 Road Trip from San Diego to Brazil, Driving thru Central and South America |
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| marinenomad |
 Apr 20 2008, 08:10 AM
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I will be getting out of the Marine Corps May of 2009, one year from now. I will be going on a road trip down the Pan-American Hwy beginning in San Diego the first week of June, driving through Mexico, all of the Central America countries except Belize, and shipping my vehicle from Panama to Cartagena, Columbia. From there I plan on driving to Ecuadar, and on thru Peru, Chile, brief stop in Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay and end in Rio de Janeiro Brazil. I plan on focusing my trip on 1 Central American country, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. In Mexico I just plan on driving through it as fast as possible, prolly 8-10 days, a couple days in each Central American country except for Panama, which will take at least a week due to shipping my vehicle. I plan on about 3 or 4 days in Columbia, 3 or 4 in Ecuador, about 6 in Peru, 6 in Chile, Argentina and Brazil, 2 or 3 days in Uruguay. The entire trip will take roughly a little over 2 months, I plan on ditching my car in Brazil and flying back. I know everyone will say this is not enough time for this kind of trip, that I'll be driving to much, I understand that it's quick, but money is the issue there. If I can get a couple more travelers to come with me I could take longer. I'm not trying to see everything in every country, just the highlights, primarily going for the accomplishment of completing the adventure. If anyone would be interested in going with me, or even a portion of the trip, let me know. I'll even front most of the cost, because right now I care more about finding at least one other person to go than I do the money. Any more questions regarding details, just ask. I've researched the trip extensively, and I've already done lots of traveling and road trips, so I know about what I'm in for.
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| jescanio |
Apr 22 2008, 12:59 PM
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That seems like an awesome idea what are the estimated costs. ??
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| marinenomad |
Apr 24 2008, 07:10 AM
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QUOTE(jescanio @ Apr 22 2008, 12:59 PM) 
That seems like an awesome idea what are the estimated costs. ??
For me, I'm estimating my total costs at about $7,000 if i went by myself. That includes gas (about 1,700 for around 17,000 miles of driving, using a car with excellent gas mileage), about $20 per day for food for 70 days, about $30 per day for 65 days for hotel/hostel (in central American you can get decent hotels for less than $20), border crossing fees, shipping car from panama to colombia and flying there, extra money for going out/doing things and my plane ticket home. If someone went along, if they paid for their plane ticket home (about $1,000), their own food, and then just put in $750 towards gas money and stuff, and their $200 ticket from Panama to Colombia, I would get the rest. For lodging, whoever came along could get their own, or we could split rooms, whichever they preferred. So if someone went on the full trip with me, they could do so for about $3,500 probably, maybe a little less, which is a pretty awesome deal for a 70 day trip through 15 countries including a plane ticket home from Brazil. Amy more questions, let me know. |
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| marinenomad |
Apr 25 2008, 05:56 PM
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QUOTE(starlagurl @ Apr 24 2008, 12:26 PM)
Are you averse to couchsurfing? Because that's what I'd want to do.
I'd actually never heard of it before your post, so I googled it and went to the website for it. That sounds like a much better alternative than hostels and cheap hotels, so I registered on couchsurfing.com and that's the way I plan to go now. Sounds like an awesome, and cheaper, way to travel around. |
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| intensepig |
May 22 2008, 03:09 PM
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i would be very interested in joining you on this trip.
it could be really cool, i think.
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| marinenomad |
May 22 2008, 05:40 PM
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QUOTE(starlagurl @ May 22 2008, 04:11 PM)
Ha, yeah, I haven't heard anything from this guy in a while...maybe he cancelled the trip and we should do it on our own? *ponder*
Nope definetely still going thru with my trip, just been busy with coming back from Iraq and stuff. I'm still working out details and stuff, and I've talked to three different people so far who have emailed me either from this site, or a couple others I posted on, so it looks like I might have at least one person go with me. |
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| plauriano |
May 23 2008, 08:23 AM
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Hi, Im planning that same trip but leaving around september 08, Ive searched lots of site tring to find out how and how much it would cost to ship a motocycle to colombia, end maybe you know how already.Could u share any info u may have...thank u..Patrick
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| roadrash |
May 31 2008, 10:00 PM
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QUOTE(marinenomad @ Apr 20 2008, 08:10 AM)
I will be getting out of the Marine Corps May of 2009, one year from now. I will be going on a road trip down the Pan-American Hwy beginning in San Diego the first week of June, driving through Mexico, all of the Central America countries except Belize, and shipping my vehicle from Panama to Cartagena, Columbia. From there I plan on driving to Ecuadar, and on thru Peru, Chile, brief stop in Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay and end in Rio de Janeiro Brazil. I plan on focusing my trip on 1 Central American country, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. In Mexico I just plan on driving through it as fast as possible, prolly 8-10 days, a couple days in each Central American country except for Panama, which will take at least a week due to shipping my vehicle. I plan on about 3 or 4 days in Columbia, 3 or 4 in Ecuador, about 6 in Peru, 6 in Chile, Argentina and Brazil, 2 or 3 days in Uruguay. The entire trip will take roughly a little over 2 months, I plan on ditching my car in Brazil and flying back. I know everyone will say this is not enough time for this kind of trip, that I'll be driving to much, I understand that it's quick, but money is the issue there. If I can get a couple more travelers to come with me I could take longer. I'm not trying to see everything in every country, just the highlights, primarily going for the accomplishment of completing the adventure. If anyone would be interested in going with me, or even a portion of the trip, let me know. I'll even front most of the cost, because right now I care more about finding at least one other person to go than I do the money. Any more questions regarding details, just ask. I've researched the trip extensively, and I've already done lots of traveling and road trips, so I know about what I'm in for.
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| marinenomad |
Jun 22 2008, 08:30 PM
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For those who were interested in my trip and are wondering why you haven't heard anything from me in a while, its because of kind of a big setback I'm trying to work out right now. I said I would be e-mailing detailed plans to those who e-mailed me, and I will be once I work out this setback. The problem is, I planned on buying a small, cheap car good on gas mileage to drive there and ditch to fly back.
Well while home on leave in NC, I bought a 4 cyl 2000 Saturn car with 98,000 miles for $3000. Researched the car, all the reviews for it were great, and had it checked out by a mechanic, looked good. Well after my vacation was over I started my road trip from home in NC back to base in San Diego, Ca, via 70W for the most part.
Well it did good all the way to the Rockies, where I drove up Mt Evans in Idaho Springs, which is the highest point you can drive in North America, at over 14,000 feet. I had some overheating issues, but I thought I fixed it. I got all the way to the California border, about 40 minutes past Vegas on the 15 when it started knocking, turns out it threw a rod and the car engine was ruined, so I sold it for $300. Now I'm exploring other options, such as buying a new car and shipping it from Brazil once I get there, or doing the trip in reverse, flying to Brazil and buying a car there. Once I figure this mess out, I'll go forward with informing everyone of the updated detailed plans. It sucks, but I figure at least it broke down in the US now instead of in the middle of Colombia or El Salvador or something later.
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| inasia2008 |
Jun 22 2008, 08:46 PM
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Unregistered
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Well yeah that's one thing I suppose, that it happened in the States and not in the middle of South America somwhere!
Can you not buy a car from someone on base who is getting deployed or PCS'ing? I mean you can take it to the Auto Center on base and have it checked out before you take it on any long trips or before you fork out a boatload more cash... is that an option? I know people get PSC'd here all the time and sell their cars on!
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| riowild |
Jul 14 2008, 09:44 AM
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Marinenomad,
I am currently looking for someone to drive with me from the U.S. to Rio de Janeiro. I was planning my trip for around November, but am somewhat fleixible on the dates. Maybe we could help each other out here. I will be driving a new truck and planning to head out from Texas, rather and than San Diego, making my way through Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and then around to the Northeast coast of South America, through Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and into Brazil. (I plan to avoid Columbia).
If you are interested, let me know.
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| marinenomad |
Jul 14 2008, 11:58 AM
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QUOTE(riowild @ Jul 14 2008, 10:44 AM)
Marinenomad,
I am currently looking for someone to drive with me from the U.S. to Rio de Janeiro. I was planning my trip for around November, but am somewhat fleixible on the dates. Maybe we could help each other out here. I will be driving a new truck and planning to head out from Texas, rather and than San Diego, making my way through Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and then around to the Northeast coast of South America, through Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and into Brazil. (I plan to avoid Columbia).
If you are interested, let me know.
Unfortunately, my date for leaving isn't very flexible, b/c I am currently still in the Marines, and May 31st is the day I get out, so thats the earliest day I can leave. And I plan on driving the Pan-American route thru South America on the Western side to Brazil. But, if you could leave at the end of May, then we could meet somewhere in the middle of Mexico where our paths cross, and caravan all the way to Panama. Then we could at least drive the Central American portion together. I also am in contact with another guy who may be driving his truck with me up to Costa Rica. Just let me know. |
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| alecx |
Jul 16 2008, 05:47 AM
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anyone ,, going to brazil ??? september / oct ???? just let me know!!!!
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