Top 5

Top fives and interesting facts and figures from our 6 1/2 month adventure.

Number of countries: 6

Number of hostels: 54

Number of places slept (camps, etc.): 97

Highest elevation by foot: 4750m (Whistler/Blackcomb reaches 2200m....... just sayin')

Highest elevation by car: just over 5000m

Cheapest sit down meal: Bolivian almuerzo (lunch) - 7 Bolivianos = $1 CDN

Cheapest hostel: Hostal Cultural (Isla del Sol, Bolivia) - 15 Bolivianos (per person) = $2 CDN

Longest bus ride (non-stop): 23 hours (Buenos Aires - Puerto Iguazu)

Top 5 Hostels - NZ
1. Brian's Place, Tokomaru Bay
2. Beaconstone Ecolodge, Charleston
3. Maraehako Bay Retreat, Maraehako Bay
4. Kerikeri Farm Hostel, Kerikeri
5. A-Plus Lodge, Turangi
Just short of the cut: Juggler's Rest, Picton; Barnyard Backpackers, near Te Anau; Lochlea Farm, Wanstead

Top 5 Hostels - South America
1. Planeta Hostel, Esquel Argentina (the only hostel in S.A. with duvets... siigh)
2. La Posta, Ushuaia Argentina
3. Residencial in El Cerro, Valparaiso Chile
4. Kwashkar, Puerto Natales Chile
5. Home Sweet Home, Cusco Peru
Just short: Hotel Mitru Anexo, Tupiza Bolivia

Top 5 Foods
1. Medialunas (mini croissant-type pastries from Patagonian area)
2. Fergburger (Queenstown, NZ)
3. Empanadas (especially from Chile)
4. Dulcede leche (a caramel type spread from Argentina- served best on crêpes)
5. Completos (crazy hot dogs from Valparaiso, Chile)
Just short: Fried plantains; Uruguyan beef

Top 5 Drinks
1. Fruit/wine drinks from Valparaiso, Chile (Julian's favourite: vino tinto con frutilla y banana; Meaghan's favourite: vino blanco con manzana y pina)
2. Malbec wines from Mendoza, Argentina
3. Jugo de papaya con leche (papaya juice blended with milk)
4. Jugo de pina (pineapple juice blended)
5. Mate (Argentinian traditional hot herbal drink obssesively drank by both Uruguayans and Argentinians)
Just short: Cusquena beer from Peru

Top 5 Hikes
1. Torres del Paine Circuit (8 days at the very south of Chile- highly recommended)
2. Routeburn (near Queenstown, NZ)
3. Kepler (near Te Anau, NZ)
4. Santa Cruz (near Huarraz, Peru)
5. Fitz Roy (El Chalten, Argentina)
Just short: Lares (near Cusco, Peru)

Top 5 Places (South America- towns/cities)
1. Valparaiso, Chile
2. Esquel, Argentina
3. Arequipa, Peru
4. Mendoza, Argentina
5. Ushuaia (outskirts, not town centre), Argentina

Top 5 Sayings
1. "Mas o menos" meaning: more or less. It was the answer to almost every question. For example: What time does the bus leave? At 6.... mas o menos. (The bus would probably leave around 7).
2. "De Canada? Que frio!!" meaning: you're from Canada? It's so cold there! Apparently every South American thought it was perpetually minus 25 in Canada.
3. "Tranquilo" meaning: calm down. Resulting from a hostel owner telling Julian to calm down every time he asked him a question. This led Julian to become much, much less tranquilo.
4. "Siiipo" meaning: yes. The added 'po' is a Chilean-ism.
5. "Hermanos? Esposos?" meaning: siblings? married? Apparently a guy and girl only travel together if they're brother and sister, or married. It's kind of religious down there. Our answer of "no, novios" (boyfriend/girlfriend) was often met with silence.

Top 5 Annoyances (South America)
1. Andean music, Cumbia, and Reggaeton. These three genres of music were incredibly annoying, particularly when they were blasted throughout the entirety of an 8-hour bus ride.
2. The runs. Our stomachs didn't exactly take well to Bolivia and Peru. (We both lost about 15lbs in 3 months.. take that Atkins!).
3. Bolivian hospitality.
4. Honking taxis.
5. Traveling hobos.

Top 5 Weird Places (South America)
1. Calama, Chile (equivalent of Fort McMurray)
2. Caldera, Chile (in the off-season)
3. Perito Moreno city, Argentina
4. Sorata, Bolivia
5. Uyuni, Bolivia

Top 5 Most Annoying Tourist Destinations
1. Cusco/Machu Picchu, Peru
2. Iguazu Falls, Argentina
3. Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina
4. San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
5. La Paz (witch's market area), Bolivia