10 Tips To Make Bus Travel In South America Easy

In South America, traveling by bus is the most common and least expensive way to travel. Even so, routes can often be difficult to find online and accommodations are definitely foreign. Having bused over 700 hours and counting (I can’t believe it’s been that many) through most of the South American continent, we’ve complied our list of tips to make bus travel simple and easy.

1. DO IT! - in our opinion, traveling by land can lead to some of your favorite memories of a trip.  Passing through the countryside and observing the simple life of the rural communities helps provide a greater perspective on the culture and landscape.  Even if you get car sick (like us), we’d highly recommend this method of transport in South America if you have the time. Just pack some motion sickness meds and everything will be groovy!

2. OPT FOR AN OVERNIGHT BUS - To get the biggest bang for your buck, opt for an overnight bus so you can sleep while you ride.  Accommodations on many of these buses are better than first class on an airplane with comfortable seats that lie all the way down, meals, entertainment, and even wifi on board.  Our favorite bus companies in this area of the world include: Oltursa, Cruz Del Sur, Andesmar, and Flechabus.

3. HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST SEATS - Our rule is that the longer we are on board, the more we spend on a good seat.  Anything under 4 hours is bearable in an inexpensive seat & will definitely result in a more exciting ride.  For longer overnight rides, splurge and pay the extra $10 or so for the most expensive seats - you’ll get better rest, better service, and a lot more room to relax. If the prices on all the seats are the same, choose a seat on the first level towards the front for the smoothest ride.

4. BRING TOILET PAPER, WET WIPES, AND HAND SANITIZER - Just trust me on this one! 

5. BRING MOTION SICKNESS MEDICATION - Beautiful South American roads can often be steep and winding, so make sure you have some medication on hand, even if you don't think you'll need it.

6. DON’T SHOW UP TO THE BUS TERMINAL WITHOUT A PLAN - Do your research, know the bus company you want to use and make your schedule accordingly.  This tip is soooooo important because some bus companies can be dangerous or run-down - ask around and the people in the area will have a go-to bus suggestion for you! Voyenbus.com is also a great resource for seeing bus schedules and routes all over South America. You can purchase your tickets through the website as well for an added surcharge, although it probably isn't necessary since most people purchase theirs in the moment at the bus terminal. 

7. DON’T PLACE YOUR ITEMS ON THE OVERHEAD RACK - Check secure luggage pieces before you board and keep all carry-on items near you.  I always carry my wallet and passport underneath my clothing in a money belt during overnight rides and keep any special personal items like our cameras, phones, and laptops in a closed bag at our feet. 

8. DON’T STRAY TOO FAR FROM THE BUS DURING REST STOPS - Always have an eye on the bus while not on-board.  Announcements that the bus is leaving are often not well-publicized.  Believe me, you don’t want to be the one running after the bus because you took too long picking out your snack at the tienda (guilty).

9. BRING EYE MASKE & EAR PLUGS - Long haul buses often make a variety of stops (even in the middle of the night) and when they stop, the lights come on and can disturb your sleep. You often may be traveling with some noisy co-riders, so make sure you’re prepared!

10. BRING YOUR OWN GRUB - Even when the company says they provide meals, make sure you have food on hand that you love and makes you feel good. Often meals can be very heavy, greasy, and full of mystery items that may not settle well with your traveling stomach. Absolutely take a taste and try the items, however don't depend on them to fill you up.

A Day In La Pampa: Estancia El Ombu De Areco

For the past two years Chase has taken me horseback riding for my birthday!  I grew up riding and always love the opportunity to get back in the saddle.  This year was super special as we took a break from the big city and headed out to the country side.

We traveled about two hours outside of the city to Estancia El Ombu de Areco, a traditional working ranch in la pampa. Our day was filled with horseback riding, Argentine folk music, and a delicious asado aka Argentine BBQ (the best!!!). A day filled with culture and fun!

We took a beautiful, long ride out to the fields to check on the cattle and the other horses on the property.  Lead by two seasoned Gauchos, it was amazing to ride the land with them and breathe in that moment.  **note to self: never tell the guide that you are an experienced rider, the big beauty I'm on was a little less than tame. :s

Now if only every meal could include a sweet Gaucho serenading us... We had been talking about eating a good asado in Argentina for months - this trip has been a looooooong time in the making, but let me tell you - Argentine beef under a grove of trees in the country did not disappoint. 

After lunch the Gauchos showcased a demonstration of trust between man and horse. I honestly was pretty weary of the demonstration beforehand, but it was really neat to see how gentle and loving these men are with the animals they raise. They also let us in on the fun towards the end, which one of us was clearly jazzed about.............

Truly a place I could see myself retiring... See you in 40 years, Estancia El Ombu!

For those interested, we booked this experience through Viator here.  We found out booking through Viator saved us at least $20 a person, so definitely check out their prices before booking any tour.  We typically don't do tours when we travel, but we LOVED this trip because it was so private (only 3 other people in our group), authentic, and educational (Pablo, you rock)! 

Feeling so lucky to have spent my birthday doing some of my most favorite things. Getting out into the countryside added such a neat perspective to our trip thus far - if you are planning a trip to Buenos Aires, I would highly recommend making a visit to la pampa a priority.  

Work From Wherever: Landing the Perfect Remote Job

Working in an office sucks. Right? There's no way I'm the only one who's noticed that. It's not really the office part that gets me, though, since socializing with co-workers and getting out of the house is nice. It's that when you work in an office, you have to be in a certain place (i.e. an office) and, therefore, you can't be anywhere else. I don't know about you, but for me there's a lot more of the world left that I want to see, and two weeks of PTO every year just isn't going to cut it. 

I'm not trying to sell you on some this-is-how-I-became-an-entrepreneurial-wall-street-consultant-model-that-makes-seven-figures-a-month-and-travels-the-world-with-all-my-many-hot-girlfriends-(or-boyfriends) seminar. Those things seem great, but are never realistic, so I'm going to level with you. Are you ready? Most people - and I don't mean to hurt your feelings, because maybe you can do it - but most people won't make millions as an entrepreneur. I'm sorry. I'm very sorry. If it makes you feel better, I'm pretty sure I'm with you on this one. But just because you may never one day have the money to drop everything and travel doesn't mean you can't not drop everything and travel! Confused? Me too, so let me just get to the point. Get a job that you can do remotely and you'll be able to go wherever you want, whenever you want, and work while you're there!

In part 1 of "Work From Wherever" I dove into the process of negotiating with your current employer to make your job remote. Part 2 is for those who already tried part 1 unsuccessfully, or don't have a job that can be done remotely, or just don't have a job at all. Here are some tips on where to start looking:

1. Your Own Network. First off, don't underestimate the power of your own network. I know, I hate myself for even thinking the word "networking", let alone advocating it, but it really does help. Two of my three jobs I have right now I found through people I know. How do you network without coming across as insincere? I've literally done zero research on this, but here's a link I just barely Googled (and have not read), maybe it will help.

2. Flexjobs. Employees from this website manually search the web for flexible job postings, including telecommuting/remote work, freelance, and part-time jobs (which makes me wonder if those employees are telecommuting and, if so, how one applies ... ). You can browse the job postings for free, but you'll need to pay for a subscription to apply to any of them. It doesn't cost very much, and you can even find promo codes online to get a good deal. Flexjobs offers a wide range of job categories, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding something that will fit. It's a great resource because all of the prospective employers are already expecting you to be working remotely! 

3. We Work Remotely. This resource is best for those looking for work in software development, marketing, or customer service. It doesn't offer quite the same quantity of listings as others, but it's still worth checking out. 

4. Upwork. This is the one where I've had the most personal success. Upwork is a platform where companies seeking freelancers can list both long-term and short-term jobs. All of the interaction and financial transactions occur over the Upwork platform, so even if your client flakes out on the bill, Upwork guarantees you'll get paid. After creating your profile and taking some optional qualification tests, you can start bidding on jobs (which gets very addicting). *Tip: clients on Upwork typically like to see that the freelancer they are hiring has already accumulated hours on Upwork from others projects, so they might be hesitant to hire you as a brand new freelancer. It helps to bid really low on your first project to get the job and then, once you have a solid review from them and a couple of hours under your belt, you can start pricing higher.

If you aren't a software programmer or internet marketer, you may be thinking you don't have any skills that would allow you to get a remote job, but that isn't true. They may not pay glamorously, but there are lots of gigs doing data entry and clerical work that can be found through the resources I mentioned that anybody with a basic understanding of computers can do. The first job I got on Upwork was doing internet research (just look stuff up and fill out a spreadsheet) and paid $11/hour. Again, not very much money, but you are going to see throughout our blog posts that $11/hour is more than enough to be able to travel the copperhouse way. 

Under $40 A Night: Buenos Aires

Want to know one of my very favorite pastimes? Shuffling through Airbnb to find the BEST accommodations for my buck.  Seriously, one of my most thrilling hobbies! 

In affiliation with Airbnb and Hostel World, here are my top accommodations you MUST check out before booking your stay in this colorful city.

CENTRO 

If you're spending a week or less in Buenos Aires, Centro is where you want to be!  Right in the middle of it all, you'll enjoy easy access to Tango Shows, delicious asado restaurants, and steps away from free walking tours + museums. Truly the best area to see it all and feel the hustle and bustle of the big city.

$35 A Night - Brand New w/Private Terrace

Solo Traveler? Check out Charlie's Hostel. Dorms from $13. 

PALERMO

Hip, young, and fun; Palermo Soho is an Expat's paradise. You'll find this area to be a breath of fresh air with its shopping, international cuisine, and bookstore cafes.  Very clean, social, and spunky; this area is the perfect place to stay for digital nomads, club hoppers, and those that crave a taste of Brooklyn NYC in South America. Palermo just might be our favorite neighborhood in the city!

$36 A Night - Traditional Bed and Breakfast

Solo Traveler? Check out Art Factory Palermo. Dorms from $16. 

RECOLETA

You can't talk about Recoleta without using words like chic, sophisticated, and the generously coined term "Paris of South America."  Lined with exquisitely designed buildings, gorgeous parks + monuments, Recoleta is the classiest area in town! Though quite sleepy at night in most of the areas, the neighborhood is full of history, floral shops, cafe's, and home to one of the most famous tourist attractions in the city - The Recoleta Cemetery.

$38 A Night - A Clean & Bright Space Of Your Own

Solo Traveler? Check out Voyage Recoleta Hostel. Dorms from $12. With tall ceilings and winding marble staircase, the historic look to the building fits right in with the neighborhood.

SAN TELMO

With cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, tango dancers, and antique shops; San Telmo is an artist's dream! The streets light up during the day with music, dancers, and art.  We stayed here and loved the charm and ingenuity of this area.  With lower prices, authentic culture, and a Sunday Market (you can't miss regardless of where you stay); San Telmo was the perfect spot for our 6 weeks in Buenos Aires.

$31 A Night - Open, Bright, & Artistic Loft

Solo Traveler? Check out Garden House Hostel. Dorms starting at just $10. Possibly the best deal in town!

5 Ways To Make Your B&B Feel Like Home

Feeling comfortable in a rental space can be challenging - especially if you are staying in budget friendly accommodations.  That's why we've compiled our top 5 tips to help your home away from home feel like the perfect retreat. 

1. BRING YOUR FAVORITE SCENTED CANDLE

I've never met an Anthropology candle I didn't love! Get these cute and easily packable Mini Jar Candles for $12 here. This might seem like an unnecessary item, but believe me, keeping your space smelling fresh makes a HUGE difference in comfort.

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2. PICK UP SOME BLOOMS

Nothing brings more life to a space than some fresh blooms (and/or greens :) )! I love to pick up a fresh arrangement from a street vendor, a small potted plant from the market, or pick my own foliage to bring into my b&b as soon as possible. Typically an inexpensive and fun way to brighten up a kitchen table, nightstand, or bathroom shelf.

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3. UNPACK 

The very first thing I do after I check into my apartment is unpack.  Nothing helps me feel more organized and settled than my clothing hung up and the bag I've been lugging around stowed away out of sight.  Unpacking also helps me re-account for all of my belongings after transit and wardrobe options for the events of the trip. 

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4. TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS

You never know who you might meet! Most of our "neighbors" in places we've lived abroad have become good friends - even hosting us years after meeting them abroad. At the very least, your building mates will have some good advice and knowledge of the area to help you feel confident and eager to explore your surroundings.

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5. STAY IN

Give yourself the opportunity to catch up on some R&R time.  Most likely you'll be busy sightseeing, working, and going out for meals during your trip.  Try to stay in at least one night a week to relax and enjoy your space.

Settling in San Telmo

WE MADE IT!!!

Our first week was filled with free walking tours, weekly city markets, live music, and dozens of empanadas; aka all of our favorite things.

After settling into our apartment, we set out on one of the two free walking tours that Buenos Aires offers.  This tour was with BA Free Tours and was a great way to get acclimated to the city, meet some other travelers, and see the big sites. Although this tour wasn't our favorite, we'll be forever grateful for our sweet tour guide, Vicky (top left photo), she rocks! Unfortunately most "downtown" areas of cities in South America have a reputation for pickpocketing on Saturday - Sunday.  The hustle and bustle of city workers has halted and the tourists come out to see the sites.  We had a close call with one of our bags (the one holding our camera, phone, cash, EVERYTHING), but luckily Vicky saved the day and chewed the bad guys out.  She took us around downtown and told us some amazing stories - maybe you'll meet Vicky one day, I hope you do!

The best part of the tour was a surprise meet-up with one of my old friends from a Peru trip years back (bottom left).  Megan is the definition of adventure and always inspires me when I get a chance to chat with her, so being on the same tour by chance was super neat.

Downtown is truly stunning. Above is my favorite building in the city!  I used to laugh out loud when I would read or hear Buenos Aires called "The Paris of South America," but it's no joke that the architecture here has looked to Europe for inspiration.

SAN TELMO MARKET

This is our neighborhood, San Telmo.  It's one of, if not the most historic neighborhood in Buenos Aires.  With cobblestone streets, candle lit street lamps, and dozens of antique shops; our hood is pretty neat.  Every Sunday afternoon the streets come alive with the famous San Telmo Market.  Vendors, artists, tango dancers, and locals all come out to enjoy the afternoon together.

RECOLETA

Our favorite free walking tour was the one of Recoleta with Buenos Aires Free Walks. Martin, our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the area and told us countless historic stories.  He also offered smart tips about the area and even shared his email at the end of the tour to contact in case we needed any help or recommendations to make our stay memorable.  Definitely take this tour if you ever come to Buenos Aires!  

Recoleta was incredibly charming with floral shops, bookstores, cafes, and full of the stunning architecture that mirrors Paris. 

Our tour included visiting the Recoleta Cemetery, which was incredibly moving to walk through.  So many incredible stories of love, hate, and power fill the rows of the grounds.  The architecture alone made for an incredible visit to one of the top tourist sites in the city.  

After multiple tours, street markets, site seeing, and working, we would typically end the day with a trusty empanada and Coca Cola! Why is Coke so much better outside of the USA?!  Lucky for us, next door to our apartment is an empanada + pizza takeout joint! We became fast friends with the owner and have made a goal to visit his shop less frequently than our current 3x a week schedule . . . wish us luck!

A Budget Even Minimum Wage Can Afford: Buenos Aires

Here is our in-depth monthly expense report for Buenos Aires (and I'm going to need a rundown of this on my desk by tomorrow morning). It's a breakdown of literally every cent that has gone into this trip. We hope this will provide you with a realistic picture of what staying in Buenos Aires is like for the copperhouse traveler. And remember, this budget is completely customizable! We are traveling in a way that is comfortable for us and our budget, but there is a lot of room to cut costs (or add costs, for that matter). 

Monthly Budget Totals:
Solo Traveler: $1,475
Couple Travelers: $2,905

*All prices are in USD and for two people unless otherwise indicated

✈️ Flights: $600 per person (one way)

• Argentina is surprisingly expensive to fly to, but we booked through StudentUniverse, which gives discounts on flights to students, teachers, and anyone under the age of 26. This saved us about $250 per person.

🚕 Airport Pickup: $35

• There are three ways to get downtown from the airport: bus, Uber, and taxi. The bus costs $10 per person and will take you to a station downtown, from which you can take a short cab ride to your rental/hostel. Definitely the cheapest way for a solo traveler. An Uber will charge about $20, but you'll need cellular data to hail it since the airport WiFi is no good. That leaves the $35 taxi ride, which we did because our flight was delayed and we were pressed for time. 

🍔 Food: $600

• When we're on a trip, we're always tempted to eat out for every meal. If you've booked a place with a kitchen, though, you can save a lot by making some of your meals at home.

🏠 Accommodations: $690

• A little known fact is that many apartments on AirBnb will offer substantial discounts to anyone booking for a month at a time. In fact, if you search for accommodations with your dates already put in, the prices listed will reflect those for the month, service fee included. We got a very nice studio in the heart of the city for a very affordable rate.
• *Note: if you are traveling alone and are planning on staying in a hostel, you can find dorms for as low as $10/night on HostelWorld. For the budget's sake, let's say you're paying $12/night, or $360/month.

👖 Laundry: $60

• This was a strategic splurge for us. If you place doesn't come with a washing machine, there are two ways to get your laundry done in Argentina: the first is by hand in the sink, and the second is taking it to a laundromat where they wash and fold it for you. Obviously you can save a lot of money by washing your clothes by hand, but it is very time-consuming and if it cuts into your work, it's probably not worth it, even financially. We sent our laundry out three times during our month in Buenos Aires and paid about $20 each time.

🚇 Transportation: $20

• Buenos Aires has excellent public transportation with a very easy-to-use network of buses and metros. It's also ridiculously cheap - only $.40 per ride for the bus and even less for the metro.

💃 Activities: $300

• This varies widely based on what you like to do. Buenos Aires has a lot to offer, so come see it for yourself!

Work From Wherever: How To Negotiate Your Current 9-5 Into A Remote Job

The key to this whole lifestyle is setting up your work situation so you can do it remotely. Without this, you're toast. You might be thinking, "Why can't I just work until I save enough money for the trip?" If this is what you are truly passionate about, then working and trying to scrimp and save without traveling in the mean time will be miserable for you. Do yourself a favor and don't postpone happiness now for a short-term payoff later. Get a remote job and you'll be able to keep up this lifestyle for as long as you want.

The easiest way of going about this is to transition your current job into being remote. Obviously, this only works if your job can be done through a computer. More and more managers are seeing the benefits of allowing their employees to work remotely, but some still need a bit of convincing. 

Here is the step-by-step process I took to turn my formally-non-remote-job into a means of funding endless world travel.  

Step 1: Begin with a gig that can be done remotely. Though most employers require their workers to come into an office, a staggering number of those jobs can really be done from anywhere. In fact, in my personal experience (and I'm assuming for many others as well), I'm much more productive working from home than I am at the office where I get roped into small talk conversations with co-workers. Marketing, computer programming, graphic design, and data entry are just a few types of jobs that come to mind that could be done from anywhere. Avoid getting shuffled in to a job at a large corporation where you're expected to climb the corporate ladder - chances are you'll have no opportunity to take the job remote until you reach the top many years later. Small to midsize companies are ideal, with freelance work giving you the most freedom. 

Step 2: Be upfront about your intentions. When I applied to my current job right after my college graduation, we had already made our travel plans for a few months in the future. After my interview I told them about our plans and said that at that point I would either love to do this job remotely or I would find something else I could do. My boss did not sound optimistic about the option, citing experiences he had with past remote employees that didn't work out. Still, the fact that he didn't display downright outrage at the thought told me there was a chance. So, I took the job.

Step 3: Turn yourself into an asset that the company can't afford to lose. During the four months leading up the my departure I embedded myself into every minuscule part of the operation I could. I asked my coworkers to train me on literally everything so that my boss couldn't imagine things running smoothly without me.

Step 4: Take any opportunity you can to work from home. This is one I took out of the 4 Hour Work Week and I think it helped a lot. I stayed home one day when I was sick, but told my boss I'd be working from home. I used that day, and a couple of other weekends, as opportunities to really display how productive I could be out of the office.

Step 5: Have the talk. Don't be pushy, but make sure your boss understands that there really isn't any reason to not let you permanently work remotely. I made sure to mention that I would be just as productive (cite the days you spent working from home, if you have to) and that I'll keep a structured schedule so he always knows when we can communicate. It also helped to clarify that, rather than be constantly on the move and traveling to a new city every couple of days, we'll be getting a WiFi-enabled apartment and staying put for weeks at a time. 

As I previously said, getting at least a half-decent job to do while traveling is crucial. If your current job can't be done remotely, however, or your boss won't allow it, there's still hope. Check out "Work From Wherever" part 2 on finding a new remote job. 

Why Not Work From A Coffee Shop In . . . Paris?

Hello there!

Chase and I are travelers. We love to explore new places and cultures. About a year ago we were talking and lamenting the fact that we aren't able to travel as frequently as we would like. Chase was in school at the time, but we realized that even after he graduated and got a job, our travel would still be limited to whatever we could do with our two weeks PTO.

We started thinking about how amazing it would be if we could work and travel at the same time. With modern technology, you can be just as productive anywhere with an internet connection as you would be in an office, so why not? The more we thought about it, the more sense it made. With a year of school left for Chase, we decided we would take that time to to develop the types of employable skills that lend themselves to remote jobs and see what kind of work we could find. 

After we had made up our minds to pursue this lifestyle, we began telling family and close friends about our plans. While we have received overwhelming support for our decision to try this out, several people responded with, "Obviously that's what everyone wants to do, but it's just not realistic."

That got us thinking, is this really what people believe? That living this lifestyle is unrealistic? I've always assumed that people are doing exactly what they want to be doing, within realistic boundaries, but maybe there is a group of people who really want to live this lifestyle and just don't know that it's possible. So, we started this blog! If the idea of endless travel and adventure intrigues you, follow along. If you want to get a good laugh out of seeing our failed attempts and strokes of bad luck, follow along. Our hope is that something about this blog will inspire you to be more curious about the world and realize the possibility of endless adventure is within reach.

Follow along as we share step-by-step instructions on how to work from wherever, travel on a budget, book affordable accommodations, and truly immerse yourself in the culture wherever you go; aka living "the copperhouse way".