The question I’ve been asked a million times since I returned home is, “So what’s next Jaime?” … and I always answer, “Well, I’m going to enjoy being home and while I do that I am going to save like crazy to leave again, because I still want to see more of the world and am not ready to settle down.” Having the opportunity to save like crazy, sell just about everything you own, quit your job and travel the world once in your life is something most people will only dream of doing. Actually doing that, coming back home and planning to do it all over again is just insane, but yup that’s what I’m doing. Just last month I wrote my thoughts about being home for a year after traveling the world and how it still feels like a dream and how difficult it has actually been. The good thing is that I’m on track with my savings and if all goes as planned I will be back on the road no later than the start of July. Yup that is right… in less than 3 months I will be unemployed again by choice and back on the road. EEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeee~
So what’s the plan for my second trip around the world???
Yup that is right… Mexico & South America!!!!!
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I am aware you may be thinking this is not a trip around the world and is more like a trip through Latin America, but for now that is what I have planned and know I want to do for sure. My last trip around the world took me to over 100 cities in 30 countries this time it’s not as big and I’m okay with that. I do not know how I will be getting from point A to point B or where I will be staying, but I’ll figure all that out on the road. For now here’s some of the details.
So why Mexico & South America?
I am going back to Mexico because even though I have been to it a million times (literally) and used to spend my summers there as a kid I have not seen much of it. I visited parts of Mexico on my last trip around the world, but I’d like to see more. I want to go back and explore more of where my parents are from and share with the world that it’s not as dangerous as the media portrays it. I plan on spending about 2 – 3 months in Mexico. During my time there I plan on visiting the following:
- General Teran
- Monterrey
- Zacatecas
- Puerto Vallarta
- Guadalajara
- Guanajuato
- Mexico D.F.
- Playa del Carmen
Most of those are major cities that you may recognize and have heard of at one point or another. However, General Teran is not one many people know and that’s okay. It’s a tiny town about 2 hours from the Texas border and an hour away from Monterrey. That is where my parents are from and where I used to spend my summers as a kid. I wrote about it before because the last time I visited it was basically run by drug cartels and not so safe. Thankfully now things have improved and it’s in a much better situation. I want to start there because I want to spend time with my grandparents, my family that still lives there and practice my photography. Yes practice my photography because I will be traveling with an DSLR this time around and I have no clue how to use it. After spending a month there & visiting Monterrey on the weekends while I am there I will be taking off to see the rest of cities listed above.
From Mexico I plan on flying to Bogota, Colombia and that is where I will kick off my grand tour around South America!!! South America, is a continent I have been wanting to get lost in for a very long time and purposely avoided it during my first trip around the world, because I knew I needed time to give it justice. I didn’t want to visit and speed through all the highlights in 3 or 4 months. It’s filled with many countries who have such deep histories similar to that of Mexico’s and I want to learn more about them and marvel at the many sites they have to offer. All the while immersing myself in their culture and finding what makes them tick. I plan on spending 6 – 9 months in South America. During my time there I plan on visiting the following countries:
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Peru
- Bolivia
- Paraguay
- Chile
- Argentina
- Uruguay
- Brazil
I only listed the countries because if I wrote a list of all the cities and sites I want to visit while I am there it would an extremely long list. Of course I will be visiting the highlights you know Machu Picchu, The Amazon, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Lake Titicaca, Salar de Uyuni, Iguazu Falls, Cartagena, Valparaiso and many more. I’m still debating if I will be visiting the Galapagos or Easter Island, because I want to also visit Cuba while I’m in Mexico and I know I can’t afford all three. The truth is though I don’t have much planned for South America all I know is that I will be starting in Bogota, Colombia and making my way around until I get to Rio de Janeiro and from there take off to who knows where.
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So there you have it… that’s my plan for my second trip around the world. I believe this will take me about a year to complete and even though I know that will never be enough time to see it all for now it will have to do. I am sure you are wondering where I will be going to after South America because you know I won’t be going home just yet.
Actually I wish I didn’t know where I was going, but this weekend I realized that after I finish this trip I must return to Cairo to find him. We haven’t talked in a few weeks now and it kills me (I keep waiting for him to message me), but I still love him and know I want him and only him. If I don’t return to Cairo I will regret it for the rest of my life. I must go back and if it’s too late and he has moved on then it will have been my fault for being stubborn, selfish and wanting to do this trip. I just know I must do this before returning because it’s something I have always dreamed of doing and I do not want to resent him for not doing this. Not only that though if I return to Cairo it will be because I know he is all I will ever need in my life and if I’m honest I know I’m not ready for that right now. I also hope that things will have settled down by then. You know the whole Egyptian revolution & what not. Ahhh sorry for getting all depressing on you, but feel like I had to share that. It’s crazy how I still get emails from strangers wanting to know what happened to us after the last goodbye. It’s a very complicated situation and for now it is what it is and this is all I can say & I’ll figure out the rest when the time comes.
-Yes those are my hands & of course Africa (Egypt) is facing up.-
Of course y’all I know things change. Who the hell knows what is going to happen between now and the time I complete this. Hell that is if I even complete it… if mid-way through I am ready to go back then I will. This “plan” is more like a tentative plan and none of this is set in stone. That’s actually the worst thing about doing a trip around the world… being so free you can go anywhere at any time and it’s daunting when you want to see everything. Even more so when you want to see everything and be with the person you love at the same time.
So anyway this is my plan and that is what’s next. Now I’d love to hear what y’all think. I would also love to know if you have been to any of the countries I will be visiting and what your favorite places are that I can not miss!!! Bonus points if it’s a place off the beaten path, because this time around I plan on doing more of that. I can’t wait to hear from y’all.
EEEEEEEEEeeeeeeee~ just 3 more months & I breakaway again!!!
P.S. If you are not following me on Instagram yet be sure you do because I will be sharing tons of photos on there from my trip around Latin America. The 3 photos you see here I have shared before on Instagram. I didn’t have it last time around, but am so excited I will have it this time since I will be traveling with my iPod Touch. You can follow me @breakawaybackpacker.
Congratulations!! Can’t wait till follow along and use your tips for my own Latin America trip next year. And may your love story have a happy ending 🙂
Jamie recently posted..Poor packing skills exposed – Further Adventures in first time traveler mistakes
Thank you so much Jamie. Once I am on the road and you know I have been somewhere where you are going and have questions don’t hesitate to email me. I’m always happy to help anyone. & yes I hope it has a happy ending too. 😉
Looking forward to seeing what you get up to this time, Jaime!
Congratulations on the soon to be unemployment, I’ve got 6 months to go before I get to go through it all again.
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Thanks Poi, so just 6 more months & you are unemployed too!!! Where are you or y’all heading off this time?
Yay so exciting! I also bought the “South America on a shoestring” guide because I had similar plans but then shit happened 😀 I’ll be following your updates as usual! And oh I am going to Cairo on May <3
Giulia recently posted..When you live in Roatan…
OMG YOU ARE GOING BACK TO CAIRO??? Now I am so damn jealous, but ugh I know I will be there before I know it. So when are you going to South America??? Would be so awesome if you visited it while I was down there and our paths crossed.
No South America or anything “crazy” any time soon… Cairo just for a month or so… A couple of weddings to attend + diving in the Red Sea! Yup. Didn’t plan it, just happened (and it will happen to you too…) xoxo
Giulia recently posted..When you live in Roatan…
Aww okay. So wish you were coming down here, but I understand. For now though going back to Egypt should be amazing. We need to chat soon and catch up on our crazy lives.
How exciting! You are going to have such an amazing time. I can’t wait to read all about your trip 🙂
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Thank you so much!!!
Wow, talk about hooking us all in to this crazy love story of yours! Now we’ll all be following you for the next year, just waiting to see what happens when the two of you are reunited! It’s like a sitcom drama! 😉 I really hope it’s like a Friends situation, where you both realise how perfect you are for each other after all this time 😀 Anyway, I kid. It’s awesome you’re getting back out on the road. Can’t wait to read about more of your misadventures!
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Bajajaja Julia your comment just made me smile. Ahh how I wish this was as simple as a sitcom… I seriously had no clue all this would happen from one damn date in Cairo, but it did and I wouldn’t change anything. Well maybe wish it was easier, but then that would be boring. Anyway I am torn about not just going back, but know I would regret it later. So for now this is my plan and we’ll see what happens along the way. I’m sure many misadventures… just hope I make it out alive & my luck hasn’t run out.
Glad to hear that you have solid plans to get going soon!
I have some hard times with regards to love and thinking about accomplishing what I want to before I “settle down.” I’m in a long distance thing that is in a rough patch at the moment, and I wonder if it would be easier if we lived in the same location. But it is hard to know anything for sure. :-\
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Chewy I understand every thing you are feeling. It is a huge struggle of mine as well and always wonder why we couldnt just have met at home or so on, but the truth is if it didn’t happen how it happened it wouldn’t be what it is. We will figure it out… one day!
YAY!! I’m so excited for you, Jaime! I’m really looking forward to reading about your insane adventures. Hopefully no guns or scammy arrests this time though, ok? Cuba sounds exciting, I’d love to go before it gets completely opened up to the US, but I don’t know if I’ll get to it in time. Easter Island was AMAZING. The flight there is a bit pricy, but well worth it if you can swing it. As for your man in Cairo, I’m still totally rooting for you guys. I think you’re doing the right thing by going on this trip though b/c as you said, it’s important to you, and you don’t want to end up resenting him if you don’t go. And Julia is right, you totally have us all hooked into your love story. You probably have more readers now who are interested in that than your travels!
Ali recently posted..Hong Islands Tour From Ao Nang
Oh Ali, I hope no crazy situations like my last RTW. I’ll be honest I am a bit more scared because it’s Latin America and for some reason just feel like it’s more gun heavy than other regions of the world. I know it’s stupid to think like that, but it’s how I feel. As for my big 3 Cuba, Easter Island or Galapagos… oh man I wish I could go to all 3, but know I just can’t. I’m going to do research on them, but I think I may side with Cuba, because if I am going to spend that much money to get somewhere why not make it a whole new country? Plus it’s Cuba and like you said I want to visit before it opens to the USA. As for my man in Cairo…lol love how you call him that. I am rooting for us too, but who knows what will happen between now and then. For now going to focus on this and hope it’s not too late when I finally make it back. & yes I am sure more people are curious about that then anything else. I try not to talk about it that much here, but feel like I must here and there cus I do get emails. Who would have thought… one crazy date would lead to this?
By the way, did you read Erica’s (Overyonderlust) post awhile back about traveling through Latin America as a Mexican-American? Worth reading if you haven’t. Might be a trip for you to leave your Mexican passport at home and tone down any Mexico-specific Spanish, and definitely make sure the border guards know you’re American, even if it means speaking English to them and pretending you don’t even know Spanish. I wish they won’t have such a bad impression of Mexicans, but it is what it is apparently.
Ali recently posted..Hong Islands Tour From Ao Nang
I sure did read that post Ali, but know I will be okay. Mexican get picked on & are sometimes treated a bit unfair no matter where we go in Latin America for many reasons. I will not be leaving my passport at home though. I want to use that to visit Cuba for sure and may use it in other countries where the VISA is $$$ for Americans but cheaper for Mexicans. I’ll know soon enough how I will be treated.
Right, I wasn’t even thinking about that, definitely great reasons for bringing your other passport. Those are some of the reasons why I’m trying to get an Italian passport, cheaper visas and the ability to visit places like Cuba. Good call.
Ali recently posted..How Much We Spent Traveling in Thailand
See I’m smart jajaja. EEEEEeeee so ready to leave already.
YAY you’re going to my favorite countries in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!
Andi recently posted..My Favorite Place For A Weekend Getaway: Banner Elk, North Carolina
Oh yes Andi & I will finally be visiting your favorite city BUENOS AIRES!!! I can’t wait.
Jaime, thrilled for you! Heading back out when you know the sometimes trying parts of travelling long term is commendable and I’ll be interested to see how your experience this time differs from your first RTW adventure – I know mine did.
I am particularly excited for your interest in Cuba. As a Canadian, we are able to travel there and it is so different than any other place I have been as there is no American commercial influence. As the embargo could be lifted in the near future (and 300 million Americans suddenly having easy access to a place previously kept from them) getting there before it changes should be a priority. Also visited Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil. Let me know anyway I can help. 🙂
Brock, I like that you mentioned you are interested in seeing how the experience of this RTW will differ from your first RTW, because I haven’t even left and already know a few things I am going to be doing differently. I wouldn’t change anything from my previous RTW, but this time around I do want to do a few things differently, because I am seeing it from a whole new perspective. Anyway I plan on writing about that soon so about Cuba. Argh… you are giving me the biggest reason I have for it on my list. I think in the end Cuba is going to trump Easter Island & the Galapagos. I mean it’s a whole new country and also one that has not been influenced at all by the USA. So we’ll see what happens. I forgot you already visited South America. I will hit you up if I need anything and actually go back and look through your blog for advice.
Looking forward to continue seeing and hearing about your adventures. I am also hoping to get to cuba before it changes. Wish my Spanish was at passable :-).
Paula recently posted..The Crystal Caves of Bermuda
Paula, thank you so much for following along. How well is your Spanish? I’m so thankful that my parents made sure we knew Spanish and spoke that at home. I love that I am bilingual.
Looks like another epic trip again. I spent 4 months as part of my rtw last year in South America and visited chile, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil and it is a pretty amazing continent so you’ll love it. Even more so because you speak Spanish which makes things a lot better.
Looking forward to following your trip again.
Thanks Domenic for following along. So any must visit places that you loved in South America???
Yeah great news!! Hope it all goes well for you!! Both on your trip & in Cairo!! All the best mate
Thanks a ton Bernie!
Yay South America! Zab and I spent 10 months there last year and it wasn’t nearly enough; that place is huge! We even spent 3 months in Peru, but hardly saw anything, as we were renting apartments and working in Arequipa and Lima mostly. We didn’t make it to Colombia (no time!), so I’ll definitely be interested to read about your impressions when you get there! Eee, so exciting!
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Yes YAY S.A. Sam… I am so excited. I have actually been reading your blog and getting ideas of must see & do. You are reaffirming my choice of not doing it last time in a few months and do it now at a slow pace. It’s such a massive continent… it deserves some time. Can’t wait to see what’s in store for me.
I’m living in DF now so make sure that you say hey when you are around 🙂 Also, you NEED to add Oaxaca to your list of places in Mexico – it’s my favourite place in the whole country!
Oh that’s awesome David. How much longer will you be there? I’d love to meet up! As for Oaxaca, I already went last time around. I loved it too.
Oh man, you’re going to love South America! I fell in love with Medellin in Colombia and this is where I live now 😀
Marcello Arrambide recently posted..Is Day Trading & Traveling Really Possible?
I’ve heard so many amazing things about Medellin. I am excited to get there and can’t wait to finally see South America Marcello!
Colombia still one of our favorite places, Salento is either #1 or #2 close to Antigua Guatemala. Another highlight for us was the Galapagos Islands. I knew you’d be back on the road soon, hope to bump into you. Safe travels!
Hannah@GettingStamped recently posted..Cuisine, Culture, and Chaos on the streets of Hanoi, Vietnam
Hannah, writing down all the places you just mentioned. I am still torn though between the Galapagos, Easter Island and Cuba… we’ll see what I end up doing when I am back on the road.
I’m very, very excited for you!
When I first thought about going on a RTW in university days, the first place I wanted to start was South America and work my way up through Mexico. I never took that RTW, but I’m planning my first one either by December this year or January 2015. I’m doing SE Asia first, but believe me, I will DEFINITELY get around to my dreams of visiting Latin America (and perhaps a trip to Antarctica while I’m in Chile or Argentina). There’s so much to see, soak in, and experience. As a side bonus, I’m very much looking forward to the food 🙂
I feel like Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America (i.e. Columbia) get such a bad rep in American media outlets. Yes, there are drug cartels, kidnappings, murders, prostitution, unsafe drinking water, and more that occurs in some of those countries. But honestly, the same kinds of things happen right here in America (and then some). Unless a place is outright unsafe and unstable, I’m going to give it a try.
Quick photography tip: if you have the time now, try learning your DSLR’s controls and menu system while you’re at home. Nothing sucks worse than fiddling around with unknown camera functions and missing your shots. Cheers!
Well Summar looks like I will be doing your dream RTW. I hope I am able to give you insight to this part of the world. I know exactly what you mean about the media in the US and this part of this world. It’s something I agree with you on because I see it all the time in the media and it drives me insane. I want to go and share the beautiful, the good and the amazing. I am excited to hear you are planning your own first RTW trip. I hope it goes well and if you need any help let me know. I am always happy to help any one out. As for my DSLR thanks for the tip… I’ll get on that now.
Safe travels my friend! And I hope you get your happy ending.
Xo
Thanks Darren!
You are going to love SA. I have been here since January and I m completely and utterly in love with the whole continent. If you can financially squeeze it in I’d definitely recommend the Galapagos Islands. I only went for 3 days and did a land based tour, rather than a tour, as it is much cheaper. You still get to visit three amazing islands, so in my opinion it is better to just see a few than none, because seriously, the wildlife will blow your mind.
TammyOnTheMove recently posted..Icebreaker Dress Give-Away
Well Tammy if you are still down there when I go I hope our paths cross. Thanks for the Galapagos tip. I am so torn between all of them I seriously have no clue. I will figure it out though.
heeeey!! I am mexican and also going to be travelling around South Amercia from June on! Would be awesome if we meet somewhere on the road!! 🙂
Andrea recently posted..Hack Your Life: Aumenta tu Productividad
Andrea, hey that would be so awesome if we did meet up in South America. I hope our paths cross. I know I won’t be down there until like September.
O brother o brother i am so excited for you. Please be safe though…..I can’t believe visiting your little brother isn’t on your list before you leave since I may not be home to see you leave again. But maybe will cross paths when I deploy if I ever do. Miss you and love you.
Ay Remy… siempre have to make me feel bad that I have not gone to visit you. Ugh thanks for that…lol. Well I do hope you get deployed but if you do it’s a safe area and well I hope you are able to see more of the world. I love you too & miss you more than you can imagine.
I’m so excited for you to get back on the road again! I’m so excited to follow along with your adventures! And I think staying in one concentrated area and really exploring it sounds like fun and a good plan! That way you can really get to know the feel of a place! Also, I plan on getting a DSLR this summer and practicing how to use it too! Good luck!!! 🙂
Erika recently posted..Mapping My Goals: So Close, Yet So Far Away
Thank you so much Erika. Yes I love my plan and can’t wait to share it with everyone. Good luck with your DSLR… I’m gonna need it.
I’m so excited for you that you’re planning another trip 🙂 And only three months of waiting left to go!
Thanks Catherine…. EEEEEeeeeee I can’t wait!!!
Mi Amigo!
You mentioned when we had lunch that you were taking off again. Congratulations!
We have to meet up again before you go… I still have 1 million questions to ask before you Break Away once more.
I’ll send you a message on Facebook and hopefully we can get a more extended time to talk about the life of travel that you and I both aspire to.
Take care,
Matt
Mexico is in my immediate future as well … along with this country, I plan on touring Central America straight through to Panama … hope your time down there goes well!
Caroline recently posted..Manchester: Londonâs cooler cousin
Oh Caroline… you are going to love Central America. I spent 3 months there and it was amazing. So much to do and see. Be sure to give Nicaragua a lot of time… it’s one of the most amazing countries I have ever visited.
Hi Jaime,
Your plan looks so exciting. Look forward to your travelogues.
By the way, are you interested in laying out your travelogue in a different way?
Like this,
http://youtu.be/o3LLtIqpLAI
So that travelers can follow your tips right on the spot?
Thank you so much Daijie!
Exciting news! Hope your story will have a happy ending, respect for following your dreams, not all of us are courageous enough to do that… I was thinking what would I do while reading the part that it’s daunting when you want to see everything and be with the person you love at the same time. If I were you, I would definitely go for the second option; all those things to see will not run away… Maybe this is just my point of view, but I also know how it feels to lose someone…
Thank you so much Jamie, I hope it does too. I like your point of view you do have a valid point none of this will go away so why not be with the man I love. Ahhh it’s so hard and honestly it sucks. I’ll figure it out though for sure.
Why are you skipping Venezuela?
Hi Diego, I have heard a lot of horror stories about people visiting there and also know at the moment it’s hard for Americans to get in. So at the moment I am skipping it, but who know what will happen once I am down there.
Jealous that you’re soon to be on the move again! How I miss long periods of travel!!! Can’t wait to read all your crazy adventures again! Will you be at TBEX Mexico? xx
EEEEEeeee can’t wait either!!!! And I think I actually may be down there for it. Still not sure if I am going to TBEX or not, but if I don’t I know I will be in the area so can def hang out. OMG are you? If you are we must hang out for sure again and a bit more jaja.
Got room for one more? (;
As long as you pay for yourself you are more than welcome to join…jaja!
Jaime –
I don’t know you, but I love you. Your posts about Cairo are so rational. You would totally end up resenting him if you had given up your dreams for him. You also would have been giving him less than he deserves if what you are giving him is a person who is always daydreaming about being elsewhere.
It is not often that you see people act with their heads when their hearts are pulling elsewhere. It takes a lot of strength to walk away when your emotions don’t want to and I applaud you for that.
I hope that when this trip is over, you go and get him and live happily ever after. You will be ready and he will be the luckiest man on Earth for having someone who will love him without any regrets.
Best wishes to you both!
jennifer recently posted..Riding the World’s Highest Railway to Lhasa, Tibet, China
Jennifer I don´t know you and now I love you too just from this comment. Why am I sitting here about to cry. Thank you thank you thank you for your comment. Sometimes it´s things like this I need to hear to reasure myself I am doing the right thing. In the end if it´s meant to be it will happen. If not well I will carry on with my lil broken heart…lol. Thanks again for your comment. It made my day!!!
How much did you save up for this trip!? 🙂
Hi Asia… I saved about $25K for this second trip. It’s not enough for 2 years but I will figure out a way to make it happen. Email me if you need anything else. My email is my blog name all together AT gmail DOT com.