Ask Cancuk about backpacking/independant travel.

[Cancuk]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
through central and South America

[/ QUOTE ] How did you cross between the two?

[/ QUOTE ]

Flew from Panama city - Quito... i was young then. I would love to trek through the Darrien Gap, although i've heard it's pretty dangerous. I know there are boats from Panama to Cartegana, Colombia (which is supposed to be an awesome city).

[T50_Omaha8]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
through central and South America

[/ QUOTE ] How did you cross between the two?

[/ QUOTE ]

Flew from Panama city - Quito... i was young then. I would love to trek through the Darrien Gap, although i've heard it's pretty dangerous. I know there are boats from Panama to Cartegana, Colombia (which is supposed to be an awesome city).

[/ QUOTE ]Ah. The Darrien Gap is supposedly one of the world's most deceptively difficult treks, and I was wondering if you somehow did it.

What kind of expectations do you have for lodging normally (mainly in first world places like W Europe)? Do you just roll up into small towns and hope for the best, or try to at least have a phone number in advance?

[Cancuk]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
through central and South America

[/ QUOTE ] How did you cross between the two?

[/ QUOTE ]

Flew from Panama city - Quito... i was young then. I would love to trek through the Darrien Gap, although i've heard it's pretty dangerous. I know there are boats from Panama to Cartegana, Colombia (which is supposed to be an awesome city).

[/ QUOTE ]Ah. The Darrien Gap is supposedly one of the world's most deceptively difficult treks, and I was wondering if you somehow did it.

What kind of expectations do you have for lodging normally (mainly in first world places like W Europe)? Do you just roll up into small towns and hope for the best, or try to at least have a phone number in advance?

[/ QUOTE ]

Ya, Darrien Gap sounds badass. Might have to do that. My dad just bought a bunch of land in Panama... so i'm going to be close, eh?

Ya, I pretty much never have pre arranged accom. usually you're recommended places to stay in such and such a place or guidebooks can help you out in certain places... but actually calling ahead and booking a place is very rare... really only if I know that it's super busy somewhere (christmas time, festivals, etc)...

[RobMcB]

I wouldn't recommend Darien Gap. There's lots of ways to die there including being kidnapped by wayward Colombians. It happened to Robert Young Pelton, who is a semi-famous danger travel writer.

Pelton Darien Kidnapping

[Audi]

[ QUOTE ]
I would love to answer any and all questions about this kind of travel, or any of the places that i've been (country list below)...

Canada, USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Holland, Belgium, France (Paris only), Germany, Czeh Republic (Prague only), Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, China, Hong Kong, Tibet, Nepal, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, awesome list.

I am particularly interested in Honduras. Did you ever feel 'threatened' there? A couple of travellers told me it isn't the safest place to visit.

Also, did you visit the Bay Islands there? I hear they are spectacular.

[RobMcB]

Have you ever backpacked alone or in rural Canada or the United States?

[RobMcB]

[ QUOTE ]
Have you ever backpacked alone in rural Canada or the United States?

[/ QUOTE ]
Fixed my post [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img].

[Cancuk]

[ QUOTE ]
Have you ever backpacked alone or in rural Canada or the United States?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've never actually "backpacked" across either Canada or the states. I have done camping roadtrips across both though. Vancouver - Florida and back. and Toronto - Vancouver. Also in the summer so we always camped, no hostels.

[RobMcB]

Ok, well than let me rephrase my question so we can talk about what I'm really getting at.
Have you ever been backpacking (alone or in a very small group) in a rural area and had to contend with big, unleashed, aggressive dogs? If so, how did you deal?
I ask because I would like to do some rural area hiking, and this seems like the biggest threat.

[Cancuk]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok, well than let me rephrase my question so we can talk about what I'm really getting at.
Have you ever been backpacking (alone or in a very small group) in a rural area and had to contend with big, unleashed, aggressive dogs? If so, how did you deal?
I ask because I would like to do some rural area hiking, and this seems like the biggest threat.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have defintiley dealt with some very aggressive dogs, although not in Canada or the states... lots in South America.... are aggressive dogs really that big of an issue in Norht America? I haven't done that much hiking up here, but it seems like bears and other, larger wildlife are much more of an issue than dogs.

But, just don't look at the dogs in the eyes and carry a stick with you. If it's just one dog it's usually easier to deal with than a group. And don't show fear.

I'm not really an expert on dog attacks though.