Three months in South America. A trip that we had dreamt of for so long and a trip we will never forget… Not only because South America is such an amazing continent to explore but also because of a “small” travel blunder that took us to places we did not think we will see!
A Start filled with Luxury & Adventure
The trip started in Miami at my favorite boutique hotel – Delano – for a couple of relaxing days before the adventure started. The highlight of this trip, the Inca Trail, was next on the list. An epic experience to get lost in the Andes for four days. Tough? Yes, it was but still it is the magic views, the fresh air, the sun in our faces, the amazing Inca landmarks you pass that I remember. It is hard to describe the feeling when we reached Machu Picchu, a wonder of the world, a majestic place!
After the Inca Trail it was time for some city life and we spent a lovely long weekend exploring Lima, followed by one week in crazy Rio De Janeiro. Copacabana & Ipanema beach life, stunning views from the Sugar Loaf and a visit to another wonder of the world. Rio is a fantastic city but also one that leaves nobody untouched. There is so much poverty, destinies that are devastating to observe and the tough life in the favelas.
After a week in vibrant Rio we were ready for our next adventure – Costa Rica. Or at least we thought so. This is where our plan changed!
The Blunder that was Meant to Be!
Monday morning and we approached the check in desk. I still the remember the question from the lady behind the counter. “Please, give me the yellow fever certificate”.
We had planned this trip into detail and double checked all vaccinations and visas requirement. We had just missed ONE small detail…. As a Swede you are lucky in that you do not need visas or extra vaccinations to so many countries. However, it turned out that you can not only rely on your passport here. If you have been in Brazil, which is a country with some high risk yellow fever zones, you need to have your papers in order to board the plane to Costa Rica. Our certificates were safely stored in a drawer at home and did not help us much in this situation.
What to do? Well, first we receive the yellow fever vaccination and then wait ten days until we were allowed to enter Costa Rica.
We decided to make the best out of these ten days. Almost everyone we had met along this trip had asked us if we were going to Buenos Aires and the Iguazu Falls. On our way to the airport, I told Fredrik that if I would be able to change something in this trip, I would have loved to see also Buenos Aires and the Iguazu Falls.
Love at First Sight!
Some things are meant to be…. After a crazy evening re-arranging everting and booking flights, hotels and the Iguazu Fall tour, we were off to Argentina!
Arriving in Buenos Aires, was love at first sight. We were so surprised by the European look and vibe of this city. We felt like home at once!
Our Costa Rica stay became 7 days instead of 17 and was a bit crazy. Luckily, we could cancel most of our bookings and after this week we were back on track. Three relaxing weeks in Sayulita and Tulum in Mexico, an amazing week on the roads in Cuba and some nights in Havana. Finally, the grand finale, a road trip to the hippie paradise – Key West!
Always Learn from your Mistakes!
Key Learning: Do not check vaccination and other conditions for entering a country only based on your passport, but also the countries you are traveling from!
Still, the more important one – if some doors closes, some new ones will open. Thanks to our mistake, we found a new favorite city of ours that I am sure, we will return to soon!
If you want to read more about our 3 months in South America and our other trips, have a look at my blog www.travelwithasilverlining.com and follow me at Instagram, @lindavoltaire.
About me
My name is Linda Voltaire and I have been a travel addict the last 15 years or so. I love to see new places, experience new cultures and meet new people. 1.5 years ago my boyfriend and I decided to take some time off from our jobs to travel for three months in South America. A dream coming true and a trip that kind of changed our lives. I realized that I do not only love to travel but also to share my travel experiences with others and Fredrik found a new interest in photography!
During that trip, I started my blog, made my Instagram account public and the rest is history 🙂 ! My niche is travel with a silver lining. For me this means a more personal and authentic experience by staying at cozy design & boutique hotels, finding small hip eateries and leaving the crowds behind to get a feeling of the local life beyond the crowds!
Alexia + Jeremy 