Hello everyone! I'm not exactly new to this board, I signed up last year when I was planning my trip to western europe but my bf proposed not too long ago(and trapped me) and now i gotta save up for my wedding :S I still want to go but I'm still in school (3rd year in uni, so expensive and tuition is going up next year again) and I can't exactly afford going anywhere now bc of the wedding (our parents aren't helping us w/ any of the wedding expenses). But anyway to cut a long story short, instead of going to europe i figured it'd be cheaper to backpack in south/central america. I have family in Panama so I don't have to worry too much about a place or food. Here is where i'd like to go:

Costa Rica for 1 wk
Panama for 1 month
Venezuela for 1 wk
Brazil for 1 wk
Argentina for 1 wk

So how much money do I need? food, room to stay, attractions. Where do I get started?! It seemed so much easier to plan a trip to europe so much info, but for central america it seems like the info out there is so limited, unless i'm not looking in the right places. So like how much would i need? Please help!!!!! I'm desperate and ready to travel anywhere!!!! i wanna get out of here!!! (i live in Toronto).HELP HELP HELP me please!!! =:::(

thanks!!!!

Ambs

BTW, I don't drink at all and i'm not a big partier, ya i know i suck.

I spent over a week in Costa Rica and all told it came out to just under $1000, flight included... Of course, I did it up by partying like a freak, doing and seeing everything I could, and even springing for a private room at one point.

Travelogue here.

Panama's a short bus ride away from CR, and had I had more time, I would've hit it up knowing it's cheap and pretty easy to do...

Also, we've had a good bunch of Brazil and Argentina travelers as well, so they can fill you in on those... :)