"Larry L" wrote in message
...
I've been daydreamin' and mentioning same to my wonderful bride to the
point that she has picked up on my urge and 'more or less' authorized a
trip to Patagonia ( will have to be next season ... about a year from
now ).

I'm a bumpkin and don't really know how all you world traveler types
organize and manage the various essentials of such trips. I ain't been
on a airplane in close to twenty years, for instance.

So, when you guys go to Alaska or Pango Pango or etc ... do you take all
your camping equipment with you, or buy most stuff when you get there (
I'm thinking so far of about a month to six weeks of DIY fishing, mainly
camping but with enough hotel time to not go nuts, or start attracting
condors FWIW, I've researched the DIY thing enough to feel confident that
it's fully possible ... I will probably pay for access to a place or two,
but not guides and lodges )

Larry L ( who is still at the daydream stage but feels good about his
chances of pullin' this one off ) ( and who thinks this place needs a
boost that isn't from caffeine ;-)


If you were planning on camping I would look at renting a camper. May be
called a caravan if like Europe. It can be cold and rainy in Patagonia from
what I have seen. Not been to the south of Chile, just Santiago and to the
North. You may look in to B&B's. They are cheaper than most hotels after
you leave the USA. At least in Europe where we have traveled a fair bit.
Staying at small hotels / B&B's will also get you in touch with the people
and they may give you points on where to fish. Food is good there. They
do love meat. Been a few years, but I think the big meat sandwich is a
"Lomita". Get a good phrase book for Spanish as well as guide book. Look
at the Moon, Frommers, etc. get one you like the layout of. They speak
mostly Spanish and German. Especially outside the cities. There are
Internet Cafes everywhere these days, so you can keep in touch with home via
email for little cost. Contact your bank and credit card companies before
going and inform them of the time you will be gone and where you will be.
Otherwise, you might find out your cards do not work. Credit card companies
tag a 1-3% kicker on international transactions. So find you what your
company charges and go with the cheaper on. ATM's are the best for getting
cash. Best exchange rate, and low ATM fee if any from the out of country
bank. I had them raise my daily limit, so needed less trips to the ATM.
Make sure you have a 4 digit PIN number. Do not know of any 6 digits
anymore, but at one time Wells Fargo did. Check with an international
travel doctor specialist if there are any special shots you need. I do
recommend a Hepatitis shot. My doctor said that if you have to go to a
doctor down there, there is a possibility of blood on a gurney, etc. Take
some Cipro in case of a bad bug. ATTN: Do not take dairy after the Cipro
regimen. Kills the good bacteria also, and since the upper intestine
handles dairy and the bacteria are gone, the lower intestine gets to do the
job and it has a field day with dairy. You will need lots of TP in that
case. Been there, found out later about the dairy problems.