Take a walk.

In my second post for this blog, I extolled the virtues of comfortable but sturdy shoes (see that post here). In another post, I encouraged you to wander around new places, get lost and just enjoy what you see along the way (see that one here). Today I am going to suggest that if you are planning a trip to Latin America (or elsewhere), get your butt moving now. Literally. Be ready to walk. There are mass transit systems in many Latin American cities, there are taxis that are very inexpensive compared to the U.S., and there are the legendary and amazingly cheap buses (discussed a bit here). But you are still going to be walking a lot. It’s just the way it is.

I think it is probably pretty universal knowledge that in the U.S., people like their cars. Sure, there are several cities where you don’t need to own a car to get around, like New York, Washington D.C., and Boston. But by and large, people are driving. Even if they are taking a train into work, most people have a car.

If you so desire, when you are traveling you can also drive by renting a car. But I have never done that when in another country. I always rely on others to drive me where I need to go, i.e. bus drivers, taxi drivers, or friends with cars. I just don’t want the hassle when I’m trying to see as much as possible in the time I have to experience a place. I like taking cheap taxis and practicing my Spanish with the taxi driver. I like taking buses (sometimes!) and people watching and looking out the window at the scenery. I like checking out different subway systems so crowded they remind me of the “T” at Kenmore after a Red Sox game. But mostly I like to walk.

As you have read in my blog before, “It’s part of the experience.” When you are walking, you are rubbing elbows with the locals. You are walking on their streets, passing their front doors, catching glimpses into their homes, smelling dinner as the aroma wafts from an open kitchen window. You get that while on your feet, not behind the wheel of some rental car.

Walking is not always easy at first, especially when the altitude is higher than home. I have mentioned high altitudes before (here). In Quito, Ecuador, I had about a 25-minute walk to the Spanish school I was attending. But I could not walk at the speed I usually did. I got out of breath really quickly because of the altitude (9350 feet/ 2800 m), which was quite a change from the 607 feet (185 m) in Connecticut, where I was living at the time.

It was also challenging in Xela, Guatemala, where the elevation at its lowest point is about 7655 feet (2330 m). With all the walking I did, up and down hills, to and from the center of town, sometimes twice a day, I was really getting in shape. Of course, you can only really prepare for a higher altitude by being in a higher altitude. So my friends, about all you can do is be aware of this so you don’t overdo it, or get altitude sickness.

This is just one of the hills I walked up (and down) to go to work
in Xela, Guatemala. Then I had to climb that volcano you see
in the distance (okay, that last part isn't true).  

Here is another hill I walked up and down on a daily
basis in Xela. This is a street. I never saw any cars on it,
but I did see a motorcycle go up it once.

I mentioned in that earlier post (again: here) that I walked about two hours every day when I lived in Xela. You may not walk that much yourself on a trip, but you might be surprised at how quickly the steps add up. Start a walking regimen before your trip to make it easier on yourself. If you can, walk up hills. If there are no hills, try stairs. Just do not go into it cold, with nothing but sad, mushy muscles and lungs that cannot face a challenge. You don’t need to train like an athlete. You don’t need rock hard abs. And you don’t need to be able to run a four-minute mile. Just get used to walking more than you usually do so you don’t feel the need to banish yourself to your hotel room from exhaustion. If you get exhausted, let it be because you actually did walk for two hours!