Through the Americas With a Backpack: Drive away

Before getting a car we just had time to visit the Central Park, to walk down several avenues and to visit Empire State Building and World Trade Center. 
Yes, the WTC! In 2000 it was still standing. 

New York is a magnificent city and I regretted we had to leave so fast. 
My girlfriend and I were planning to go to South America. The United States were just a transit point. 
We only had two months, and we had to go to Miami as soon as possible, as flights to Peru were supposed to be the cheapest from there. 
So how do we go to Florida? We heard that »Drive away service« was the cheapest way of travelling through the States.

America is a big country. There are many people who need their car to be driven to another part of the country, but don’t feel like driving their car for several thousands of kilometres, or they just don’t have the time to do it. So they communicate their wishes to a Drive away agency, which finds a driver who wants to travel cost-free to that destination.

to be continued

text & photo: Janin Klemenčič

JaninTravel: catching Anaconda

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JaninTravel: catching Anakonda

JaninTravel: Jungle Orinoko

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  JaninTravel: Jungle Orinoko

Guatemala City

Guatemala was the first country we visited on this backpacking journey and the most underdeveloped country I had ever been to. I should clarify by saying, I have never really traveled much beyond the United States, Spain and Germany. I was nervous. We were carrying a few thousand dollars worth of equipment and I not only had to worry about myself, but I felt responsible for Aracely’s safety too.
 Guatemala City
We had heard prior to visiting Guatemala that Guatemala City was very dangerous. Specifically, bus robberies and bus jackings were common by gangs. We made no plans to visit the city. When we arrived there by plane, we hopped on a shuttle bus to Antigua, “Gringo Town.”
While staying in Antigua, we did meet travelers that visited Guatemala City during the day for some sightseeing. They described it as any other major city, and had no bad experiences. We also were there when our hostel maid received a phone call that her sister was just hit and mugged while picking up her paycheck in the city. It’s all about experiences and what you may have heard. We decided to go bowling in the city one night. A bunch of us rented a private shuttle bus and all went well.
Jason Castellani
(to be continued)

Is Guatemala Safe?

A giant sinkhole caused by the tropical storm in Guatemala City

I was asked if Guatemala is safe by another traveler while hanging out in a hostel in Argentina. And let’s be honest, Guatemala is much less developed than Argentina, so it’s a legitimate question. It’s not the first time we have been asked about traveling in Guatemala, although the questions did usually come up when we were in South America. You don’t get asked such a question in Central America, mostly because all those countries are relatively the same in terms of safety and infrastructure less Costa Rica.

Safe is an Opinion
This is a very difficult question to answer, not because I think Guatemala is unsafe, but rather because the answer is an opinion. When speaking about travel safety, you want to hear facts or concrete evidence to squabble your fears. The only evidence I have is that Aracely and I traveled most of Guatemala for over a month and were never knowingly in danger. I am not asking you to make a judgement on the safety of traveling in Guatemala based on our experience alone, however all I can share is our experience.
Jason Castellani
(to be continued)

Nicaragua – Budget Travel Tips

Guatemala is one of the cheapest countries in Latin America, so just being there is saving money. There is no way to avoid hiring a guide for the caves, nor would you want to. For the more adventurous there are 2 hour, 4 hour, and 8 hour private high risk tours available in the caves, but pray it doesn’t rain.

The El Portal Hostal located at the rivers edge in Semuc Champey is a wonderful base hostel for exploring all that Semuc Champey has to offer. If you plan to spend a few days there, choose to stay down by the river. The hostal may be slightly more expensive, but you won’t have to pay for transportation in and out of the valley back up to Lanquin every time you want to visit.
The lodging by the river is much more connected with nature and Lanquin is not much of town anyway. Larger and more expensive caves can be found in Lanquin, as well as whitewater rafting.
Aracely Castellani

Guatemala 3 Climbing Ladders

As if we were in a small mine, different levels of the cave were connected by ladders made of thin metal pipes held together with thick bands of rubber and black electrical tape. We had to climb these ladders, which in our minds would be a legal nightmare in the States, but I guess that is truly one of the advantages to adventures in Central America. Narrow tunnels led to different chambers in the cave, some with still pools of water and others with rushing water falls. The cave’s walls were decorated with stalactite and stalagmite formations.
We even had the option to climb up a waterfall and jump off a short cliff. Yes, all this inside the cave and far away from daylight. Jason went for it. I on the other hand, was particularly shy and nervous in the darkness of that cave and watched in disbelief as Jason trusted his life with our guide. He was the only one to make the jump.
The guide makes the journey fun with several surprises that we won’t disclose here. One bit of advice is to bring a glow stick to wear around your neck. We wish we did. We also don’t suggest this tour for those that aren’t physically fit, since some of the ladder climbing is a bit confined and difficult.
Aracely Castellani
(to be continued)