Q&A on Travel to Buenos Aires and within Argentina
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73 comments:
Welcome to the new Q&A section!
I've traveled extensively within Argentina and I'll do my best to answer you're questions so go ahead - shoot!
My husband and I have a trip in place to visit Buenos Aires for 10 days beginning April 9th. We are hearing all of the reports about food shortage. How bad is it. Are restaurants closing? Are prices going up in restaurants? Should we cancel. From one American and one scot who loves his meat. g
Welcome G:
To answer you question completely, I need to ask you a few questions.
Are you planning to travel overland outside of the city of Buenos Aires ?
- if so this may be difficult as major routes have blockades - you can still get thru but may take a lot longer than normal - internal flights are fine however.
Cancellation should be a last resort - Do you have trip cancellation insurance and are you flexible in when you can travel?
- If so then it could be prudent to wait a few days before you decide to cancel. There is talk of possible resolution / negotiation over the weekend. The Government opened up some blockades by force today so food is getting thru.
Restaurants are not closing (at least not that I've heard of) but some have a shortage of prime beef. Veg and poultry are also in shorter supply.
Prices are going up in some places but your $US is still very strong here.
My brother arrives from UK for 2 weeks this Sunday so if he's not deterred, then neither should you be.
I suspect the worst thing that'll happen is your hubby may not get his best meat fix! The wine and tango are still in full swing!
If you need an update on what's going on then just post here!
G: Just heard the strike has been suspended (at leat for now). Talks are ongoing and food is getting thru!
Msg received via email
- - - - - - - - - -
Howdy Paddy,
I was wondering if you could give me some info on living in Buenos Aires? Like is it easy to get work teaching English or working in bars? What are the wages like? What is the cost of living like? Accomadation etc. Basically I'd like you to tell me whether or not I'd get on ok there or not!
I speak pretty good Spanish having lived in Galicia for 2 years so languauge wouldn't be a big problem, I'm 27 from Meath/Dublin(from Meath but went to school in Dublin and lived there for a few years) and lived abroad in europe before but never outside europe.
If you can help at all I'd be very grateful.
Yours Gerry
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hi Gerry,
I'll do my best to answer your Q's
It's fairly easy to get work teaching English but it pays only 17 pesos an hour and it's not easy to live comfortably on that.
You might get more working in a bar but there's lots of competition for bar jobs.
The fact that you speak good spanish will be a bonus.
Accomodation will set you back around US$500 a month for a small apartment.
Eating out is cheap as long as you stay clear of the touristy areas.
Here's some more cost of living info
http://www.expat-blog.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=783
You would need to bring decent savings with you so you have a buffer to fall back on.
Hope this helps
hi,
i was wondering how you made the crossing of the darien gap? did you go by plane to columbia or did you take a boat or something? and how much did you pay and did you make a reservation?
thx in advance, Ward
Ward: Welcome and thanks for stopping by.
I went from Colombia to Panama where as I think you're going the other way but the same info applies.
I originally planned to go by sail boat (3-5 days US$280) from Cartagena, Colombia to Panama City but was stuck for time so ended up flying from Cartagena to Panama City US$320. - fyi - I did not make a reservation
You can also go overland but it's a bit dangerous as there is a lot guerilla activity in the north of Colombia.
Another option is overland and boat
You can find more info on it here and here
I am trying to make arrangements to go on a similar low budget central american trip spring09. Starting in Sumpango Guatemala and hitting as many stops as possible on the way to Panama or even SA within about two months. my question comes with flying from hom(WI) into the area. Should i fly into Guatemala city and then fly out of Panama. or perhaps get roundtrip tickets and go back to stay with friends in Guatemala before ending my trip. WHat did you do and what are your suggestions?
Hello,
I am looking at doing similar trip to what you have done - your blog is a great interest to me then, I really enjoyed it!
How did you overcome the issue of having to show proof of your outbound journey in costa rica? If you could go back would you start in the same place in Guatemala? I am weighing up where to book a flight into, I was thinking Mexico City. Any suggestions would be appreciated xxx
Anonymous #1: Apologies for the late response. I somehow missed your question.
"Should i fly into Guatemala city and then fly out of Panama. or perhaps get roundtrip tickets and go back to stay with friends in Guatemala before ending my trip. WHat did you do and what are your suggestions?"
I flew into Colombia and headed north to finish in Guatemala.
My advice would be to go with whatever option is cheapest but you would probably get best value flying to Panama and then working your way north and fly out of Guatemala. I spent a month doing 8 countries which on reflection was not enough time. 2 months would be ideal.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Quickroute
Anonymous #2: I started in Colombia and headed north to finish in Guatemala but you could just as easily do it the other way and start in Mexico. see answer above.
I showed an e-ticket of my flight out of Guatemala as proof of my onward travel in Costa Rica. (Note: you don't need to show a ticket from Costa Rica - just a ticket from any country)
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Quickroute
BA question
From: KELLYKBoston
Hi Paddy, checked out your blog..liked it.
Quick question...going to BA for a few weeks (maybe longer)...looking in to renting an apartment.
There are a lot in Recoleta, Palermo Soho, Palermo Viejo and some in San Telmo.
Any chance you can let me know what you think of the neighborhoods?
Was hoping for something authentic- not too touristy, but also an older crowd.
Coming over with 1 or 2 other girls..all in our mid 30's. We like to go out, but dont want to be in a college or young/ teeny boppers kind of area.
Thanks!
Hi KellyK,
Recoleta is very touristy and overpriced for restaurants etc. I recommend not staying there.
Palermo Soho and Palermo Viejo are good nightlife spots but not too much happening until 11pm otherwise.
I would recommend San Telmo as it has a good mix of bars and restaurants and your closer to the microcenter for shopping etc.
Let me know if you have any other Q's - Enjoy!
Sender's name : Alexander
Referrer : http://paddyinba.blogspot.com/search/label/Travel%20Colombia
Hi there,
Just ended up on your blog via lonely planet. Actually I am living in Buenos Aires as well and was looking at Colombia to spend 1 week off. Your itinerary seemed pretty nice. Could you recommend it? And would 9 days be enough for it?
Thanks
Alexander
Hi Alexander,
I enjoyed Colombia a lot. Bogota doesn't have many tourists and that's part of the attraction.
The north coast is very picturesque and definitely worth visiting.
9 days should be enough.
Let me know if you have any other Q's
Buen viaje!
Sender's name : Abeyna
Referrer : http://paddyinba.blogspot.com/2007/01/about-blog.html
Hey Paddy
Read your blog.. fascinating.. I particularly love the ways of your penmanship. Who did you go travelling to C. America with?
I am a 25 year old female from London planning to go solo travelling from 19th August. I am considering / planning a 5 week trip through Central America starting in Belize City ending in Panama
(beforehand I will be in Jamaica for 2 weeks)
possible?
My intentions;
Learn Spanish (my spanish is very basic.. have travelled to mexico and a few weeks ago returned from Argentina and Brazil)
Visit Mayan ruins
Jungle time
Volcano time
Beach time +++ (perhaps looking forward to this in costa rica and panama!)
I just wanted your advice on;
a) Planning - any particular guides you advise?
b)Cities to visit
c) Ideal time spent in between
A bit much to ask, but if you could point me the right way, would be grateful!
Thanks again
Hi Abenja,
5 weeks is not a lot for so much but it is possible. I only had 4 weeks so had to decide to miss out on certain places due to time restrictions e.g. Corn Islands - Nicaragua.
To learn Spanish you'd need to be staying in 1 place and taking classes so this doesn't seem likely. You'll at least be able to practice as you.
Lonely Planets Central America guide is very good.
Cities to visit - Many central american cities are just big, congested and polluted but these are nice
Granada - Nicaragua
Antigua and Flores - Guatemala
Panama City - Panama (for the canal and shopping!)
Time spent in between - not much I'm afraid you'll be rushing between spots.
Let me know if you have anymore Q's
cheers, Paddy
Hi Paddy,
I am currently wanting a cheap tours that leave and return to Buenos Aires for a period of two weeks travelling around Argentina. I want to leave within less than one weeks. Is it better to book from my current location (Santiago) or is it better to try and find a tour in Buenos Aires itself.
Furthermore, could you recommend any cheap tour that goes to Machu Piccu.
Hi Mohit,
I don't really recommend doing a tour as it is expensive. You could use the long distance bus service here as its cheap and comfortable.
If you still want to book a tour you could try
http://www.despegar.com.ar
Same advice for Machu Pichu. You can DIY for a fraction of the cost but try the above company if you want to do a tour.
Let me know if you have any more Q's
Paddy
Hi Paddy,
Thanks for your email. I am considering what you said to do but I wanted to know whether because it is winder holiday period that I would not have difficultly pre-booking Bueos Aires and the falls hotels/hostels or would it be ok to reach there and then book places. Furthermore the same question regarding book transport between cities or would it be not fully booked?
Many Thanks
Mohit
Hi Mohit,
You can book 1 to 2 days in advance for buses or less. Same with hostels and hotels. I have never booked earlier than 1 day in advance and often leave it until I arrive at bus station or hostel. Go with the flow and you'll be fine!
Cheers, Quickroute
Hi Paddy,
I'm planning a 6 month-ish trip to South and Central America from the end of Dec 2008. I have a one way ticket to Rio, then plan to overland (with 1 or 2 flights) my way up to California before heading on to Canada, Oz or New Zealand (haven't decided this bit yet). Do you know anything about the requirements for onward flights from South America? Will I be able to get into Brazil without one?
Thanks,
discountdev
@ Dicountdev:
Technically the airlines are meant to check you have an onward ticket and they can be fined if they don't but these days they rarely check.
You'll be fine with a oneway and there is an easy way out if you get any hassle when you check in or even in the unlikely event you got hassle entering the country.
If you get hassle you simply buy a fully refundable onward ticket and once you've checked in or cleared immigration you cancel it and get your full refund.
Buen viaje!
Hi there. Love the sight. My wife and I leave for a RTW trip in October. We fly into Lima and plan on spending the first couple months in Peru and Bolivia, then we will make our way over to Argentina. That is where we are torn.
We have 2-3 months set aside for Argentina, and we plan on getting an apartment in Buenos Aires for about a month. We are not sure whether to book an apartment for BA first (which would be starting around Christmas/New Year's time), then make our way south towards Patagonia, or go the opposite way. Hang out in northwestern Argentina and make our way down to Patagonia first, then back up to BA.
We're mainly torn because of the holidays. If we book an apartment in BA first, then we will have the luxury of knowing we have a place around the holidays and we can cook for ourselves and celebrate since most places close down around that time (from what I've been reading). But part of this trip is having freedom, and not having to be somewhere at a certain time is very appealing as well.
If we decided to go the other route, do you think we'll have problems booking as we go? Is there a possibility of being stranded or not finding a place to stay around Christmastime if we are heading towards Patagonia or already in Patagonia? Do you have any suggestions on where to spend our holidays (feel free to offer another alternative, we're open to suggestions)?
Thanks so much in advance. I love the site. It's been very helpful thus far.
@ Seabass43: You won't be stranded if you don't book an apt in B.A. for xmas but the selection will be more limited and price more expensive if you wait until you arrive.
If you are coming from Bolivia then instead of coming directly to Buenos Aires you should work you way down from the North of Argentina (spectacular scenery especially Pumamarca and Cafayate.
There is a train from Salta to Buenos aires 24 hours but needs to be booked well in advance otherwise the bus transport is very comfortable and since you want to do north west also then you could go to Mendoza on the way to B.A.
Patagonia and the rest of the south is very expensive xmas / new years (up to double) so I would recommend you stay in or near Buenos Aires for that time.
There are some nice beach towns e.g. Carilo, Pinamar about 4 hours south of B.A.
If you can afford to splurge a little bit more then San Martin de los Andes and La Angostura near Bariloche has some of the most spectacular scenery in the country and would get my top vote for the holidays.
Where ever you decide to stay - Make sure you have a booking for the holidays as it does get busy.
Hope this helps - Enjoy!
Thanks for the advice, we really appreciate it. A couple more things, if you don't mind.
The apartment we're looking at most seriously is in San Telmo, which I'm pretty sure is the barrio we want to stay in. I have read that although it's pretty safe, there can be a few shady areas. We are looking at a place around Humberto and Piedras, a couple blocks of off San Juan, and four blocks from the Dorrego Square. I was just wondering how much you knew about this particular area?
Is it a good area? Too touristy? Plenty of reasonable food, drink, and entertainment options? Anything you could tell us would be fantastic. Thanks again!!
@ Seabass43: That area is fine. It's far enough away from Dorrego Sq to be no too touristy and pricey.
There are a few cafes nearby and your 5 minutes walking distance to some restaurants and bars including tango shows etc. It's safe also.
It's gets a little shady as you go north and west towards Constitution.
Thanks again for your help. We'll have to send you a message when we are in BA. I'd love to buy you a pint for your help. Maybe you can direct us to the best place for a good selection of good beers. From what I've been reading, good beers are not easy to find in BA, and that makes me sad. I like wine and all, but nothing beats a good beer.
@ seabas43: Alas our time here is winding down :-(( but depending on job market may still be here when you arrive so drop me a line.
There are good beers but you have to hunt them down in a micro brew pub such as:
Antares Pub, Armenia 1447 (between Gorriti and Jose A. Cabrera), Palermo Viejo
I suggest you sign up on facebook for the B.A. expat group here
here's their website too
http://www.expat-connection.com/
They organize expat outings incl. beer drinking (not frat party style :-)
Hi,
I'm Burcak from turkey. Right now I'm in buenos aires studying culinary arts for one year. I dont know if I will come here one more time. so I really like to travel and see many places in south america in my vacation especially peru, ecuador, colombia, bolivia. but I don't know which way is the best. Do you go by plane to everywhere. I've heard that there are cheap busses. if you know about buses or any other cheap and secure ways of travelling, I would really appreciate if you inform me a little.
thanks
burcak
Hi Burcak,
You can do it by bus but it will take a long time.
There are different bus companies depending on where you are going.
You can check with a travel agent to book the buses. You might want to consider flying to the most Northerly destination and then getting the bus and stopping off on the way back south. I recommend the book - 'Lonely Planets South America on a Shoestring'
Enjoy your travels!
Sender's name : Fernando
I am planning to visit Buenos Aires.
Which district in Buenos Aires do you suggest for the rental of a flat and the reasons for your recommendation?
Thanks.
Fernando
Hi Fernando,
I strongly recommend San Telmo as it is close to the microcentre and is the oldest part of town and walking distance to the port and many other attractions.
Hello ,
My names Ed , from America. Me and some friends were planning a vacation to B.A this year,but after reading this blog-
http://ferfal.blogspot.com/
it's looking bad. I've been reading yours and many others from locals in BA and Argentina. Is it really as bad as he says it is, with the crime, food and power outages etc? We don't want to risk our lives just to see the sights. you know!
Is there any truth to this guys story ?
thanks for any info.
Ed
Hi Ed,
This person (ferfal) exaggerates and preys on peoples fears to an extent that is quite ridiculous. This probably explains why he has almost no comments or following.
Take most of what he says with a grain of salt and move on and come on down and enjoy yourself.
B.A. is among the safest cities in South America and safer than many in North America and Europe.
There was been a farmers strike which affected the availability of SOME meat and veg but we were not starving or suffering power shortages - that's quite riduculous!
If you need more advice just shoot me an email. You will have a ball down here!
Cheers,
Paddy
Thanks paddy for the fast reply. Yeah on of my buddies pointed me to his blog, but it just didn't seem right to me. The doom and gloom compared to others i have read was insane! I wouldn't call a few shortages of certain items the end , that's for sure. We go through hurricanes a lot here and 2-10 days without service or everyday luxuries is the norm! I'll pass on the good words to my buddies and hopefully we'll head on down!
Ed
Hello Paddy,
I got your email from Facebook
Im from Cork and me and my girlfriend are currently on a round the world ticket. We are currently working in Australia, saving basically saying for New Zealand and South america.
Do you think this is a reasonable 3 month itinerary , we fly into Santiago Chile on the 5th Feb and Out of Rio on the 5th May. We have a few issues firstly the Inca Trail is closed for February, so we will have to book for a date in March. Would you recommend making our way over land to Peru to do the Inca or fly? We want to travel through Chile, Peru, Ecuador (where want to go to the Galapagos Islands), Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay and back to Rio. Something along those lines are our plans, taking in the main sights to see in all the countries.
What advice can u give me me?
Do you think that is the best route to do for the Countries we want to see from the Airports we fly in and out of?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated it’s just hard to comprehend the distances.
Thanks
D
D Mac
Those are long distances for 3 months and the roads can be rough and unpaved at times.
You could easily spend a month working your way from Santiago to Peru but trying to squeeze in Chile, Peru, Ecuador (Galapagos Islands), Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay and back to Rio is pushing it time wise.
If you can afford to do a few internal flights you'll save a lot of day/overnight bus travel.
The key is to pick the highlights of what you want to see and work around that but knock some of those spots off because you won't enjoy it as much if your rushing or spending all your time on buses.
Lesson I've learned is it's better to spend more time in the highlights than ticking places off a list and not having time to enjoy it.
Cheers, Paddy in BA
Hello paddy
I just returned back to england about 1 month back after 2 years in Turkey, were i taught vocabulary english.
I plan to move to Argentina BA next, were i hope to work also as a teacher, or mabeys in one of the international tele companies..
I may be there for 2 years as i was in Turkey.
What i desire to know is about marrage mainly, I have never been married so do i still need some proof of me not being married from england? If so then how do i create somthing that in theory does not exsist, no marrage no certificate.....
They say there is a medical test to take before marrage, do you have any idea what this entails?
When living in BA what parts would be concidered a no go area, in Istanbul there are many places not good for an Englishman.
I ask this as i will be finding rental accomodation with my Argentinian girlfriend within the city center. What areas are good bad, expensive cheap ect?
What would be good international companies to try and find work with if any what with the global problem we have now....
Were is there a good place to buy furniture from for fitting out an home. I could go the new appliance route but i am sure there is some good deal places too.
Thankyou for your time.
Richard
Feel free to add any idears you have and contact me for a chat any time :)
Hi Richard,
Many Q's so I'll bullet them
No need for proof of not being married previously
You need to take a blood test preferably 2 weeks before the wedding which checks for STD's incl AIDS
In terms of accomo - Recoletta, Belgrano and most of Palermo are expensive
I'm currently in San Telmo and love it as it's very central and also reasonable
Caballito is reasonable and good location too
By International companies - I presume you mean to teach English - try this Institute www.icana.org.ar/ but be warned teaching doesn't pay much here
For furniture there are lots of places where you can buy cheap virgin (unvarnished) wooden tables and chairs and with a bit of elbow grease add oil and wax - kitchen table & 4 chairs cost me 250 pesos
Best of luck and congrats on the upcoming wedding
Hi Paddy
I just want to update your comment that teaching English only pays $17 per hour. Whilst this is true for teachers with little experience working for institutes, the hourly fee can vary hugely. With 12 years of experience in international business and 3 years experience of teaching English here in BsAs, I charge $50 ph and have no lack of work. A native teacher coming here with a TEFL qualification should aim for minimum $22 ph through an institute and $30 private. If you are offered $17 ph - turn it down!!
Hi Paddy,
I found your blog while I was doing some research on BA; I hope you wouldn't mind giving me a little info?
I am twenty six, living in Dublin. I work as an architect, so it is highly likely that I will lose my job soon. I had always intended moving somewhere about now in any case, but I guess the only problem is that I am unlikely to find a job as an architect wherever that may be.
I have a little money saved, and will get a decent redundancy package, but I need to chose somewhere where that money will last a relatively long time.
So, Buenos Aires seemed like a good plan. Until I started reading all the info thats on the net about how expensive the city is getting that is....
So, my estimates are as follows;
To rent a room in a house/flat would be approx three or four hundred euro a month?
General living expenses (food, bills, day to day stuff) would be another six or seven hundred euro?
Do these estimates seem reasonable? I am a little confused at times as I never know if people are quoting pesos or usdollars.
I should say that my plan is to go there for about four or five months from March. I would probably not work, but would like to improve my very basic Spanish so would need classes. Have no idea how much to allow for them.
Any info you could forward me to would be great especially re housing. Are there any good websites like craigslist/daft specific to BA?
Thanks for your help,
John McK
@ John McK ,
I would say accommodation wise you are ok but you should not commit to pay until you are here and can see the place first hand as photos can be misleading.
If you'll cook a fair bit at home and not go crazy in the touristy bars then your other expenses are ok too.
Private classes will cost you about 30 pesos an hour.
Here's a cost of living post I did
http://paddyinba.blogspot.com/2008/11/cost-of-living-in-buenos-aires.html
Here's the BA Craigslist
http://buenosaires.es.craigslist.org/
Cheers, Quickroute
Hi, My name is Dean. I lived in BA when I was 5, my mom is originally born and raised in BA. I am 42 now and looking at going back and living there. I need to know if you honestly think that I can live on $3800.00 per month US dollars. I am a retired police officer now doing real estate but tired of the hustle and bustle. i am looking at living and grasping my heritage and the culture. Plus I am single and know that the most beautiful women reside in BA. So what better place? I am just confused on all the different sites and costs of apartments in the Craigslist adds? I don't want to be taken advantage of. I am also wondering how hard it is to find work there if $3800.00 a month salary isn't enough. That is my bring home pay after taxes and insurance. Anyways, like the clip on the Carnival, your right, hot chicas galore. I know your busy but I appreciate any info you may have for me. I am looking at coming out in May or moving out there in June or July> Take care, Dean
Hi Dean
You will be comfortable with $3,800 so long as you don't live 'la vida loco'.
You will find it hard to get work unless you have fluent spanish.
Even with Fluent spanish the pay rate is very low.
Check this post on cost of living to give you an idea of what to expect.
- any Q's let me know
http://paddyinba.blogspot.com/2008/11/cost-of-living-in-buenos-aires.html
Cheers, Paddy
heyy fellow paddy are you still in B.A? I am heading over there for the second time again soon and im looking to meet a few fellow irish over there since i heard theres a big community, any idea of any paddy hotspots?
@ Anony Paddy: I am currently away from BA on an extended trip but - Use the contact me link on my blog to send me an email and I can put you in touch with some people
hola paddy, im studying in cordoba and moving to ba on june 27. ill be studdying there until aug 4. i was wondering if you could help me find some tango classes? I dont have a lot of dinero so cheap group classes would rock along with some individual classes.
any other recomendations would help!
thanks!
Hi Danielle,
Tango is a bit beyond my expertise but Cherie at BsAsMilonga@aol.com
should be able to help. Tell her I sent you. She also has a great
blog at http://tangocherie.blogspot.com/
Good luck and safe travels
cheers, Paddy in BA
Hey.. so you just happened to end up in the knocking shop waiting room huh? I bet you did ;-)
Like the story.. HK missing you.. Have fun Mark (Bad)
@ Mark (Bad): Just noticed yer msg - ah yes I end up in the most dodgy places !
hi.. nice blog you've got here... I'm wondering though if you're interested in exchanging links? I have my personal travel blog at http://pautravels.blogspot.com :)
Hello,
Ran across the blog; great resource.
Can you suggest any links to find long term rentals?
Thanks,Alex
Hi Alex,
I don't advise doing long term rentals from a website. Best to start with short term and then when you have your feet on the ground check long term in person.
If you pay 6 months up front you can get local rates which are about 50% cheaper then tourists rates.
Moving over to BA at the end of january for 6/9 months. am on the search for a job and a place to live. heading along with two others, wondering where the best place to live is. been told that palermo is pretty good. also where do you reckon i could get a job with minimal spanish (will obviously learn some before i head over)??
thanks.
@Anonymous: I recommend the San Telmo area as it is more authentic than Palermo and has plenty of bars and restaurants and good transport connections. You might be able to get a job teaching English but be warned it will not pay enough to sustain you without some savings
Hi Paddy.
My sister and her fiancΓ© are planning to honeymoon in BA (and surrounding areas) in May. I'd like to do something really special for them to give them a trip to really remember. Any ideas?
Katie - London
@ Katie: Book them 2 or 3 nights to see Iguazu Falls (worlds widest and most spectacular waterfalls on the border of Argentina and Brazil) - plenty to see and do during the day and nice and romantic at night
I was based in Hong Kong in 1965 / 67. I was one of the soldiers that erected the barbed wire fences that went all the way along the border. We were stationed in a small shelter on top of Robins Nest. If this is still there I put my initials on the door. This cost me 3 days pay.
Gunner Rodgers X Royal Artillery
anthonyrodgers@blueyonder.co.uk
Thanks so much! I'll look into booking them somewhere at Iguazu.
Katie
Hi Paddy,
I was wondering what your thoughts are about visiting Hong Kong the end of December? Most importantly what is the hiking like at that time of year?
Maya
@ Maya: The days are short and cool but rarely cold in December. New Years in HK would be a lot of fun. It's actually a more comfortable time to hike as summer can be brutally hot. Feel free to use the contact me link on the top of the web page and I can answer more Q's
Hi, I am moving to Buenos Aires in february and I was wondering whether you had any suggestions on a)where to live. i am going to the university of buenos aires, and apparently with the ciclo basico comun i will be having classes in different faculties, so somewhere more or less central with plenty of accessibility to public transportation. also it would be great if it was near nightclubs and hopefully cheap takeout places haha.
and b)where do i look for a place? ive been looking around online but most websites cater to people looking for short term furnished apartments and dont really list the really cheap studio types i am looking for. and also, how much do you think a cheap unfurnished studio goes for? i would be willing to sign a 1 year or even 2 year lease. i dont really care about the apartment more about the location really.
thanks for your help in advanced
Martin
@ Martin: I recommend the barrio of San Telmo - close enough to your Uni and lots going on in terms of food / nightlife etc. Don't arrange a long term lease until after you arrive. Pop into a few real estate agents and see places in person. Tell them you can pay a year in advance and you will be able to negotiate a good deal - but DO NEGOTIATE. For a small studio expect about u$d250-300 per month - More modern and spacious u$d500-700 per month
Hey there,
You are definitely a dedicated blogger, fair play!
Im thinking of leaving the Irish recession behind to return to BA, (spent a little bit of time there a few years ago on a South America trip and fell in love iwth the place...) Im a Social Worker at home and hubby is a Secondary School teacher in Dublin, but recession talk is draining the life out if me!! I know we would probably realistically be looking at teaching English (neither of us have Spanish).. but from reading your blog you have consistently said it would be preferable to have either savings or additional income.. - just on that - is it easy to pick up a second job? Would it be worthwhile waitressing/bar work financially?? I imagine its not paid very well?
Also, if we were to stay a year or so, would it be relatively easy or difficult to get set up - accommodation/actual jobs etc?
One more quick question - with TEFL are there actually plentiful teaching positions at this time??
Thanks so much - sounds like you are living the dream... envious!!
@ Bernie: Can't say I blame you for trying to escape the gloom n' doom of home. A teaching job won't pay much even if you are TEFL certified so yes a second job would be good or savings. Bar work / waitressing doesn't pay well either. Tipping is minimal and not customary. There is typically a surplus of backpackers who are TEFL certified so securing a job is not easy either. If you pay 6-12 months rent in advance you may be able to negotiate a cheaper local rate otherwise you will be charged / gouged as a tourist. You can come without savings if you live very frugally but I don't recommend it. If it's a carer break you want then this is a great place. If you are seeking greener pastures then it's as tough/tougher in BA as it is in Ireland. Hope this helps.
Hi there. A quick question about moving to BA and residency. My aunt has temporary residency and has shipped all her belongings from the US to Argentina. They have been stuck on the dock for eight months (not even reached customs!). Could this be because she doesn't have permanent residency yet. From what I've read on embassy sites, they suggest that Argentina requires permanent residency status before you can ship your things. Do you know if that is always the case? Otherwise, we simply can't work out what has happened to her.
Thanks.
@ Anony: Yes I believe you must be a permanent resident in order to be able to ship your belongings. If you can source a reputable import customs agency in BA they may be able to assist. Unfortunately bribery is often the only option to bypass "official rules" so be prepared to grease a few palms
Thanks so much for your answer about temporary residency. That's really helpful.
Do you happen to know if the same thing applies to buying property if you only have temporary residency? Are there any restrictions about doing that before you are a permanent resident?
Thanks again in advance.
@ Anony: I'm not 100% sure about that. I don't think there are any restrictions as they are glad to accept your money / investment. There may be tax implications though. You could try joining and then posting a specific Q here http://groups.yahoo.com/group/banewcomers/ as they are probably more knowledgeable than I in these matters
Thanks so much. You've been really helpful. I think I'll do that.
From: Rudy
Hi Paddy, first of all thanks for all the time that you put into providing quality advice. I am currently living in Santa Cruz, Bolivia and intend to move to BA in the middle of January for a couple of months as a tourist. I’ve been to BA thrice on business; all with favorable impressions. Important to me is proximity to a quality gymnasium and I understand that Megatlon has a good reputation.
I was focusing in on Recoleta until reading your preference for San Telmo. Generally speaking, would San Telmo be a marginally or significantly less expensive place to reside in terms of rent and restaurants than Recoleta? While for a couple of months I am willing to pay extra to live in a nicely appointed apartment in a top location (which is quiet), there is no reason to pay more for equal value. And towards that end, could you please recommend a reputable online rental agency?
After I get the city life out of my system once and for all, I’d like to again live in the countryside. Being from western Wyoming I find nothing but joy in living amidst natural beauty and its tranquility. Could you please recommend a small Argentine city or village near or in the mountains and which is blessed with natural beauty? I understand that San Martin de los Andes, Bariloche and San Rafael may be appropriate. My net pension is currently about USD $3,500/month and that will increase to $4,800/month in three years.
While in BA I’m looking forward to visiting Ushuaia / Tierra del Fuego national park; especially the ice fields and glaciers. I’d also like to see some of the eastern slope of the southern Andes. You mentioned that tourists can end up paying 100% more than locals. Can that be avoided by buying online tickets?
By the way, I salute you on your travels. I’ve 52 countries under my belt. God willing I’ll be healthy enough to visit more in a few years. I’d like to live in central Europe (I suppose Germany) for easier access to those remaining European countries I’d like to see.
Again, thanks for everything. My email is: rudolfo8107@hotmail.com
Be safe in your travels - Rudy
@Rudy:
San Telmo will be significantly cheaper than Recoleta if you get the market rate. I don't recommend online rental agents. You need to contact a few real estate agents when you arrive and see places in person. See the comments on my Cost of Living post.
Both of those mountainous areas are recommended and another personal fav is Cafayate and Pumamarca in the north.
It's difficult to avoid the tourist prices - If you establish residency (also difficult) you can avoid the rip off.
Best of luck
Paddy
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