The house is best, which is a summary of the expedition proper This entry is divided into several parts - the first two are boring, but rather only for regular readers (about blogging and traveling), so how anyone wants specifics, I invite further (budget and practical advice.)
WRITING BLOG ABOUT
blogging will be a lot. Why? Because that is what this blog! Butter, Butter? Perhaps. But not quite. Blog has been an integral part of this journey, and it is about traveling, and so myself! Blog was part of my trip, indispensable, very important, though, that initially did not want that to happen. It also serves another person who choose to South America - comes to him a lot of people who are looking for information about that area and plan their great journey. So the blog has already fulfills its function.
This blog has exceeded my expectations - both in terms of content, which put him unexpectedly, and in terms of the number of persons who read by him. At first blog was used only for this to keep the family where I am, where I was going and whether I'm still alive, so that if what was known where possible to send a rescue mission! :) With time, before departure, more and more people have told me that I (or even that I have!) Write a blog and share photos. In the end I decided to do so. By 100 (6) days I'd seen a lot of amazing places and do things I never would have thought that they do. You for it by the 100 days had the opportunity to look at the world through my eyes. I took a risk and let you inside my head (which at the moment still does). I did not know and do not know what would be the consequences. Someone may not like what I did to another what I think. Through the blog I was subjected to constant pressure - I felt the need to fill gaps, describing recent events, because I knew that a lot of people are waiting. I also had a sense of responsibility - so many people have never listened to me (read) - I taught you something to your head, maybe something you pass, you may change your way of thinking. But why? I did not want to do. I tried to be objective, but showing someone the world with their eyes is is difficult, inevitably fall into subjectivism. For the first time in my life so uncovered. You can live with that, nothing happened.
Away felt the satisfaction of creation. A few things give me satisfaction. For a long time I began this entry, to take stock of how I called him, though I do not know whether it is a summary of the trip. Now, as I began to write, I feel that unless it is again jumble of many thoughts, experiences and memories. For a long time for this I would take, because here in Poland, it is not, there is written differently - being in the house has thousands of alternatives to writing - a lot of friends that would like to visit, endless list of things to do and things to do. Away somehow it was easier. Hostel, tour, back, free time, fatigue, and writing. Somehow this is spinning. A dependence on the Internet, and this helped. Writing a blog I watched people, watched as you, the readers (do not even know how powerful is Google Analytics, but more on that later). After his return is not yet read any of your posts on the blog, so at this moment still do not know what I scribbled. I found I'll do it as I shut the whole, that is, today, soon. I do not know why, maybe because after reading what I wrote there, perhaps I would pass the desire to write this ... I do not know what is in these entries. I know just how I felt when I wrote them. And writing, I tried to pour his feelings on the blog. The part of you already talked about the blog, the other not yet had the opportunity to meet or need to talk about it. Some of you think that sometimes I wrote too much, or too emotionally, others that I could write even more. And yet others just looked at pictures and not read anything. But I wrote as much as I considered necessary to give you the mood of the place or describe the excitement of his exploration.
restricted in that I was writing a few things: Firstly
- his own creative abilities. I've never been a humanist, the Polish matura it was a nightmare for me. I did not like to write. That has changed. On this trip to create some of the relationships really gave me a lot of fun (I wonder what I wrote in this space a few hours, as I read them ...). I admit that myself surprised his "Fertility" in this regard soon see how it was with the quality.
Secondly - the infrastructure. Not everywhere was the internet and computers that would give up to writing anything. As I said - on such a trip is really worth to take a netbook.
Thirdly - sometimes. Making solid relationship I took up to 5 hours. Iquitos longer. I always wrote and prepared the images in a hurry, usually with no time to edit the text. Often I had better things to do than writing a blog (as I'd give to you now to lie in a hammock with piwkiem the Caribbean Sea, instead of the computer ...), but I saw how many people read it every day, expecting a new batch of impressions, and I did not want you to have to wait too long!
Fourth - fatigue. After hours spent on buses, przechodzonych kilometers kilograms on their feet and carried on their backs, sitting at the computer and writing is even a nice change, but the man quickly grabs fatigue. After several hours of writing is getting even harder. Thus, over time, pictures appeared alone or after extensive introductions followed a quick end.
The journey I met a lot of other bloggers. With some of them ever talked about the experience of blogging, including this blog why such a result. Well, a very important motivation for us was to maintain contact with loved ones. Such a long trip (in some cases much longer than mine) can give a man a bone. Fatigue, sometimes discouraging, and later (but it Lari;) even nostalgia. And of course a lot of satisfaction, joy and enthusiasm! In all these moments, it is good to share with others what was going through, things are much lived together worth more than the individual lived. I also contacted in this way with you and share my experiences. But more important is that after this, often you kontaktowaliście with me (or at least some of you, for which I hereby thank you!). So far from home, after all this time, takes on special value, even a short email, SMS, or comment on a blog, any contact with the home country (unless the bank ...;). This gives a signal that you are not alone, that it is worth writing, because somewhere out there someone really interested in this.
And another thing - if I did not have a blog, This whole story could have been written in one sentence - "went in January and returned in April." Some do not zauważyliby that I am not, on the other (well, maybe on the long trip) could break the contact. And so the contact was, all the time. What about that time was one-sided, more importantly, that frequented, and on both sides. With this blog I was able to renew some old contacts, meet some new people - even strangers began to write to me, wishing you success, or asking for advice. Nice feeling, a bit like tickling. :) Or maybe will also make new friendships, and not abusing the word.
Okay, so no more przynudzać, briefly - I'm glad that I was writing this blog and I hope that you liked, thank you that I have read, and especially thank all those who I have also written off!
Blogs interest:
• Blog read every day from 50 to 70 people
• Blog was read on most continents (except Africa and Antarctica). Readers (probably often by chance) were pooled in most European countries, including, of course, in 85% of Polish.
• Regular readers came from 16 Polish cities, though, including the blog entry was recorded from 77 cities
• Frequently read blog was in Warsaw, after a long time nothing, and only Bydgoszcz and Poznan
• What is your favorite entry (mostly read) - Iquitos. I wonder why ... I finally read it!
• Blog was read mostly between 10.00 and 14.00, or how you were at work! Rude! ;)
• A blog can easily hit by one of the Internet search engines. And I see what who formed part of wanting to enter it! A lot of people searching for practical advice (search like "a trip to the Galapagos", "what can you do in Peru?", "What to take to the jungle?" Etc.), I'm glad if I could help!
lot was also completely random to enter the blog through search engines - different things people write there - a few of the more interesting search terms that led to the blog below:
of "bumps on the mosquitoes' - that's understandable, I wrote about it:)
about" chill out on the island " - About it as well!
the "English guitar" - were Colombian, so close;)
for "antonio facaldooooo tour" - hmmm ...
about "ayahuasca store germany - ojjj ... Poland reportedly is already illegal!
about 'what can I do buried in the rain "- and why it sent the culprit on this blog?
Well, some completely abstract:
a "very big guns on the water"
of "stones polished by the river"
a "bulletproof vest with pouches"
of "Wojciech Cejrowski where tall"
about "all the water lali"
a "threat to life dynamite"
a "shrunk linen curtains"
the "construction of the quarry and its side effects" :)))))
And with this optimistic end this longish and tedious Part of blogging! TRAVEL
wondered during this trip, I can no longer call myself a traveler. Maybe this vain, but that thought passed through my head. Hence, should ask ourselves the question - how is it different journey od wycieczki. Czy kryterium jest odległość jaką się pokonuje? Czy egzotyka miejsca, które się odwiedza? Czy też może kwestia tego, czy wyjazd organizuje się samemu, czy też korzysta się z oferty biura podróży? Chyba nie chodzi o żadne z powyższych. Wg mnie podróżowanie polega na relacjach, które nawiązuje się, z poznanymi po drodze ludźmi. Te relacje przybierają różny wymiar – czasem jest to relacja oparta tylko na pieniądzu – jak sympatyczna Pani na recepcji w hostelu, czy wiecznie fałszywie uśmiechnięty przewodnik. Na tym wyjeździe nawiązaliśmy bardzo wiele tego rodzaju relacji. Jest to relacja typowo Interest, of course, not for such I mean. Sometimes, however, may be a different kind of relationship, based on joint participation in events, cooperation, and emotion. In retrospect, of course, each of the visited places I liked (though some less). But the best memories of the places where I was able to make this particular type of relationship - whether met by the Poles, whether from individuals with the drunken crowd at Copacabana beach, or the circus with Tagangi (of course similar relationship was much, much more. ..). In these moments I felt that traveling really and no, I'm buying another trip and another day in the life of a guide or bus driver. For me, traveling is just on the relationships and on what is unknown. The most interesting journey is that it can be summed up relationships with people who are ... Other, more exotic for us, but the most exotic, unfortunately will be quite far from here. Unfortunately, this is what attracts the most unknown. Infiltration of the local community so that for some time to become a member is according to me the highest form of travel. And no matter whether it's a wild corner of the end world, or a small village in Poland, an hour away from home - there are probably too great and interesting people.
What a journey, where the baggage is the only (or mostly) a credit card, or wad of money? In today's world almost in every place you can buy everything. From food, accommodation and transport by adrenaline, sex, and even death. Many people like shopping, me too. But they rarely give me great satisfaction. A bit like buying a tour ... Travelling is also the ability to deal with unexpected situations, and in this case The less you use a credit card that satisfaction with travel and dealing with adversity is greater. How it all will plan, you have to buy it. You can not buy a relationship, you can not buy the adventure, you can buy a tour. But you can foster a situation in which this happens. You can also focus on the visiting and obfotografowaniu the places, but this (by me) does not have to travel a lot in common, that is, reckoning places. I do not want to sound bad - typical tourism is also a beautiful thing, visiting the places, learning about their history and culture, and even Lying by the pool in Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada. The issue is just that such tourism is not always possible to demonstrate, not always conducive to getting to know new people and do not necessarily give as much satisfaction as traveling. While on trips, you can relax and / or see a piece of the world, which also does not plan to do again ...
But this is only one possible approach to this issue. My approach, must be very subjective.
Several people who met on his return told me that I'm behind the journey of life. Unfortunately I can not agree with that. Travel past life - definitely yes! But the journey of my life is just in front of me. Ideas flourish in my head, like flowers in spring! This trip is definitely not satisfied my appetite for travel, and only it has awakened! But something is saying that the appetite grows with eating ... Well, now I'm back, however, clash with reality did not hurt that much, but instead of working, we strongly prefer to lie in a hammock ... Who would not prefer? In any case, you must once again assume a penguin suit and a PC to run for office or in the area ... And all of this, to finally give it up again at some time in hell and go again! It can verify the reality is, but I believe that everyone is the architect of his destiny, and dreams are there to implement them. Many people are afraid of this, many people are afraid to change that comes from a deliberate decision-making (and not-reaching changes to the event or decision, other people). I am not afraid. Some surprised me that I work in Warsaw (rather those outside of Warsaw), others wonder to me that so much time and hard work. Just ... it is worthwhile to give it if you can so, to then take the life as you can! And what is worth taking to share it with others! And so too was this blog.
Now for some specifics.
BUDGET
Planned exceeded 15%. This mainly affected the decision of an expedition to the Galapagos and to Iquitos, but also Icelandic volcano. Many people are interested in how much it all cost. For tickets to America and back we spent together after 5250 PLN. About 6,000 PLN cost us each of the months we spent in America. But you can do it all much cheaper - We were flying by plane, boat swam, rented cars, taxis rode, slept in hostels, not tents and ate in restaurants frequently, very rarely own cooking. How to make an effort, you can significantly reduce these costs, perhaps by half.
6,000 a month is too much? Exits 200 PLN per day. It cost an average of 40 apartments, 10 breakfast, 15 lunch, 10 dinner, about 60 transportation (airplanes, buses, taxis, averaged), the Internet 3, 5 beers, 40 tours and admissions, and the rest released! :) It's so hard on the eye, the statistics have not been driving.
Like so think about how much the trip is on unpaid leave, indeed voluntarily unemployed, it is for its costs would add to what you do not earn and deduct what they have not delivered. Then usually goes more expensive ...
you meet people, known places, experienced emotion, and amazing memories are priceless!
TIPS
So I want to know what set off on this trip, and I do not know.
• Route planning - if you're going for 2 weeks - all carefully plan an order to squeeze out of that time as possible. However, if you're going for a few months or longer, detailed planning is pointless. There is also no sense to rush to get to know the place and its inhabitants, while you sit on the spot, especially after such moments are in memory. On a long trip should be enough for a list of places that you want to visit, highlighted on a very detailed map (we had a printed sheet of A4 with a map of the whole of South America and more points!) On the way, and so you will meet lots of people who you will change those plans - show new places, and others reborn. In such a long trip there is nothing to go into details. But we have a list of interesting places, not to leave something important. My before each crossing the border and wpisywaliśmy odpalaliśmy google "[name of country] the best places," or similar. Later we went there.
• Where to sleep? - You can ask about that people met on the road, in this way usually did get the best hostels. Searching for a hostel, you can also use the t-type sites: hostelbookers.com, hostelworld.com and numerous other sites about travel. Last resort are the guides. Good hostels They are sometimes recommended overcrowded and often are more expensive than the competition (it is precisely because of that they are in the guides, which increases demand for their services). You can also sleep in tents, but this is not practiced.
• How to fly? - The aircraft must be planned with a minimum of one month's notice. My booking flights, we used the parties lataj.pl, expedia.com and no ryanair.com. Everything can be settled online. When planning how to fly the cheapest across the Atlantic was drawing the map and checked the turn a lot of possible connections from all over Europe to America, drawing a map of the network dozens of flights. Of course, if the cheapest is the arrival and departure is from the same place in America and buy two tickets at any one time. The cheapest options are around 3,000 PLN in two pages (to Quito or Buenos), but those you'd have to look good.
• How to move on site? - Poorly developed railway network, in practice it did not use, so on this issue will not say. For it is very well developed bus network. In every town there are stations, which are the ticket from a few to several hundred (!) Bus companies. You do not even need to look for who is going nowhere, because most of the companies employ sales-boosters, who saw a white screaming in his face with the company where you can go. Bus is really a lot, go in all directions and you can move them without problems. In Argentina, they are very expensive, but also very comfortable. Above it is cheaper, but also be more expensive. Legends of goats and sheep in buses is a legend. But you have to just keep an eye on luggage, particularly hand-and we give tips luggage. A, and Peru, on (some) buses to Pucallpa attacking bandits and can take everything except underwear, so this episode better avoid.
• Language - South America in this regard is very comfortable - a language in all countries visited by us! 15-hour English course has proved to be sufficient. Starczał Initially only basic things - ordering food and drink, room reservation or purchase the bus ticket, but then I managed to keep even a few hours conversation, but not without intense gestures, speaking bezokolicznikami and drawing. 20-30 hours of the course would provide me the comfort of the language, so I recommend at least as much time to devote. Well, I to mention that I had a great teacher!
• Name - not everyone has this problem, unfortunately I had. My name is not to pronounce for foreigners. This often creates a barrier, people did not know what to make me pay, because of the repetition of my name came out very different and strange things, and some of the top of the surrendered. Hence, in case of difficult Polish names you might want to invent yourself a replacement? I used a two, depending on your mood. But what, I'll skip it, because I do not want the longer clung to me;)
• Food - in hostels are usually kitchen. For those wanting to, you can shop in supermarkets and you cook. In addition, commonly available are a variety of fast food and cheap restaurants. It is worth descend a few hundred meters from the main tourist streets and enjoy the local pubs - it is much cheaper and often better. It is worth to go to places where a lot of other people and not the empty seats - the greater the chance of fresh, cheap and good.
• Safety - we had two guys, both almost dwumetrowi, so we felt safe. However, be careful - we've heard a lot of history for tourists attacked, looted wallets and cameras. Although robberies are not as frequent during the day and in city centers, which are densely bet the police. At night and on the periphery need to be careful. But in the centers of pick-pocketing are common - it's easy to lose your wallet or your camera and do not even know when it happened. Also many other such stories heard. Therefore, the portfolio does not hold large documents or cash - only what is needed to fine shopping and eating. It is worth to buy a bag for documents, such as PacSafe Coversafe - it is flat, it wears the pants, so that you can not see, nor a way to steal in typical situations, and come there all the cards, passport, insurance policy and a supply of cash. All fastened to a steel cord is not cut. On the other gadgets are cool striped trouser with hidden zipper, which can be hidden cash. After the bar, not at all clear that there is something wrong. In this way we always have with you a reserve of cash, of which we did not have in mind.
• Guides - a few companies that write the guides, the most popular is a Rough Guides, Footprint and Lonely Planet, of course, used by the vast most of the people we met. I recommend this. There are different version - for all of South America, or on individual countries. The level of detail of the guide for South America is sufficient, no need to buy those few smaller ones. There are information about places to visit, advice on how to move around, where to stay, what and where to eat and how much it cost. Find out more before you go to find out what is the latest version of the guide, because from time to time it is updated.
• Backpack - I will not write about everything I had in a backpack, there are plenty of guides about what to take. I'll write about what would have been unnecessary. But here is an important way in which we traveled - only slept in hostels and not in tents, and ate primarily on the premises. Therefore, ranking the most useless thing on the road win ... backpack! With great backpackers walked only between stations, airports and hostels. I always stayed in the hostel and then walked with young backpackers. We could successfully take suitcase (large, rubber) wheels and all that it would be necessary to wear on their backs ... For it is extremely important to small / medium backpack - with which it non-stop! It must be convenient, it is worth to pay a fine moisture that had stiff back and that was roomy ... Typically, water, jacket, camera and a few other bits and pieces weighing about 4-6 kg, after 8 hours of walking, give up already in character! Second place in the ranking of unnecessary things took a cup of thermal-thirds of the compass, and the fourth ... sleeping bag (!) in each hostel has clean sheets (although there were some exceptions to this rule). For unusual essentials (I will not write about shoes, clothes, and medicine cabinet), I include mp3 player (very help kilkunastogodzinnych travel by bus, refreshed long forgotten music store and listened a few audio books) and the netbook, which we did not have. With alarm clock can successfully serve a mobile phone, if you do not steal.
• Funding - on this issue once again recommend the blog of Magda and Przemek http://careerbreak.wordpress.com/przed-wyjazdem/
• Vaccinations - The Web is a lot of guides on what to be vaccinated. Vaccination certificates are not required anywhere, but it's better to make a vaccine. Do not do rabies, expensive and unnecessary.
• Malaria - do not take Lariamu, anything else is ok Think about whether or not to go to the regions at risk of malaria, maybe you can avoid them? And in the jungle is not good ... ;)
• Insurance - you need to insure themselves. For what and for how much is a matter of individual. I'll just add that many insurance companies are treated as an extreme sport trekking, which causes 2-3 fold increase (no small) cost of insurance. I checked the exact rules and offers four Companies, and the four, only the insurance was worth, which was trekking in the basic premium, which meant that it was the cheapest offer.
FAREWELL
I wondered whether the book is not already on another blog about trips or it may address w50dni.blogspot.com w200dni.blogspot.com, but I found that the title of this blog has been very poorly chosen, so maybe I will not continue this naming. But it's good I have written, and even hope that you read a good (if all of a dobrnęliście!), If I can go on another trip, I'll probably also blog ran. All information on this topic will appear here just as we all know this address, in addition information will appear on facebook, that is to remind you. But it is not likely to occur before the next winter, which is back in Poland, I would prefer not to spend (your stories zmroziły me;). But we still have a vacation - maybe I can do and prove a lot less, and also an interesting journey ... In this case, perhaps we will meet again here, in a few months.
If anyone has not yet had occasion to read books Wojtek Cejrowski "Gringo among the savage tribes" and "Rio Anaconda", it honestly recommend. It is true But I do not like the jungle, about which he writes there, and my encounter with the shaman strongly differed from his experience, it is perfect for travel reading. In a moment, I plan to reach the next books signed after his name. I am writing about this because at the end of "Gringo ..." appears on this here, perhaps inspiring thought Mr. Wojtek, I wanted to quote here:
"What do I need to go on an expedition to the tropical forest, meet the last free Indians , to dwell among them instead of pants to wear headband lap, and eating to gain by shooting a blower?
When someone asks me about it, I answer briefly:
- Sell fridge and go!
difference between people who pursue their dreams, and the rest of the world lies not in their wallets. The point is that some life-long reading about distant lands and dream of adventures, and others will one day look up the book, getting up from his chair and move to meet their dreams.
Many like me, with a refrigerator on his back. Other
carry computers, stereo systems, old furniture, paintings, sewing machines, the rings grandmother, lamps, clocks, rugs ... This is because dreams do not have the money and plane tickets, yes. But let that not stop you!
! SELL FRIDGE AND DRIVE! "
In" Alice in Wonderland ", in turn, there is this thought:
" If you do not know where you're going, any road will take you there! " - this is an interesting way to travel, but in life it is better not to leave anything to chance and make informed decisions yourself!
As I went in quotes, then another one, I do not think I have to write Whose -
"It is important to only those days that we do not know" - and I think so. And the end of one journey can be the beginning of next!
This is the end of this blog. It was nice for you to write me!
Regards, Przemek
PS. See you there!
:)
