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Start in the charming city of AMBATO, Ecuador, a two-and-a-half hour bus ride from Quito [cost: chump change]. Ambato is surrounded by mountains that are fair game for hiking and trekking. In February, the city is the scene of some wild Carnival celebrations, so time your trip accordingly [cost for accomodation: as little as US$5 a night].
From there, catch a bus to BAHIA DE CARAQUEZ [less than US$12, at least half a day's trip], famous for its beaches [highlight: the Casa de Cultura and its display of pre-Columbian pottery]. Take your fill of the beaches [cost for accomodation: US$10-20 per night]--but realize that there are many more to come. CHIRIJE [bus fare: chump change], less than an hour south of Bahia de Caraquez, is an interesting archaeological site dating back over two thousand years, right along the coast; definitely worth a look [also good for birdwatching, horseback riding, and jungle trekking].
Time to hit the road again, continuing south, across the border and into Peru. A directional switch, from south to east, is required here, as you venture inland--to the incredible DOS DE MAYO area [bus fare from Chirije: less than US$30]. Don't miss out on the Guanaco Pampa, one of the world's great ruins. Set against a backdrop of mighty mountains and deep blue sky, Dos de Mayo will sear itself into your memory forever. One could easily spend months exploring the area--and AJ recommends at least two weeks [cost for accomodation: less than US$5 a night]. After roaming about the hills, it's time to continue south: all the way past Cuzco to the little town of ESPINAR [bus fare: less than US$20]. You'll be far from most tourists here, and free to explore the amazing Andes.
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From the Espinar-Cuzco area, make your way up--and by up, we mean, literally, up, into the Andes, past the great South American lake Titicaca (where, should you be offered the tempting FROG Telmatobius culeus, AJ asks that you politely decline this local delicacy, now critically endangered), past groups of GUACANO (related to the llama), all the way to the Bolivian Altiplano. First thing's first: try some scrumptious HUMITAS, fresh corn and cheese wrapped in corn leaves, then steamed. |
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From La Paz, catch a flight to Paraguay's capital city, Asuncion [Aerosur offers one-way tickets for US$298], then catch a bus to IGUAZU FALLS, a six-hour ride. The vista laid out before you, 275 falls thundering down in unison across almost two miles of rock, is sure to be a highlight among your life's adventures. From Iguazu, travel by bus--a long, arduous, but certainly worthwhile trip across hill and jungle--all the way to Rio de Janeiro, where you will take a month's worth of Brazilian JIU-JITSU classes. This uniquely Brazilian form of martial art is almost a century old, and Rio is full of schools that teach it [costs vary from a few dollars a day to hundreds per week; as far as accommodation goes, AJ recommends the Ace Backpackers Youth Hostel for about US$8 per night]. While in Rio, watch out for the Snail KITE, a predatory bird related to the Old World vulture...
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LEARN THE BASICS IN: |
Spanish
Quechua
Portuguese
Swahili
French
Shona
Yombe |
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After eleven incredible letters, it is time to leave South America. Travel by air from Rio to LONDON [British airways: about GBP 650]. London! The most populous city in Europe and one of the most diverse major cities in the world; walking its streets, any one of at least 300 languages might be heard. At one time, of course, London was the capital of an empire upon which the sun never set; though its empire has disappeared, its position as a cultural hub has remained intact.
Obviously there's much to do here in what could be argued is the most famous city on earth, but we suggest you step a little off the beaten track and visit the MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD, a unique place that will take you back to the days of your early youth. Spend a week in London [accommodation can be had for any budget; AJ found youth hostels starting as low as GBP 8 per night]. Then it's off to Africa! Specifically: NAIROBI, Kenya [US$850 on KLM]. Nairobi, another huge population center (the largest in East Africa), offers plenty to see and do--but when you're done, you'll head south by bus to Arusha, Tanzania [fare: $20], set on the eastern edge of the Great Rift Valley.
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From Arusha, you're within reach of some of the greatest natural wonders in all of Africa and the world--from the Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater to Lake Manyara, Mount Kilimanjaro, Tarangire National Park, Mount Meru, and what many consider to be the very Cradle of Mankind: OLDUVAI GORGE. |
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A bus journey from Arusha to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania's coastal capital, comes next [fare: US$14]. From Dar, many tourists head to the island of Zanzibar which, without a doubt, still retains much of its original charm despite a recent massive influx of curious visitors. AJ suggests, however, that Zanzibar be side-stepped in favor of the smaller, far less visited island of PEMBA [local charter planes will make the trip for US$50]. Historically, Pemba was one of the three "Spice Islands" (along with Zanzibar and Mafia Island), and the island holds its fair share of centuries-old ruins, but mostly provides a quieter place to relax and enjoy a real cultural experience. After some time here, we're heading towards the QUIRIMBAS Archipelago [there are direct flights from Dar Es Salaam to Pemba--not to be confused with the Pemba we've been discussing; this is a different Pemba, in Mozambique's waters to the south. Round-trip: $265. Just off Pemba's coastline lies the Quirimbas Archipelago]. Mozambique's coral REEFS, it is said, match those of any of the planet's big name dive spots in beauty--but hold the added advantage of being mostly unknown in the tourism world. For SCUBA enthusiasts, the Quirimbas boast several incredible 400-meter-plus drop-offs....
When the Quirimbas have dazzled enough, head back to Pemba and bus it to Nampula to the south [fare: chump change], then continue west to the middle-of-nowhere, baobab-surrounded town of TETE. From Tete, make your way by bus through the Changara border crossing into Zimbabwe, all the way to that country's capital, Harare. While here, AJ recommends auditing a couple classes at the UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE (try "Islam in Africa," "Government and Politics of Africa," and, if you're truly eager, "Intensive Shona Language") [accommodations cost per night in Harare: less that US$15].
It would be criminal to be in Zimbabwe and not visit the thundering VICTORIA FALLS [round-trip flights from Harare cost US$270]. The Falls are incredible in their own right, of course, but Vic Falls is a convenient hub for many other adventure activities in the area--from the lower Zambezi Valley's Matusadona and Mana Pools and Zambia's Luangwa Valley to Botswana's Chobe, Okavango, Savuti and Kalahari, and even Namibia's sand-swept wastelands, including the Etosha Pan.
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Before leaving Vic Falls, however, AJ recommends a bungee jump and some extreme WHITEWATER RAFTING in the croc-infested Zambezi. Even the pros agree that few whitewater excursions can match this one. |
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We must insert a warning here. Though tourists have found little to worry about in Zimbabwe, the country nevertheless has, in recent years, suffered greatly from an unstable and often brutal political climate. This was, after all, a country formerly ruled by a XENOCRACY. That ruling class has since been brought down, of course, but some political parties are still taking many of the country's problems out on the old ruling classes, and this retribution has often taken a violent form. These days, though, any dissent is punishable by incarceration or even death... The point is, do your homework before you visit.
A round-the-world A to Z journey wouldn't be complete without some sort of language training. As such, you'll next head north to learn YOMBE, a Tumbuka dialect. Once mastered, you'll be able to communicate with 1.4 million people in ZAMBIA and Congo in their native tongue [fare to Zambia's Lundazi District: less than $60].
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You've now traveled the world from A to Z--on foot, by bus, by train, by jeep, by plane, by river raft, and by boat, from AMBATO, Ecuador to an obscure district in northeastern ZAMBIA. |
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ESTIMATED TOTAL COST: |
$4,900 for a five-month trip (including one month in Rio studying jiu-jitsu, one month in Harare auditing classes, one month in Zambia under Yombe tutelage).
Add $1,000 for five months of extra Yombe tutoring.
Add $2,000 for three additional months in Harare auditing classes. |
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