Travel to and in Bolivia with a preschool child
Here are some tips and pieces of information that you may know, before committing to another country with your child. My son, then aged three and a half, and I recently went to Bolivia, South America, I was able to carry out research for my dissertation. I had never met someone from Bolivia, but I have a lot of research and had a contact with another online Americans, lives there for a very long time. It does not matter who you know, where you go, but you should at least one person you may have seen before going through emails and phone calls. This person can be helped with fine detail, including information about what is really going on within the country where you travel. It is very important if you travel with a small child, and older, even, to know what kind of things, especially diseases and parasites, careful for.In Bolivia, not once have I found a disposable camera. Digital ones, yes, and quite affordable, but I had one of my own. My problem was that I only have two digital maps, and none of the computers I had access to were able to download the photos so I could clear the cards and reuse. I had to send back home and then not having enough time to return it back completed to take more pictures. I got to make some really great photos, you though.If to a poorer country, please go, pack lightly. This is especially important if you go more rural areas as we are. Things are much much cheaper in some other countries, and Bolivia is no exception. In Bolivia, there are few things that are difficult to obtain. Terms such as crochet hooks, children's vitamins, and some art and craft supplies difficult or even impossible to locate. Some are extremely expensive. seem in contrast to the U.S., where to be luxury items are received by and necessary terms are expensive, the opposite seems true. The food is very cheap in Bolivia, such as herbs and spices, while luxury items such as strollers, fans and electric stoves are not deemed necessary and the costs of at least a little bit more. If I am a fan and an electric stove (mainly so I would not necessarily operate a gas tank for a propane stove refill), both cost me a little over fifty dollars a piece purchased. In Bolivia, traveling from city to city is largely done with large vans, large buses, with some children's favorite, biplanes and even motorcycle taxis. When we traveled to the small town Ixiamas, in Bolivia, we went there on flotas or large buses from Santa Cruz to Rurrenabaque, then crossed the Beni river on a barge to San Buena. Then we have a large van for almost a micro-or mini-bus to Ixiamas, four-hour drive on what would be ATV site in the United States. Baggage has been known to fall, the tips of the van. We do not even use a guide or a tourism office. We went by Bolivians, and had no problems. Bolivians are very peaceful. The one fight that we were experiencing between our taxi driver and a motorcycle taxi driver. The argument came from a taxi driver in support of the motorcycle. The motorcycle taxi driver had pulled in right behind us, stopped, parked, got out and walked away, only a few minutes after we moved in. When my friend had to get closer to the dock, so we have not asked yet walk with the baggage, he did not see the motorcycle. He stopped immediately, but the bike still fell over. The motorcycle taxi driver noticed and started an argument. It ended with the two men fight together against our taxi, and suddenly the motorcycle taxi driver to our taxi driver in the face, struck him down. That was the end, and the motorcycle taxi driver went to the back of the car, took his bicycle, came up, caught it and rode off. That was the only bit of violence we saw our entire stay in all Bolivia.After Ixiamas arrival, we were riding on motorcycle taxis for a good half hour on the small farm where we would stay for a few weeks. If you end up in the same situation, please make sure you are comfortable before your driver takes off. Make sure to to shoes that are either easily removed or are able to be walked in any water you need to through.Speaking foot of water, could we drank from most major cities' supply of water without problems and been drinking spring water, unfiltered, while I close Ixiamas on the farm I wrote above, and a very small amount, while in Ixiamas (but only because my son had swallowed on a suction cup), and never had a problem with the known disease, Turista, or anything else for that matter. Maybe we were lucky, but I felt silly about wearing two different SteriPEN. I had a SteriPEN bought a solar charger, and the other SteriPEN was operated by regular batteries. I never used a. And I felt really stupid, because every place we were with had, with the exception of the farm in Ixiamas current. When you need, by all means, take a feel, but it is bottled water available everywhere you go in for other purposes Bolivia.As we all need water, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, and cooking, it is very abundant. Most houses do not have heated showers or baths, so that for small children, either they are from a very young age learn not only the cold water tolerate from the tap, or for those like my son, are not used to it ever, water is heated up on the stove and in a large tub, called bañador. It takes about a kettle full and about three or four liters of water to the water "just right" to make, but always test it first, of course, just like in the U.S.. Them to get an adult to enjoy the fun, is used to cold showers. However, it is not as bad as what it may sound. In the heat, a cold shower is really a beautiful thing. There were days when the temps reached 90, and with the heat index, based on the humidity, it was over 100 There were some days when I only wear a swimsuit with a skirt and would jump in the shower every few hours. Shampoo and conditioner, bath soap, body brushes, and all you is to swim to buy very cheap. Do not worry about it, all with you. There is no shortage. Toilet paper, very cheap, and just as good as what we have here in the States. You can in most locations, a pack of six rolls of Scott for a little over a dollar. Feminine needs products are generally purchased in a farmacia.Washing clothes is a bit different than it is in Bolivia in the United States. You get to do it by hand. Get Omo, it takes everything and nothing gets out of control. Omo is a powder that comes in small bags. Depending on how dirty your clothes, you can get about ten washes out of a bag. One bag costs about Omo half a dollar. Get a plastic based brocha or brush with stiff bristles not a wood. This is prone to powdery mildew after a while, and some have shared so vividly better.As always intervene for the daily activities of your child, get some water shoes, preferably anything that water can sit down inside. Flip flops are what worn by most children, but for those who are not accustomed to wearing them, there is a combination of plastic and rubber shoes sandals in shape, that even here in the U.S. and Bolivia. This is important for children playing in areas where they can either grass, dirt, sand, or a combination. There are parasites in the soil, and good footwear, you can protect your child's feet. Make sure your child learns early in your stay, how to wash his own feet to under running water. After waterproof shoes are a necessity for small children, and it's a good idea to have at least two pairs for each child. Because if your child got a parasite, please do not panic. There's a lot of children. One thing to have at hand, "Quatro Derm. It is written "4 Derm on the packaging. The friends I made here I recommend the medicinal cream on my son's foot once a night for three nights and it would work. I have, and my bare feet loving son was fine. But he loves being barefoot as much, he was soon another Bichu "(bee-chew). This time I decided would keep him in bed talking, of course, and certainly not as punishment, although I'm sure it felt like it was like me, and apply the medication every hour for about five hours. I applied for it, where the Bichu was on, and then filled in the circle at any time. In about two and half hours I could see a big difference. By the afternoon, it was completely gone, and he kept his shoes on to better that, as well.Leaving Bolivia, after they know to many people, not an easy thing to do. I was, frankly, in tears when saying goodbye to some of my friends. Verify addresses, phone numbers and e-mails to stay if possible, of one, you with.When contact you leave, make sure your personal bag packed with food, as the larger bags generally are driving gate checked . They do serve meals on the plane, and it is usually in the ticket fees, but there is, I've heard, not experienced that sometimes there is not enough food for all. Also, and this is crucial because you can not board the aircraft without them, you have the $ 25.00 USD airport tax paid for each passenger. Without the airport vignette, you can not board the aircraft. I loved being in Bolivia, and seriously wish I had not succeeded in airport charges, our ticket back and then get others to pay visa and stayed permanently. That's how much we loved Bolivia. We hope when you go, you love it, too.
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