1. Stay at a Reputable Hotel

   Knowing that where to sleep is safe, clean and restful can set your mood for whatever you plan to do for the entire day. Brand name hotels are the safest bet, for they will have English speaking staff available and be able to point you into the right direction for things to do. Names such as Hilton and Marriott will give you a safe place to crash and refresh yourself for the next day. Spend the extra money if you have to, it will be the best money you will spend.

2. Dress Casually Plain

   Try not to wear clothes with obvious logos or designation which will cause you to stand out. Wearing area specific sporting apparel will single you out as an obvious mark from out of town. Note: There not many Green Bay fans in Argentina.

3. Keep Jewelry to a Minimum

   Yes ladies, remove your diamonds. Jewelry is easy to breakup and pawn off. Bling-bling is the obvious flag for thieves. The less jewelry you have, the less noticeable you will be to thieves.

4. Eat Breakfast

   Eat breakfast preferably at the brand name hotel you are staying at. A good breakfast will keep you going through the day, and you can bypass lunch if it is questionable.

5. You Are a Tourist, Do the Touristy Things

   You are a tourist. You are not a native. Stay away from questionable areas especially where there are no tourists. Going out to the local neighborhoods, or places only "locals" go to can be a dangerous. If it looks questionable, move on. Local police are out in force to make sure the tourism continues, but you have to be where they think you will be.

6. Drink Bottled Beverages

   This is a must. Only drink items that come in a bottle or sealed canister. The water in any country may cause adverse affects that will have you praying to the porcelin god out of one or both. Name brand bottled drinks, even if they are bottled in the country you are staying in, use water that is filtered at a level much higher than what is available locally. Drink from the bottle, and even brush your teeth with bottle water.

7. Learn Some of the Language

   Before you go to a country learn some basic words that will be helpful. Words such as: thank you, please, excuse me, bathroom, police, taxi, help, and goodbye. Everyone will not know how to speak your language, at least have the common courtsey to learn some of local words.

8. Keep Your Passport Safe

   This is your primary ID if something really goes wrong. Keep it safe in your hotel room while you go out, if the hotel has a safe store it there. If something terribly goes wrong or a major instability takes place, this is the only ID that the US embassy will recognize. Remember to get the phone number and address of the US embassy in the area handy prior to your arrival.

9. Travel Light

   Take all you need and then some extra clothes when you travel to your destination hotel. It is always good to have too much than not enough at the hotel. But, when you go out to visit take only what you need. Carrying too much will slow you down and items are easier to disappear from your possession.

10. Have Fun But Be Aware

    Don't drink too much. Inebriated people are easy to take advantage of, are less aware, and also have a tendency to do stupid things. Enjoy yourself, take plenty of pictures, enjoy the local atmosphere, but be aware of your surroundings and the people who notice you.

If you follow the above rules of vacation, you will reduce the possibility for harm to you and your property.

At our arrival on Sunday afternoon in Montevideo, our United States currency will transfer into Uruguayan pesos. We will try to understand their native language of Spanish and Brazilian. We will need to understand their native language in order to praise the lord in a Roman Catholic Church where 66 percent of Uruguayans will join us. Don't be overwhelmed as of yet, our trip has just begun. On Monday morning, we will attend school in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. Students have a 98 percent literacy rate there. We will then stop at a restaurant and a have a meal. We can try the churrasco dish that is considered Uruguay's national dish. Churrasco is a tasty grilled steak. After eating at the restaurant we will retire at the hotel for a nightcap.

"A new day, something else to see." We will travel past the city of Montevideo into the countryside of Uruguay. We will go to Rico's farm. He will teach us how to plant and grow corn, rice, wheat and barley. He will show us how to look after cows, pigs and chicken. We will eat chivitos. Chivitos is a steak sandwich made with eggs, cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes. We will drink a Uruguayan wine by the name of Medio Medio. Medio medio is a popular drink that is half wine and half champagne. It is rumored that Uruguay's food and wine is good so I know that we'll enjoy the food and wine. We will be of company to Rico throughout Wednesday to Friday. During that time, he will teach us the importance of agriculture in his country. Fourteen percent of people work on agricultural farm for a living.

I know that we already have learned so much already but education is a thing that needs to be broadened. On Saturday, we will go the library. We will look through History books to learn more about Uruguay. We will learn that the original people of Uruguay were the Charrua Indians. The Charrua Indians were defeated by Spain in the year 1516. The Spanish language was now imposed on the Charrua Indians. As of the year 1516 to 2008, Uruguay has come a long way. Uruguay's history can be compared to the United States. Similar to the United States, Uruguay's government was started as a republic and once was under dictatorship. Uruguay government consists of a president, senate, legislators, and a supreme court. Its high literacy rate, large urban middle class and even income distinguish Uruguay.

It's already hard to think that we will be leaving this country today since we have learned so much. Uruguay's food, agriculture, land area, climate, population, history and government have already engulfed us. Uruguay's culture has had such a tremendous effect on us. I hope that you are pleased with the trip to Uruguay. This chance to travel to Uruguay with me will be one of the best experiences of your life. You still have to learn more about the world. One day, I will schedule a trip to another country of your choice. Still, there is no place home. Every journey has to come an end. Thanks again for embarking on this journey with me.

The mad City:

The city is a full paced, non stop, calamity of colours and actions and people and cars and buses and more people and everyone heading in different directions and no-one following any of the non-existed road rules. Somehow an entire city moves past one another without hindrance, most of the buses hurtling, most of the cars honking and most of the people dancing in out of madness, their own lives in grave danger just for living in this town. The Andean folk of Bolivia don't seem to mind. They are generally Indians that have had it rough in a Spanish dominated country. Bolivia itself had its access to the sea stolen by Chile and other areas of economic importance taken by Argentina , Colombia and Brazil ...But she doesn't mind too much. Bolivian people have been serfs to their slave driving colonialists for centuries. The mines provided a vastitude of wealth and the Colonialists weren't to keen on mining so they sent in the small, humble Bolivians, fed them coca leaves originally banned by the Church, then re-instated when their properties proved valuable in keeping the slaves working without food...anyway they have had it tough.. why change?...why not live atop the rugged Andes , why not drive on the edge of reason, why not live in the crater of extremes.

Economics:

If you need a shave in Lapaz just search out the barbers' street. An entire block lined with identical looking barbers ready to shave, cut, buy you lunch, whatever. Then there is the plumber's lane with all things pipes and plumbing, hardware street with metal, cement and all things building, Carpentry corner with all styles and shapes and sizes of wood. There is the tent like corner shops all in a row, the restaurants, tourist hostels, the bars, the mechanics the everything. The commercial system is run on the idea that its best having all the shops that sell the same things next to one other that way anyone wanting to buy that particular product will go to that area and one of the shops will get their business...and hopefully over the weeks the business will be shared equally and everyone is happy.

Lapaz...the centre of Bolivia, in the mighty Andes, close to the mightier Amazon, the heart of Indian and Inca cultures, filled with llama cloth products and multi coloured ponchos made by humble Bolivian women wearing little bob hats and carrying young children on their backs. The flight of the condor whistles out across the city played elegantly on bamboo flutes, accompanied by Alpaca skinned drums and they all sit down to enjoy the feasterly delights of chicken and corn and beans and sometimes guinea pig.