Q: I’m planning on spending about two months in South America, from November. My plan is to start in Buenos Aires and work my way up in a kind of Z shape, and include Mexico City. Where would be best to buy a return flight to/ from? Also, will Machu Picchu be too wet in December? Nick, via email
A: I would fly in to Rio de Janeiro, then you are well placed to begin a U-shaped route around the continent without having to retrace any of your journeys.You will find conditions for your visit to Machu Picchu will not be the best. The rain can make trails slippery and campsites boggy, and, worst of all, the view may be obscured by clouds. However, the rain is usually short-lived, and the sun, when out, is strong. So rather than missing out on one of South America’s absolute must- sees, just make sure you have all of the right gear (a good waterproof jacket and sunscreen) and hope for the best!
This is a huge area to cover in two months, so I would suggest looking into an airpass. For example, Brazilian airline TAM offers a mileage-based airpass, which starts from about £250 for 1200-1900 airmiles. LAN also has a great network of flights across the continent. The main problem you are going to haveis including Mexico City. It’s a massive detour and I would suggest missing it out. You would need a return flight from one of the major South American airports, which will be pricey.
–
Q: After seeing lots of Poland and Ukraine in the build up to Euro 2012, I wondered if you could suggest a good short trip to these countries? I’m planning to go away for a long weekend in September. Tom, via email
Both of these countries have lots of fantastic sights. As you only have a weekend, I’d recommend you base yourself in one place. Although not hosting any of the matches for Euro 2012, Kraków is an excellent city break. You should have enough time to spend a day exploring the city’s sights, including the 16th-century covered market, The Cloth Hall, which towers over the Rynek Główny market square. Here you can also enter the great new attraction Rynek Underground (entrance £2.50), which is a subterranean maze of medieval chambers complete with special effects. The city is also close to the harrowing State Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau. You can reach the site by train from Kraków to Os´wie˛cim (90 minutes).
Alternatively, visit the Ukraine’s prettiest city of Lviv. The city is a Unesco world heritage site centred around the 16th-century Ploshcha Rynok market square. Another great attraction in the city is Lvivske Museum of beer and brewing, the oldest functioning brewery in the Ukraine at almost 300 years old. Slightly out of the city centre, the museum is accessible by tram and is worth the effort for the tasting tour! You can fly to Kyiv from London and then hop on a high- speed train to Lviv (four hours).
Readers’ Tips
Cheap Vegas
Save a fortune on cab/monorail fares in Las Vegas by taking the ‘Deuce’ bus. This double decker, 24-hour bus runs the length of the strip, but for a heck of a lot less cash.
Colin Alexander-Brown, via Facebook
Beat the cheats in Morocco
While on the hunt for a bargain souvenir in Morocco’s Marrakech, skip the tempting and touristy souks in the main square, where you could end up paying five to six times the actual price, and instead head to the artist market (Ensemble Artisan), which is just a few blocks around the corner and offers better quality items for fixed (ie potentially cheaper) prices.
Kelly Griffin, via email
Image: Flickr
