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Basics

 

• Always, always get insurance. 

• Photograph your passport. Without your passport number The Home Office will take significantly longer to replace a lost or stolen one. A lot of places require ID to enter too, usually a photo will do. 

• Every bank has an international phone line. Find your's and keep it safe so you can block and replace any stolen or lost cards. 

• Tell your bank you're travelling, though consider some will take no notice and block your card repeatedly for suspicious usage. It can be as frustrating as a lost or stolen one. Have a back up plan. 

• Have a spare, back up Credit Card. Keep it separate from the other and your cash.

• Keep a small amount of emergency American Dollars. They're good just about everywhere.

• Be wary of where you're walking after dark, some area's will be perfectly safe and some must be avoided. Ask the staff at the hostel if you're unsure.

• Learn some Spanish. It will help you get out of awkward or dangerous situations.  

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Don't be a Papaya 

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South Americans have a saying, 'don't be a papaya' it means don't walk around with your Beats head phones on face timing your friends on your new iPhone with your bulging wallet swinging from your shorts pocket. Depending on your location you might get pickpocketed or worse, robbed.

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• Leave your credit cards in the hostel locker unless you're going to need them. 

• Take only enough cash out for the day. 

• Don't be flashy. 

• Be aware of your surroundings.

• Once you've taken that Insta worthy photo, put your expensive camera or phone away.

 

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ATM'S

 

Where you can, use one inside the branch. Go together with a friend or parter and be aware of your surroundings. Most ATM's in South America are busy, often with a queue. They operate slowly too. Don't allow anyone in the cubicle with you, however inpatient they become. Be prepared that it may only display Spanish. In Colombia you may get an excessive number of bills, leaving you with a bulging wallet. Separate them as soon as you're able and don't leave the cubicle until you're set.

 

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Taxi's 

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We found the safest Taxi service to be UBER, those reviews do wonders for the driver propensity to offend. Unfortunately UBER is not available, (or even legal) everywhere. Taxi scams are still rife, the favourite is the forced ATM visit. The driver will pickup his accomplice who with force you to an ATM to withdraw as much money as you're able, usually multiple times. They'll drop you somewhere unsafe, far from your destination with limited means to return:

  

• An official taxi will have an orange number plate.

• The plate number will be written on the interior door cards too and will match.

• In Ecuador taxi's are required to have interior CCTV 

• They wont always use the meter so agree your price first. Don't be hurried because they're parked badly or there's others waiting. 

• Never allow anyone else in your taxi. 

• If you don't like it, walk away.

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Altitude

 

Inadequate acclimatisation may lead to altitude illness in any traveler going to 8,000 ft (2,500 m) or higher.  Susceptibility and resistance to altitude illness are genetic traits. No simple screening tests are available that can predict risk. Physical fitness does not affect risk. Children are as equally susceptible as adults.

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The most effective risk indicators are:

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• Elevation at destination

• Rate of ascent

• Exertion

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Consider that you ay have gained a significant altitude by plane, and with no acclimatisation time on your journey. This will likely be the case if you're headed to La Paz or Cusco.

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The risk at attitude should not be underestimated. A fellow PCT hiker sadly lost her life in 2022 following her ascent of Mount Whitney, a day ahead of us. The following conditions can be deadly:  

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Acute Mountain Sickness | AMS is the most common form of altitude illness, affecting 25% of all visitors sleeping above 8,000 ft (2,500 m). Symptoms are similar to those of an alcohol hangover: headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, and occasionally vomiting. AMS generally resolves with 12–48 hours of acclimatisation.

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High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema | HAPE can occur by itself or in conjunction with AMS and HACE. Initial symptoms are increased breathlessness with exertion, and eventually increased breathlessness at rest, weakness and cough. Oxygen or quick descent is lifesaving. HAPE can be more rapidly fatal than HACE.

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High-Altitude Cerebral Edema | HACE is a severe progression of AMS and is rare; it is most often associated with HAPE. In addition to AMS symptoms, lethargy becomes profound, with drowsiness, confusion, and ataxia, similar to alcohol intoxication. A person with HACE requires immediate descent; if the person fails to descend, death can occur within 24 hours of developing ataxia.

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Water 

 

As a rule of thumb, you can't drink the water. This is not true everywhere, for example the tap water in Cuenca comes straight from the national park, filtered through the volcanic rock. If you don't know, don't drink it. Many hostels have re-fill stations so you can reduce your plastic use. Stay hydrated folks!

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Vaccinations 

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They can be expensive so ensure you budget for them in your planning. The actual cost will depend on your NHS trust. Fit for Travel is a great resource to see what you need and for where though your GP's practise will give you costs and are significantly cheaper than a private travel clinic. Start them early, Hep B for instance is a six month course and a blood test , and ensure your routine boosters are up to date.

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Here are the most common for South America:

 

Rabies | Animal Saliva - Across South America 

Arguably the most important and always a private prescription. It will cost you £100 for a course of three shots. It is not a vaccination but it will buy you time to get to a hospital for treatment. Rabies is deadly if not treated quickly.  

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Hepatitis A | Food & Water - Across South America 

Free in some trusts otherwise around £45. A single shot that may be combined with Thyphoid. 

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Hepatitis B | Bodily Fluids - Across South America 

Cost around £105. A three shot course followed by a booster in year two. An accelerated course is also available.

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Typhoid | Food & Water - Across South America 

Free in some trusts otherwise around £30. Shot last two years, oral tablets last five.

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Yellow Fever | Mosquito & Monkey - East of the Andes & below 7,500ft - See Risk Map

Costs around £55 with a certificate. If you're travelling to and from Yellow Fever risk areas you'll be required to show your vaccination certificate. 

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Malaria | Mosquitos - See Risk Map 

Prophylactics are widely available. Malarone carries the least risk of side effects and is a treatment too but at around £3 a tablet, its pricey. A good resource for endemic risk can be found here.

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Dengue & Zika | Mosquitos 

There are no vaccines or prophylactics available for Dengue or Zika. Environmentally friendly sprays work to varying degree's. Cover up and wear light colours.