ctgbound has left 12 comments

ctgbound comments on Peru Rail Strike

For those who have planned to go to Machu Picchu and are concerned about rail strikes....you can also go by colectivo to Santa Teresa and then to Hidroeléctrico. From there it is a beautiful, two-hour walk on the railroad tracks to the town of Aguas Calientes where everyone stays before going up to Machu Picchu. It also costs MUCH less than the train. I don't even think we spent $10/each roundtrip when we went last year. (You can return the same way.)

ctgbound comments on Cartagena Price Guide Please?

Si, mi amiga me dijo que parque tayrona es superbonito. Lo vamos a ver. Gracias, que te vaya bien!

ctgbound comments on price of food in Bogota

pavo - just curious - what are corrientasos?

ctgbound comments on Cartagena Price Guide Please?

JumboBond007, We were thinking about getting scuba certified while there. Any experience with that? Online I only found one main company that offers a PADI certification. I also found a good volunteer site -- Cartagenitos. Do you have an recommendations for volunteer work? Thanks!

ctgbound comments on Cartagena Price Guide Please?

YankeeInMDE, My Spanish is pretty good -- I've lived in Spanish-speaking countries before and was always able to communicate. I have heard Getsemani is dangerous but we will be traveling in our group of four most of the time and would, of course, use common sense where ever we are (i.e. taking taxis at night, etc). Thanks to you also for the update on the dates of the high season.

ctgbound comments on Cartagena Price Guide Please?

Hey, another ctg bound! Sorry I inadvertently took your name, but I acknowledge that you are the original. Good to know the high season will in fact be over by the time of our arrival.

ctgbound comments on Cartagena Price Guide Please?

Thanks Lore and Pedro. Very helpful info. I have been checking out the classifieds for El Universal and have found several apartments in our price range but I'm sure they aren't very nice. We'll have to check them out once we are there. We already have tickets and will be arriving January 14th. Maybe we can wait a couple weeks and stay in a hostel until prices drop in February. I will look into Hotel Central. A friend of mine was there last Spring and recommended a place in Getsemani so we may try there as well. I definitely plan on doing some negotiating when it comes time to apartment hunt :)

ctgbound comments on Peru compared to Bolivia: how expensive?

Bolivia is cheaper than Peru. My husband and I went to both between October '07 and April '08. We tend to go pretty basic so a matrimonial room in Bolivia was usually about $2-3 each while one in Peru was $4-5 each. You can get a meal for less than a dollar in both places, but you'll get more for your money in Bolivia. In Bolivia for about .80 cents US you can get silpancho (flattened pan fried meat (tastes like sausage) served with egg, rice, french fries and a small salad that consists of beets and carrots. Also, delicious saltenas are only 1 boliviano! Just .13 US when I was there. Don't know how the exchange rate is now. We have detailed food journals for Bolivia and Peru, including all prices and descriptions. If interested, write and I'd be happy to give you the links via email.

ctgbound comments on Cartagena Price Guide Please?

I'll most likely agree with you once we're there, and I do hope we get to travel around. My travel companions all wanted to stay in one place so we'll see what happens. The $25/day for two was what we did in other places when everyone said we couldn't, but I don't expect we can do it in CTG. Just wishful thinking on my part. Thanks again for your input.

ctgbound comments on Cartagena Price Guide Please?

"What?!?!...Spending 4 months in Cartagena for no good reason when you're never been anywhere else in Colombia is INSANE." Cheers Terry, We may volunteer...I didn't say we wouldn't. I just said we don't have everything planned out yet, seeing as our trip is several months away. We did Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia last year and combined touring, backpacking, English teaching and volunteering - none of which was planned much before we got there. I have done all the research you mention in your latest post, though unfortunately Lonely Planet has not released a Colombia guide book in recent years. No need for exclamations regarding our supposed unpreparedness (i.e. What?!?!.) nor for accusations of insanity.

ctgbound comments on Cartagena Price Guide Please?

P.S. the sample food prices were very helpful. Thanks! How much to go to a futbol game?

ctgbound comments on Cartagena Price Guide Please?

Thanks everyone. We will plan to spend a bit more then. We are going with another couple so if we all 4 split an apartment hopefully we can cut costs. Our standard of living is pretty basic...when we were in the Amazon we went without AC or a private shower and didn't mind it. We will probably travel around some but aren't sure yet exactly what our plans are. Cartagena was recommended to us by many we met in Bolivia and Peru. Where does everyone else recommend going (within safe overland routes)?