer, but this time I listened to my friends’ advice and only packed 11kg for 3 months backpacking around South America. I’d definitely recommend a good backpack over a suitcase and of course, pack light. No really, you don’t need to pack your hair straightener! See our South America Packing List for more details on what to pack! Trust me, when you’re climbing steps to your hotel/hostel in Cusco, your weary body will thank you for it!
3. Learning Spanish
This is a must! I took Spanish lessons before my 3 month adventure and it gave me the confidence to interact with the locals, and truly experience South America. Some of my fondest memories are of conversations with unsuspecting locals, shocked to hear an Australian speaking Spanish. And even though I spent a lot of time on tours, with Spanish speaking guides, having an understanding of Spanish was oh so helpful when our guide wasn’t present. I often found myself translating signs, menus and directions for the rest of the group. And after 3 months in South America, I even started thinking and dreaming in Spanish! Que loco!
You can sign up for private online Spanish lessons with qualified, experienced instructors from USD$15/lesson with Hablamos Spanish here.
4. Taking a tour
I booked 3 tours throughout South America before I left Aussie soil (2 with Intrepid and 1 with G Adventures) and boy was I glad I did. For my first trip to South America solo, it was definitely a great move. Not only did it take the stress out of trip planning, but I also made lifelong friendships!
Intepid and G Adventures have great tours through this part of the world and I can’t recommend them enough. Their groups are small, their guides are fantastic and they have a more hands off approach than other companies. This means they get you where you need to go, orient you in each new town or city, and help you get the most out of your time there. A special shout out to our friendly Intrepid guide Martin and G Adventures CEO German (fondly known as ‘G’).
5. Extending my trip
Originally I booked 3 months in South America, but this definitely wasn’t enough! As my time in this beautiful part of the world came to an end, I decided to extend my trip for an extra 2 weeks, to spend more time living like a local in the sultry capital of Argentina - Buenos Aires, and I’m glad I did!
Ideally you need 4-6 months to do South America justice. My only regret (even though this blog is about non-regrets) was not staying even longer. Oh well, I’ll just have to get back there to tick off Patagonia!
So, have #noregrets, book that trip and tour (longer if you can), start Spanish lessons (with Hablamos Spanish of course), visit your travel doctor and pack light – you’ll thank me later!
