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McAfee’s Third World Travel Guide

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Re: McAfee’s Third World Travel Guide

#51

Post by cristiantsara »

andrewcooke wrote: post #25
ghshephard wrote: post #3

Is there anyone who has lived in one of these South American areas like Belize for a long time able to confirm any of this system of paying bribes to police officers at traffic stops? Also, is his statement about police 'planting drugs' just so much self serving nonsense, or has anyone ever had a police officer actually do that? The entire essay sounds somewhat specious to me...

you wouldn't do it in chile.

everyone in southamerica knows bribing police officers (on the street) is a no-no in chile

Re: McAfee’s Third World Travel Guide

#52

Post by clark-kent »

stevoski wrote: post #26

I've been to 93 countries. All continents. Places travellers would normally not contemplate visiting. All independently. I've _never_ had to bribe someone. In all the years of doing this, I've had an official try to shake me down maybe 5 times. I think McAfee's advice is way off.

It depends on your activities in those countries. If you ran a business in the most corrupt countries you most likely have to bribe.

Re: McAfee’s Third World Travel Guide

#53

Post by shawnz »

sergiotapia wrote: post #41

"If your contraband is drugs, offer them a small hit while talking. It re-enforces, subconsciously, the idea that the dope is your possession and that they are partaking due entirely to your good will. If you are transporting sex slaves, then I must say first that I cannot possibly condone your chosen occupation, but -offering each one of the policemen a taste of the goods may well seal the deal without any additiona…

Yes, let's not state facts because of the way they make us feel.

Re: McAfee’s Third World Travel Guide

#54

Post by joss82 »

geekfactor wrote: post #42
melling wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For $200-$300/week, you can get one on one immersion with a teacher in Antigua. I spent 10 weeks. There are over 100 such schools in Antigua. http://www.guatemala365.com/ Immersion is the best way for both time and money. Here's the one that I went to: http://www.guatemala365.com/index.php?link_school=plfm

Anyone know of someplace similar for French? I've read that Ste. Anne Guadeloupe is a good place to go, but 100 schools?

Believe me or not, they actually have an Alliance Française branch in Granada, Nicaragua, with native French speakers that can teach you the language. Cheap nice place.

EDIT: It's not so nice actually. Go to San Juan Del Sur instead.

Re: McAfee’s Third World Travel Guide

#55

Post by _delirium »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #37
mahmud wrote: post #33

Do this if you want to be an abrasive dipshit who the host community rejects. This guy is a colonialist-tourist, not a traveller. You can feel his contempt for the people and the lands he is "visiting" seething through.

How am I supposed to have anything but contempt, if even 25% of what he writes is true? Don't want my contempt? Don't run your country like a corrupt shithole. Seems simple enough.

You might have a better experience of a country if you aren't a meth-head trying to bribe the local authorities to cover for your drug trafficking. He wouldn't fare well in the USA, either: in fact, he fared so poorly there that he had to flee the country.

Re: McAfee’s Third World Travel Guide

#56

Post by eshvk »

melling wrote: post #30
eshvk wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would be interested in visiting some or most of these countries in a few years time. At the risk of sounding cliched, I don't obviously want the touristy experience but want to experience the country(ies) and am prepared to do that for a few months. I currently know zero spanish, do you suggest picking up a guide book or should I invest time learning it at a school (I live in SF)?

For $200-$300/week, you can get one on one immersion with a teacher in Antigua. I spent 10 weeks. There are over 100 such schools in Antigua. http://www.guatemala365.com/ Immersion is the best way for both time and money. Here's the one that I went to: http://www.guatemala365.com/index.php?link_school=plfm

Great, sounds good, thanks!

Re: McAfee’s Third World Travel Guide

#57

Post by mcdowall »

I spent a month across the Yucatan in Mexico, Belize and around Costa Rica 5 weeks ago, I didn't experience anything like this at all, I sense an element of desperation, anger and blatant bullshit amongst this post.

Belize was a really warm welcoming country, I've travelled every continent and its up there in my top 5, so to read this is so contrary to my image of a wonderful country.

Re: McAfee’s Third World Travel Guide

#58

Post by ricardobeat »

omarchowdhury wrote: post #34
stevoski wrote: post #26

I've been to 93 countries. All continents. Places travellers would normally not contemplate visiting. All independently. I've _never_ had to bribe someone. In all the years of doing this, I've had an official try to shake me down maybe 5 times. I think McAfee's advice is way off.

Wow, how old are you? How long did the 93 country journey take? Average time of stay per country? That's amazing, really. You should an reddit AMA.

I think you a word. Since stevoski has not answered: from his SO profile he is 40.

I started travelling a lot 5 or 6 years ago and have been to ~21 countries so far, and I don't travel every year. You could do 90 countries in say, six backpacking trips, each one to three months long. Doable in 3 years if you can keep it up. (that's barely getting to know each country, but still)

It is a small world: http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/seriously-slow-6-travelers-who...

Re: McAfee’s Third World Travel Guide

#59

Post by CamperBob2 »

_delirium wrote: post #55
CamperBob2 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How am I supposed to have anything but contempt, if even 25% of what he writes is true? Don't want my contempt? Don't run your country like a corrupt shithole. Seems simple enough.

You might have a better experience of a country if you aren't a meth-head trying to bribe the local authorities to cover for your drug trafficking. He wouldn't fare well in the USA, either: in fact, he fared so poorly there that he had to flee the country.

But this thread is full of firsthand accounts from (presumably) law-abiding HN users who have had to jump through the same hoops.
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