
Tom Fury
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I can't answer all your questions, but I can help with a few ... The people I met while traveling through Patagonia were cautiously reserved at first contact, but became incredibly warm, friendly and helpful very quickly - all you need is eye contact. I had several instances where I ran into problems, and in each case complete strangers went out of their way to assist me.
Prices seemed about the same as here in the states for many things, but there were some significant values - taxi service is so cheap as to be practically free by our standards, and restaurants were also relatively inexpensive. Bus travel is also very inexpensive, and quite comfortable - almost like flying. Tipping can be a little different, so talk to your host family about that.
And speaking of restaurants, if you like beef they have the best in the world - lean, flavorful, and much healthier than most supermarket beef here. The variety is a little limited compared to what we eat here, as my friend Juan explained to me "We eat beef, pork, and pastry here!" The coffee however, is awful - enjoy the tea or matte instead.
Throughout patagonia there are scattered many natural history museums - if you're interested in dinosaurs, it's a great place to be. There are also whales, penguins, seals and many other types of marine life on the Eastern coast.
Finally, your language training will certainly help, but be aware that they speak a more European form of Spanish than the Latin American/Mexican variety that is generally taught in the schools here. Still, I'm sure you won't have any real problems.
Have a great trip! |