So, when most travellers leave the country, they do so with a guide book. And the choice of one’s guide book is incredibly important. It can be extremely overwhelming, standing there in the aisle at Powell’s, looking at the variety. “South america on a shoestring” “Budget guide to every country” “Lonely Planets South America, Argentina, Bolivia, etc.” “Footprints” and so on.
Luckily, we are cheap and have great friends. Dave gave us the 2004 Footprints South America Handbook. Mike gave us the Lonely Planet guidebooks to Bolivia, Argentina, and a couple of other places that we aren’t going to on this trip. Thanks guys. And we’ve learned a lot about guide books, comparing and actually using the two. Here’s what I think about guide books and picking them out.

A guide book that lists addresses of supermarkets is invaluable. Also, customs (not cultural, but international), post offices, and phone codes.

How much do you want to know about history and culture? For instance, the Lonely Planet guide to Bolivia has a great section on culture, history, customs, music, dance, etc. It was great reading on the 36 hour bus trip.

If you are planning on leaving the Gringo Trail, don´t even bother carrying the Lonely Planet. Unless dozens of other gringos have been there before you, they won´t write about it.

It would help to carry up-to-date books. Ours are 2000 and 2004. Sometimes this results in halarious misadventures. Mostly it just means that the prices are wrong. Surprisingly enough, most of the 2004 information about ferries, busses, and trains is completely accurate, with one noteable exception. (Ferries from Chiloe have been drastically cut.)

The health section in the Lonely Planet is exceptionally good. In fact, if you just photocopy that part and carry it with you, you´ll be thankful for the references.

If there aren´t tourist offices listed in the book, make sure it has city maps.

We did not use the book for most of Patagonia because there were so many tourist offices that were full of great information. (You can walk in with your list of needs-supermercado, ferreteria [hardware store], camping, bicicleteria, etc. and they will give you a map with dots, and you are set. We even asked once for showers, and got directed to the municipal camping and had the best showers ever.)