Discount Travel Insurance Center

Just look at Chile on a map and you will immediately appreciate one of the major considerations that needs to be taken into account when travelling here - great distances: from north to south three and a half thousand miles of amazing scenery. You can’t write any of it off as not worth seeing. Every region of this country has its beauty from the icebergs and turquoise lakes of Patagonia through the chocolate box scenery of the lake district and the fertile valleys of wine country, to the dramatic northern deserts. All this against a backdrop of the towering Andes and giant volcanoes to the east and the infinite Pacific to the west.

Throughout this incredibly diverse and varying landscape there is one constant, the ruggedness of the terrain, which can make it an arduous and inaccessible place to travel. However, the right approach and a bit of planning can make sure that you make the most of your trip to Chile. Here we have identified what we recommend as the best ways to see the country:

1) The Private Tour:

Requirements: usually 2 or 3 weeks, cost approximately USD 1600 per person per week

Advantages: No hassle, no stress, all transport is in private vehicle with English speaking driver. For tours and excursions you will have the undivided attention of a knowledgeable English speaking guide. Your itinerary will include the highlights of the regions that you visit and you stay in 4 or 5 star hotels.

2) The Tailor-Made Holiday

Essentially the same as the Private Tour, but the tour operator customises the itinerary for any special interests that you have.

3) The Small Group Tour:

Again similar to the Private Tour, with the difference that your group comprises a dozen or people. You travel with the group for the duration of the trip.

Advantage: the main advantage is the cost, approximately USD 1000 per person per week

4) Self-Drive Chile:

Requirements: usually 2 or 3 weeks, cost approximately USD 1600 per person per week.

Advantages: Flexibility and freedom. The addition of a vehicle can be expensive and you will probably end up doing a lot of driving, but for the more adventurous traveller this can be the best alternative. You see more than just the highlights of the country, you also see many facets of its true identity. On the road you have the chance to explore towns, villages, restaurants, bars, beaches and many places that are not on the tourist map.

5) The Back Packer:

Requirements: usually 3 months or more and a budget of USD 20 per person per day.

Advantages: Time to explore places of interest in depth, learn the language and make friends. The major drawback with backpacking is the inaccessibility of many of the major destinations. In Chile the buses are excellent, but they only travel between the cities. If you want to get to the beautiful national parks for the scenery and/or the adventure sports you will need private transport, which means hitchhiking if you are on a backpackers budget. All part of the fun.

However you decide to travel, you won’t be disappointed by Chile.

Andrew Chaundler worked and travelled in South America for many years before setting up Optimundo, a travel company that specialises in Private Tours and Tailor-Made Holidays to Chile and Argentina.
Optimundo offers a range of exclusive luxury travel itineraries that have been designed with expert knowledge of the region. The company also provides an efficient and friendly tailor-made service, so that you can specify the elements that you want in your perfect trip to Chile and Argentina.

Share This

When you’re on a full-blown vacation or even when you are just taking a weekend trip, your meals can be enjoyable milestones in your day rather than the subjects of your nightmares; and speaking of nightmares, the cost of eating can eat up a big part of your vacation budget. Following are some tips that will help you eat better, spend less and, as a result of the two, possibly even sleep better while on your trip.

Breakfast

Start your day with a healthy breakfast and, by definition, that excludes ‘just grabbing a donut for the road.’ Not that there is anything really wrong with donuts but donuts and pastries are high in sugar and fat — sugar may give you a morning boost but it doesn’t last long and half way through your morning you’ll find yourself looking for a second breakfast or a brunch.

Your best bet for breakfast is eating a balanced meal, just like your other meals of the day: Many hotels and motels offer you a complimentary continental breakfast — that just means a breakfast buffet with a good variety of foods — just what you need and what you should be looking for! Work your way around the buffet you’ll find them offering bread, waffles and English muffins right next to a toaster, some jams, jellies and syrups for spreading or pouring on your toasted choice, a variety of cold cereals with milk or sometimes hot oatmeal, some fruit for your side dish or for mixing in with your cereal and then there is yogurt, orange juice, grapefruit juice and tea or coffee. If you skip the continental breakfast and opt for a restaurant meal, the same rules about a balanced breakfast apply but you’ll be able to add eggs, bacon, sausage and table service to the mix.

With breakfast done, you’ll have a ‘full tank’ that will keep you going through your morning activities and keep you focused on enjoying a full schedule rather than being distracted by an empty belly.

Lunch

When you think about it, it makes sense to have your main meal of the day in the middle of the day — especially when you’re traveling. What you’re doing is packing in the calories and then, during the course of your active afternoon, burning them off. This also makes good financial sense; many restaurants have lunch specials that feature all the things you will be able to buy later, at supper time — at a higher price.

If you’re staying in a hotel or motel, ask the desk clerk or concierge about their favorite restaurant. You may get a tip about a restaurant that serves some local favorite foods; that’s a nice way to enhance your travel experience with some genuine local flavor.

The rule about eating a balanced meal works for lunch as well as it does for every other meal. You might start your lunch with a salad with a favorite salad dressing or a fruit salad or fruit cup or that salad might be a main course — there are some wonderfully filling and healthy (balanced) main-course salads with chicken, ham, bacon bits, seasoned croutons and a world of other ingredients. Depending on where you’re traveling you may just want to experiment a bit with some local favorite menu items — ask your waiter or waitress to suggest something and be sure to ask about ingredients if there is something you know you shouldn’t be eating.

Don’t skip dessert! A small dish or ice cream, with or without toppings or a small slice of pie or cake is a nice way to finish your lunch (remember, this is your BIG meal of the day).

Snacks?

“Just in case” foods are always a good idea when you’re traveling. You may be sightseeing or just traveling when you get that urge to “eat something.” Stopping and buying something is always possible but its really an unnecessary expense if you have a snack bag stowed away in your bag or backpack — besides, stopping along a tour route to buy something means your paying inflated tourist prices! The way to put together your own snack bag is to stop at a grocery store and buy some dried fruits, nuts, raisins, crackers and something to put on the crackers like peanut butter or cheese. Keep your snack bag handy!

Supper

After your big lunch you should be looking for a light meal to end your day — it’s good for your waistline and will give you a better night’s sleep. One great and economical idea for that end-of-the-day meal is to combine that trip you should have made to the grocery store for your snack items with some purchases for your supper. Get some tasty lunch meats, bread, cheese to make sandwiches and some fruit for dessert.

Many hotels and motels have small refrigerators in their rooms and many even have microwaves; when making reservations pick a location with these amenities and use them. Making your own supper can be a major savings to your vacation budget and may even allow you to save enough to spend an extra day visiting an attraction you might otherwise have to skip.

Home again!

It’s always good to be home and just in case it hasn’t occurred to you, you might look at some of these eating and spending tips and apply them to your eating habits and your food budget even when you’re not on the road.

Bon Appetit!

Christine Bettridge has loved writing since childhood. She has written Plays, poetry and many articles. Her latest e-book End Time Secrets recently released by Cypress Street Publishing has caused an order craze in the religious world. It can be ordered and downloaded right now through the publishers website at End Time Secrets and she also is the editor of the article directory, Above All Content Visit her blog at: The Bible Sound Blog

Share This

If you don’t have a passport, you can appear in person at any of more than 5,000 U.S. courthouses and post offices that are specifically authorized to accept passport applications. If in doubt, call the general access number at the courthouse or post office in question and ask if that location is approved for passport applications. If you need your passport urgently (if you plan to travel abroad within the next two weeks), you can contact any of the thirteen U.S. passport agencies that accept applications by appointment. As of 2005, these offices were located in Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Norwalk, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC. You will need to call the passport agency in advance and you may be asked to provide proof of the urgent need for the passport, such as a ticket showing travel within fourteen days.

If you were born in the U.S., you should bring an official certified copy of your birth certificate. If you do not have one, you can request a copy from the agency that records births and vital statistics in your state of birth, usually for a small fee.

If for some reason you cannot obtain a copy of your birth certificate, you will need a letter of no record issued by your state of birth with your name, date of birth and a statement showing the years that were searched for your birth record and the fact that there is no birth certificate on file for you. Along with this, you need to bring as many different proofs of birth as possible, including baptismal services, hospital birth records, census records, early school records, or even your doctor’s record of postnatal care. You can also use a notarized affidavit of birth signed by an older blood relative who has personal knowledge of your birth, though this will carry less weight than an official document.

If you were born outside the U.S., you will need a copy of the consular report of birth abroad or certification of birth, your naturalization certificate, or your citizenship certificate as proof of your U.S. citizenship.

You will also need to provide proof of your identity - a valid driver’s license, a government or military ID card, or a certificate of naturalization or citizenship. If these are not available, you should bring other signature documents such as a Social Security card or credit card, along with a person who can vouch for you who does have valid ID. Finally, bring two identical 2″ x 2″ photographs taken within the past six months, color or black and white, front view, full face.

You should plan at least 90 days wait time to receive your passport. State officials say 6 weeks but you should plan longer. Expedited service (two weeks’ turnaround) may be available but can cost as much as $60 extra. If you plan to travel abroad a lot, you should request a larger, 48-page passport for no extra charge.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Travel

Share This