Although there have been several periods of time where I've been traveling, never until now have I spent a whole full year doing so and it has been amazing.

Probably my biggest advice for you would be that no matter all the people advice you get and all you read and videos you see, you still need to visit the places for yourself to make your own opinion.

I usually refer to my traveling as slow travel, although from what I've been seeing some people finds it too fast.

What I like to do is this, I like to visit big cities and the way I enjoy it the most is spending around 1 month in each place, except in special places like Mexico City or New York where I usually spend more time. This not only gets me to know what it's like to live there, helps me not to stress and get to know places better, it's also good for finding better prices on Airbnb or avoid spending too much in flights.

Even so, every now and then I get out of my comfort zone and I get to know several parts of a country as I did in Peru for example.

Here I make a summary of what I find most interesting of what I've done in 2024, both to help others who want to do it and to receive comments to help me to improve. And of course to have a place to remember my travels as the details fade from my memory.

8 countries visited

• Colombia
• Panama
• Costa Rica
• Guatemala
• Mexico
• Peru
• Paraguay
• Argentina

My favorite place was Mexico City with a perfect balance for me, a vibrant city, incredible food, nice people and fair prices.

My top 4 of the year is as follows:

1. Mexico City
2. Lake Atitlan (Guatemala)
3. Machu Picchu (Peru)
4. Antigua (Guatemala)

12 Flights, 6 airlines

I flew with 6 different airlines: Avianca, Wingo, Aeromexico, JetSmart, Latam, Aerolíneas Argentinas.

Newest aircraft: 2021 (B737 Max 9)

Oldest aircraft: 2003 (B737 800)

Most flown aircrafts
- Airbus 320 (5 flights)
- Boeing 737-800 (3 flights)
- Airbus 319 (2 flights)

Because of the way I travel I only took 12 flights. I didn't really have any major problems other than the schedule changes some airlines are used to do as if it was normal to change several hours the schedule of a flight you bought just for the schedule it had. The worst with this were Wingo that does it almost in all its flights and Aerolineas Argentinas that has the "record" of this year changing my flight to Buenos Aires from 10am to 2am (ouch).

I always travel only with 1 bag (personal item) and I never had any problem with that either. If you are interested in this type of travel I went into detail in a long reddit post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/onebag/comments/1gz2m4t/1st_year_indefinite_travel_latin_america_with_28l/

And you can see how I organize my bag here: https://bagsoup.com/montes/baggage/one-bag-trips

Wifi Cafes

I love to go explore cities and sitting for a while in a coffee shop with my laptop, is one of my favorite activities.

Worked at 61 different coffee shops locations being my favorite of the year the Athanasiou chain in Panama City and Puku Puku in Lima.

• Starbucks (19 different locations)
• Tierra Garat (6 different locations) (Mexico City)
• Cafe Martinez (4 different locations) (Asunción & Buenos Aires)
• Athanasiou (3 different locations) (Panama City)
• Tostado Cafe Club (2 different locations) (Buenos Aires)
• Blend Station (2 different locations) (Mexico City)
• Cafe Unido (Panama City)
• Mentiritas Blancas (Panama City)
• Leto Coffee Brew Bar (Panama City)
• Coffeefy Workafe (Mexico City)
• Cielito Querido Café (Mexico City)
• Dosis Café (Mexico City)
• Boicot Cafe (Mexico City)
• Punta del Cielo (Mexico City)
• Libertario Coffee (Mexico City)
• Centrina Café (Mexico City)
• Café Vegetal (Mexico City)
• Kaie Café (Mexico City)
• Constela Café (Mexico City)
• Café de Lima (Lima)
• Milenaria Life & Coffee (Lima)
• La bodega verde (Lima)
• Puku Puku BCP Café (Lima)
• Homemade (Lima)
• Coleccionista Cafe (Lima)
• Three Monkeys Coffee (Cusco)
• Café Panam (Cusco)
• Café D’Wasi (Cusco)
• Qura Cafe (Cusco)
• Rupha (Puno)
• Eco-Brunch (Arequipa)

18 different Airbnb homes

My budget is tight, WiFi is important and I like to cook at home, so I always use Airbnb and overall I'm pretty happy with it, you just need to be careful when booking.

After 18 airbnbs I only had a really bad experience with my room in Panama City where they had a pit bull that barked at me all the time and also shat and pissed all over the appartment because she wasn't taken for a walk, probably my worst Airbnb experience to the date because that was a whole month.

All the trips

Dec 6 2023

Flight 1: Madrid - Medellin (Avianca)

Colombia: Country 1

This was the first and for now only threat of not letting me on board because the check-in attendant didn’t like my exit ticket.

I had a perfectly normal Wingo ticket outside of Colombia (Medellin-Panama City) and I had it printed out in paper, but this person told me that the ticket needed to have an electronic ticket number and this one had only a reservation code. I tried to fix this getting another reservation from my phone but it was the same, no electronic ticket number. So she made a phone call to a superior and it seems they told her to stop asking for this number and just let me in as she apologized and said that what I had was enough.

Feb 17

Flight 2: Medellin - Panama City (Wingo)
Panama: Country 2, 1 airbnb, 6 different coffee shops

This was my first time traveling only with my small Backpack, the most “uncomfortable” Airbnb I’ve been in to date and probably one of the climates that I’ve liked the least so far, so much heat and humidity all the year around.

I think Panama City is a bit idealized when you look for information online, mostly because of all those skyscrapers that appear in all the pictures but then when you are there and you look closer they are not exactly what they look like.

The things I liked the most:
- Cerro Ancón
- Athanasiou coffee shops
- Gelato & Co (very good ice creams and desserts)
- Annie & Motts salmon burger
- Safety
- Supermarkets with a wide variety of products, including imported products from the US.

The things I liked the least:
- The weather, the weather, the weather, the weather... (too much heat and humidity for me)
- Not a walkable city at all

Worked at these cafes:
- Athanasiou Obarrio (favorite)
- Athanasiou Multiplaza
- Athanasiou Bella Vista
- Cafe Unido
- Mentiritas Blancas
- Leto Coffee Brew Bar

My ideal neighborhood to stay: Casco Viejo

Best Supermarket: Riba Smith

Tiramisus tried: 2

Mar 16

Flight 3: Ciudad de Panamá - San José (Wingo)

Costa Rica: Country 3, 3 airbnbs

This Airbnb was also a room in a shared appartment and in front of a train line, which was quite surreal. Here I met Sam, a really nice girl from the US who traveled to Costa Rica to teach english and who managed to get through my lack of socializing skills. Oh and there are drinking fountains inside the San Jose airport! even for pets!

A curious fact about Costa Rica is that I saw a lot of car accidents, I don't know if it's really something normal there, even my roommate was inside an uber that had a car accident while she was in the car!

The things I liked the most:
- Nature
- Manuel Antonio National Park
- The most beautiful banknotes
- Tap water is safe to drink
- Cas Juice
- Chilean cake from Auto Mercado (OH MY GOD)
- Full Tala Pinto with Cas Juice at Soda Tala (Mercado Central)
- National parks and nature in general in Costa Rica
- Spoon (Plaza de la Cultura)
- Panaderia Barrio Lujan (bakery)
- Acacia Restaurant (La Fortuna)

The things I liked the least:
- Noise

My ideal neighborhood to stay: City Center or Chinatown

Best Supermarket: Auto Mercado

Tiramisus tried: none, but Auto Mercado's torta chilena was awesome.

Worked at coffee shops: none, not really a thing there and it didn't feel like it was totally safe to do it

Apr 13

Flight 4: San Jose - Ciudad de Guatemala (Avianca)

Guatemala: Country 4, 3 airbnbs

I got a full appartment for me this time, it wasn’t bad but it was next to school so it was a bit noisy during the day. This day I had the weirdest experience of the year with a US tourist (a really big guy) yelling at me at San Jose airport, so I was afraid of being followed and my entry in Guatemala was my fastest country entry by far, I was the first at inmigration and they are pretty fast also, then I ran to get an Uber and managed to arrive safe to the Airbnb.

I wasn't expecting it, but food was pretty good in Guatemala, here I had the best breakfast of the year and the best burger of the year.

The things I liked the most:
- Wasn't expecting it, but food was pretty good
- Lake Atitlan is a wonderful place, and probably the 2nd place I liked more of the whole year.
- I liked Antigua less than Atitlan, but still a wonderful place
- Caoba farms at Antigua, healty food restaurant
- I also the best breakfast of the year in Guatemala at Nativo Coffee Shop (San Juan La Laguna, Lake Atitlan)
- Ciudad de Guatemala: San Martín coffee shop, specially the one in the historic center (awesome breakfasts)
- Ciudad de Guatemala: Panificadora Americana, very good price pastries
- I still didn’t know at that time, but here I ate one of my now favorite dishes, Chilaquiles
- It was also here where I tasted enfrijoladas for the first time, also at San Martin
- “Tiky piña” drink
- Good quality/price food in restaurants and cafes
- Nice crafts selection

The things I liked the least:
- Milk was of a very bad quality in general
- There are many neighborhoods in Guatemala City that aren’t safe
- Stranded dogs everywhere
- Too many religious fanatics

Best supermarket: Walmart

My ideal neighborhood to stay: Guatemala City Zona 4

Worked at coffee shops: 0

May 11

Flight 5: Guatemala City to Mexico City (Aeromexico)

Mexico: Country 5, 2 airbnbs

Mexico City was with no doubt the place I liked most between all the places I discovered this year. It is a huge city with tons of things to do and wonderful and good affordable food everywhere and the people is really nice. I could be days talking about all I liked from Mexico City.

I didn’t do a visit anywhere else besides Mexico City, I was there for more than 2 months and when I left I did it for the first time feeling I needed more time there.

My ideal neighborhoods to stay: Roma Norte, Roma Sur, Doctores, La Condesa, Narvarte, Polanco

Best supermarket: Selecto Super Chedraui, Walmart

The things I liked the most:
- Food is really good, it offers an impressive diversity of dishes and it’s affordable in Mexico, and best of all, it’s everywhere!
- Doctores neighborhood
- Cosecha Natural (healthy food restaurant)
- Pastelería Ideal: huge bakery
- Many coffee shops to work
- Plaza Izazaga 151 (huge chinese mall)
- Tianguis (Flea markets)
- Good and affordable public transport system
- Centrina Café (coffee roasters)
- Tierra Garat
- Sanborns
- La Esquina del Chilaquil
- Pastelería y Lonchería La Joya (chilaquiles)
- Chilaquiles
- Tacos de canasta
- Chubbies Burger
- Café de Raíz (restaurant)
- La tía del Figue (food to go)
- Lynos Restaurant
- Los Sopes de la Obrera
- Malteada at Cafebrería
- El Pendulo Zona Rosa
- Malls
- Weather

Worked at 22 different coffee shops:
- Coffeefy Workafe (Roma Norte)
- Starbucks (Pza Constitucion)
- Starbucks (Polanco)
- Starbucks (Roma Norte)
- Starbucks (Tamaulipas)
- Cielito Querido Café (El Ángel de la Independencia)
- Dosis Café
- Tierra Garat (Plaza República)
- Tierra Garat (Roma Norte)
- Tierra Garat (Colima)
- Tierra Garat (Salamanca)
- Tierra Garat (La Condesa)
- Tierra Garat (Manzanillo)
- Boicot Cafe
- Punta del Cielo (Center)
- Libertario Coffee (Roma Norte)
- Blend Station (Roma)
- Blend Station (Polanco)
- Centrina Café
- Café Vegetal
- Kaie Café
- Constela Café

Jul 20

Flight 6: Mexico City to Medellin (Avianca)

Sep 1

Medellin to Lima (JetSmart)

Peru: Country 6, 7 airbnbs, 3 flights

Unlike Guatemala I was expecting a lot from Peruvian food and with the exception of the Nikkei food that was awesome (Peruvian-Japanese) and the ceviche, I was expecting more. In general I didn't love the country either, Lima was a bit expensive and not really my thing, and other parts of the country were cheaper but still didn't love them, Arequipa was probably the best place. Machu Picchu was awesome.

Best supermarket: Plaza Vea, Vivanda, Metro

My ideal neighborhood to stay: Miraflores, Barranco

The things I liked the most:
- Macchu Picchu was awesome
- Juices everywhere
- Good prices outside of Lima
- Many coffees to work in Lima
- Centro Cultural Peruano Japonés (Restaurant)
- Nikkei food
- Shizen (really good Ramen)
- Cebicheria La Mar
- La Perla Criolla (Restaurant)
- Qura (Restaurant, healthy food)
- Cusco

The things I liked the least:
- Less street food than what I was expecting
- Lots of news about extorsion and violence around the country
- Titicaca lake was dirty and with people trying to scam you

Worked at coffee shops:
- Café de Lima
- Milenaria Life & Coffee
- La bodega verde
- Starbucks (Parque 7 de Junio)
- Starbucks (Av. José Pardo)
- Starbucks (San Borja)
- Starbucks (Av. 28 de Julio)
- Starbucks (Av. Javier Prado Oeste)
- Starbucks (Av. José Larco)
- Starbucks (Parque Municipal de Barranco)
- Starbucks (Pza Mayor)
- Starbucks (Real Plaza Centro Cívico)
- Starbucks (Jirón de la Unión)
- Starbucks (Cusco)
- Starbucks (Plaza Mayor, Arequipa)
- Puku Puku BCP Café
- Homemade
- Coleccionista Cafe
- Three Monkeys Coffee
- Café Panam (Cusco)
- Café D’Wasi (Cusco)
- Qura Cafe (Cusco)
- Rupha (Puno)
- Eco-Brunch (Arequipa)

Nov 2

Lima - Medellin (JetSmart)

Dec 8

Medellín - Asunción

Paraguay: Country 7, 1 flight, 1 airbnb

The things I liked the most:
- Fanta Guaraná
- Quiet
- Safe

The things I liked the least:
- The streets of Asuncion look a bit like a semi abandoned city

Worked at coffee shops:
- Cafe Martinez (Yegros 307 esq) mi first cafe martinez
- Starbucks (Shopping del Sol)

Dec 14

Asunción - Buenos Aires

Argentina: Country 8, 1 flight, 2 airbnbs

I'm still here at this moment, I'm liking Buenos Aires very much, it's a huge city very walkable and pretty safe if you don't go to the suburbs. The downside are the prices right now.

Worked at coffee shops:
- Starbucks (Av. Pres. Roque Sáenz Peña 885)
- Starbucks (Av. Pueyrredón 1761)
- Cafe Martinez (Lima 701)
- Cafe Martinez (Av. Rivadavia 2300)
- Cafe Martinez (Av. de Mayo 1102)
- Tostado Cafe Club (Av. Corrientes 1699)
- Tostado Cafe Club (Av. Córdoba 1800)

(still there in 2025)

Aaaand that's it! That was my 2024, I'll write some detailed post and will add all the coffee shops to my site travelmuscle.com

I forgot to comment that my average monthly spend was around 1,000€.

I'm so grateful to be able to have this life that I have always dreamed of!