I’ve always been fascinated by South America ever since watching the Cities of Gold when I was young. I wasn’t disappointed when I arrived! South America offers a diverse, exciting, culturally intriguing yet familiar travel experience. Whilst the land offers every concievable type of terrain, and the language and customs may not always be familiar, the attitude of the people toward tourists is no different to anything in North America or Europe – a refreshing change from the hassle you may experience in South Asia.
Of course, South America is not without it’s problems. In Peru and Bolivia, extreme poverty is everywhere, which can be a little hard to cope with, whilst in Brazil, crime is a real problem. However, travel to South America with an open mind and your wits about you and you will have an experience of a lifetime.
South America Facts: (As of Feb 2010)
- Countries: 11 make up the continent of South America: Colombia, Venezuela, Guinea, French Guyana, Suriname, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina
- Languages:Spanish is spoken in all countries except Brazil (Portuguese), Suriname (Dutch), Gyuana (English) and French Guinea (French). English is rarely spoken outside tourist areas so some knowledge primarily of Spanish but also of Portuguese is advised.
- Currency: Each country uses its own. US Dollar available from many cash machines in Bolivia and Peru, is standard currency in Ecuador and widely accepted as payment in most countries. Brazil uses exclusively the Real however. Border points offer good exchange rates as do central cambio stores in most cities. It is definitely advisable to bring plenty of foreign cash as bank exchange rates and charges can be high
- Time Zone: Varies from GMT-5 to GMT-3 but can be GMT -2 in summertime
South America photos:
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