I intend spending some time in Rio, Salvador, Iguassu and
then travelling overland/surface from Lapaz (bus)-
Cusco/Machupichu-(bus)Lima-(bus/fly?)Iquitos-(boat)-
Tabitinga-(boat)Manaus.
I may spend 4 to 6 weeks in total.
My knowledge of Spanish/Quecha/Portugese is almost nil. I
possess no language learning skills. (Three years in
Malaysia taught me to count upto three!).
I plan to travel alone. Do u think that I would survive
with English/Phrase book(s) alone and supplemented by
proven 'body and sign language'? I am told that with all
these locations being touristy places, I could get by.
TRUE?
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Get by is about all you'll do in Brazil. English is not widely spoken in Brazil, nor is Spanish. If you confine yourself to the
heavily touristed hotels you'll likely find some English. An English phrase book won't do you much good; best to get a
Portuguese and Spanish phrase books for your travels. Of course, the old universal langage of smiles and gestures will get you
a surprising amount of help, but when you're in the airport or bus station things can get a little frantic when the departure
announcements are broadcast. Relax, it'll be fun anyway.
Agree with the first post. Virtually no one in Peru or
Bolivia speaks English, unless they are connected with
tourism (and normally the higher end tourism at that).
I sincerely believe that the quality of your experience is
related to how closely you can communicate with the people
in the countries you plan on visiting. If you are going to
be in Brasil for only a week, spending a lot of hours trying
to learn some Portuges will not be very beneficial.
However, if you will be in Spanish speaking countries for,
say, a month, get some inexpensive audiotapes and a
workbook, and get started a month or so before you leave.
You will be surprised at how helpful this will be.
I am doing this now with Portuges (I am a fluent Spanish
speaker, and while I can read Portuges and more or less
figure it out, the two languages are VERY DIFFERENT FROM ONE
ANOTHER WHEN THEY ARE SPOKEN.
Boa sorte em seu viagem (think I got that right).
If you don't know nothing of spanish and you are planing to travel to Bolivia for some weeks, I offer you a nice room, and spanish courses including the meals.
The cost is 250$us per week, all is include.
Call to Se±ora Zenaida to 591-2-226749 or writte to Casilla 11134 La Paz -Bolivia.
I speak no Spanish and was in Cusco and Machu Picchu a month
ago. Enough people spoke English that I had no trouble. My
daughter and I stayed a the youth hostile at Iguazu ($7.50
US per night with a swimming pool, kitchen, and breakfast-I
highly recommend it) and enough people spoke English I would
have been OK if my daughter was not with me (she lives in
Chile). I also traveled by myself to Patagonia and had no
problem. If you are going to the more popular areas, you
will be OK.
Thanks for those kind words.
Just to clarify, by phrase books I meant the relevant
English/QuechA, English/Braz Portugese, English/South Amer
Spanish Phrasebooks.
Paula, your youth hostel at at Iguazu is interesting, where
cooking is permitted. The standard meals in S America are
supposed to be bland. Hence occasional private 'curry
fixes' could be permitted in some of these lodgings with
cooking facilities. Is yhis the standard fare in say Rio,b
Manuas,Iguassu, Salvador, Lapaz, Cusco, Lima, Iquitos
etc?. The LP of bottom/middle grade 'places to stay' do not
indicate where kitchen facilities are provided. (LP please
note for future action.)
Rgds, Curry fixer