Backpacking Eight Months On the Road, Bus
Through South America, Metros
By David Rice
Through South America, Metros
By David Rice
| Metros Page Twenty |
| Metros Backpacking by Bus In South America Eight Months On the Road By David Rice |
Metros and Money
In Rio I really changed my mind about going to Africa.
I had thought that I might get a ship from Rio that heads to Africa but I
couldn't find a passenger ship anywhere. There used to be a regular
run of passenger ships but the only one I could find was a gay boat that
left Rio on a regular run several times a year and docked in Cape
Town.
Cape Town is a beautiful city I understand from reading about it and I
wanted to tour there but I decided to complete my tour South America
first and then look into a boat to Cape Town later. As events unfolded,
however, I wrote it off as not possible this time.
Although I want some day to see the great beaches along the African
coast and I would also like to see Namibia, I would put it off until some
later day. For that moment, I decided to stay and finish my tour of
South America.
I know that after I rest for six months back home on the farm I will get
itchy feet again and will be hitting the road. Maybe Cape Town next
year.
Tropic of Capricorn
Rio is just north of the Tropic of Capricorn and this puts it just at the
edge of the tropics. As I would go south, the climate would change and
I would enter a temperate zone. After my nine days in the tropical heat
of Rio, however, I was ready to head south for Iguazu falls, also known
locally as Cataratas. On the way I would cross the Tropic of Capricorn
at Sao Paulo. but by that time I had my fill of cities for the moment and
although I was interested in the metro system of Sao Paulo, billed as
one of the most modern of South America Metros, I would pass.
The Metro
Metros interest me because of the underground life that they harbor.
Whole cities of sorts exist in the metros: up-scale and trendy shops
exist on the same walkway where you find beggars, panhandler, and
thieves. All coexist underground where all manner of man and beast
mingle on the same terms. The metro makes every person equal for
the moment; they pay the same fee, walk the same corridors, pass
through the same turn styles, and occupy the same rude seats. And as
a bonus, the metro gets me to places quick and cheap while providing
free entertainment.
I will get on a subway and ride it all day. On any subway there is also all
kinds of advertising and posters, photo exhibits on the walls and often
free entertainment. It is an unusual place the subway. I have seen
many: London, Buenos Aires, Paris, Munich, Mexico City, New York,
and some day I will ride the Moscow subway. I love them.
On the subway you must, of course, be careful or you will be the victim
of a pickpocket. I stick my money in my sock but when the subway is
jam-packed I avoid them. I was once pick pocketed in Mexico City and
although they only took twelve dollars from my front pocket, the incident
left me cautious. At first I felt violated but since the loss was minor I got
over it soon enough. It taught me a lesson, however, and now I keep
my small change in a front pocket while I sew up my back pockets
where I keep my larger stash. I open an access port reachable only by
taking down my pants. Awkward yes but that way I never loose too
much if the pickpockets, who work in groups, get the best of me as a
group of aggressive thieves did on Mexico's subway.
I don't like money belts so by secreting money and valuables in several
places, I avoid the annoyance of a belt and the pain of a large loss. In
Mexico city I lost 12 bucks but the incident left my mind pretty quickly
once I got up in the city and started sightseeing.
Stuff happens and it is best to be prepared while at the same time
remaining optimistic about the joys of travel.
I had thought that I might get a ship from Rio that heads to Africa but I
couldn't find a passenger ship anywhere. There used to be a regular
run of passenger ships but the only one I could find was a gay boat that
left Rio on a regular run several times a year and docked in Cape
Town.
Cape Town is a beautiful city I understand from reading about it and I
wanted to tour there but I decided to complete my tour South America
first and then look into a boat to Cape Town later. As events unfolded,
however, I wrote it off as not possible this time.
Although I want some day to see the great beaches along the African
coast and I would also like to see Namibia, I would put it off until some
later day. For that moment, I decided to stay and finish my tour of
South America.
I know that after I rest for six months back home on the farm I will get
itchy feet again and will be hitting the road. Maybe Cape Town next
year.
Tropic of Capricorn
Rio is just north of the Tropic of Capricorn and this puts it just at the
edge of the tropics. As I would go south, the climate would change and
I would enter a temperate zone. After my nine days in the tropical heat
of Rio, however, I was ready to head south for Iguazu falls, also known
locally as Cataratas. On the way I would cross the Tropic of Capricorn
at Sao Paulo. but by that time I had my fill of cities for the moment and
although I was interested in the metro system of Sao Paulo, billed as
one of the most modern of South America Metros, I would pass.
The Metro
Metros interest me because of the underground life that they harbor.
Whole cities of sorts exist in the metros: up-scale and trendy shops
exist on the same walkway where you find beggars, panhandler, and
thieves. All coexist underground where all manner of man and beast
mingle on the same terms. The metro makes every person equal for
the moment; they pay the same fee, walk the same corridors, pass
through the same turn styles, and occupy the same rude seats. And as
a bonus, the metro gets me to places quick and cheap while providing
free entertainment.
I will get on a subway and ride it all day. On any subway there is also all
kinds of advertising and posters, photo exhibits on the walls and often
free entertainment. It is an unusual place the subway. I have seen
many: London, Buenos Aires, Paris, Munich, Mexico City, New York,
and some day I will ride the Moscow subway. I love them.
On the subway you must, of course, be careful or you will be the victim
of a pickpocket. I stick my money in my sock but when the subway is
jam-packed I avoid them. I was once pick pocketed in Mexico City and
although they only took twelve dollars from my front pocket, the incident
left me cautious. At first I felt violated but since the loss was minor I got
over it soon enough. It taught me a lesson, however, and now I keep
my small change in a front pocket while I sew up my back pockets
where I keep my larger stash. I open an access port reachable only by
taking down my pants. Awkward yes but that way I never loose too
much if the pickpockets, who work in groups, get the best of me as a
group of aggressive thieves did on Mexico's subway.
I don't like money belts so by secreting money and valuables in several
places, I avoid the annoyance of a belt and the pain of a large loss. In
Mexico city I lost 12 bucks but the incident left my mind pretty quickly
once I got up in the city and started sightseeing.
Stuff happens and it is best to be prepared while at the same time
remaining optimistic about the joys of travel.
David Rice Photo
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