Follow the Famous Dakar Rally Across Latin America

Extraordinarily and to the surprise of lots of, the Dakar rally has as soon as again turned to Latin America to acquire a scene for this world renowned race. In 2011, for the third time, the Dakar took place on the roads of this stunning continent, in direction of northern Argentina and Chile. The race's drawing brushes against the border of neighboring nations, and brings competitors via the most diverse and magnificent landscapes.

Argentina, a land of immensity and by no means ending landscapes, is the perfect country to host such an adventure. Here, in only a couple of hours of route across much less than one 100 kilometers, the environment slowly transforms, generating it a genuine challenge to navigate by means of varying climates. The very first days of the race were particularly thrilling as the route took competitors into the Jujuy salt flats and Salta region, in the far north of the country, subsequent to Bolivia.

The road then took competitors into Chile across the exceptional Paso de Jarma, and into the fabulous Atacama Desert. This in no way ending land will satisfy the competitors' thirst for dunes and sand. This particularly difficult environment revealed the expertise of all pilots who had to put their approach and navigation abilities at test. Crossing the border 1 alot more time, back to Argentina through the Paso San Francisco, the Dakar 2011 ended tranquilly in the wonderful Andean range, surrounded by majestic peaks.

The Dakar 2011 covered over 9,500 kilometers with about five,000 of actual race distributed in between 13 steps. In 2012, for the fourth time, the Dakar rally will take location again in South America, this time with an equally beautiful race by means of Argentina, Chile, and Peru.

Beginning in Mar del Plata, Argentina, the 2012 race will supply one other chance to admire the majesty of these South American countries. For all those who missed it this year, make sure you are ready for thrills and adventure. From the Andes in Argentina, to the deserts of Chile and then Peru, the route promises to be challenging and absolutely terrific. The race will end in Lima, the bustling capital of Peru. Competitors will make their way to the Plaza de Armas, in the city center, exactly where they will no doubt be welcomed as heroes right after their extraordinary accomplishment.

The countdown has already began, with only 128 days left just before the launch of the Dakar 2012. The actual race will take location in between January 1 and January 15. Prepare your self, it's coming soon!

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Why it is Important to Invest in Latin America

When the rest of the globe deliberates China's growth prospects, Russia's potential capacity to export power and India's rapid-growing middle class, 1 region that has seemingly lost a bit attention is Brazil. And not "just" Brazil but the entire Latin America region which is really effectively positioned to reward investors with large returns.

Of course, the notion that Latin America could provide massive returns is nothing new. This topic has been explored, picked apart and applauded more than the last few decades. This region, soon after all, shares the identical ideologies that we share here democracy (forced or otherwise) and capitalism (concentrated or otherwise). Latin America has the characteristics all large domestic investors want to see!

Despite the fact that the terms democracy and capitalism are used, they could not be the identical flavor we enjoy here. But when it comes to investing, this ought to matter quite little supplied the country or countries in question deliver on their promises. And Latin American companies have performed just that -- lots of of them, as it turns out are backed by domestic dollars or other "valuable" nation's dollars, such as China which has just invested a surprisingly considerable amount in Venezuela in what was basically an oil futures contract.

But Venezuela aside, here are some of the key characteristics that make this location such an attractive location of the world for 1 to invest:

1. Affordable Labor. Like China and India, Latin American offers an extremely competitive labor force at rates that make their goods attractive. Like a lot of much less pricey labor forces throughout the globe, nevertheless, top quality is usually sub-normal when compared to domestic levels.

two. Proximity to the Unites States. Unlike China and India which involve longer-haul transportation of goods manufactured there, goods manufactured or assembled in this region demand less transportation costs. This final results in greater margins for the vendor, which is also vital.

3. Resources. Latin America has plenty of resources, including those mentioned above about Venezuela's oil. With so countless resources out there at their disposal, Latin America can deliver sustainable commodities to the world's most demanding countries.

As an added bonus, Latin America is a enormous tourist destination area. This makes for a large inflow of cash, permitting the economy to grow even when natural GDP or other internal measurements of growth seem to lack the vigor one might want to see.

Overall, still, Latin America has proven to be incredibly profitable. With a banking method that rivals the Swiss technique, favorable climate for commodities and good power reserves, Latin America presents a lot of opportunities. Investing in this component of the globe makes sense for those with the threat tolerance and the correct appetite for returns.

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Santiago and Mendoza: South America's Central Neighbors

The neighboring countries of Chile and Argentina share an amazing length of frontier in between them, and one of the most common crossing points is between Santiago, the capital of Chile, and Mendoza, the wine and countryside hub of western Argentina. If on your subsequent South America holidays you wish to visit the two countries, these are two urban centers that will give you a superior taste of the greatest that their countries have to offer you.

Chile is fortunate in terms of structure simply because its narrow geography signifies those in Santiago can easily navigate the country's western and eastern ends maybe inside the frame of a single day. It is a huge city with more than 7 million residents, but it is properly served by a comprehensive public transportation program which includes a metro system with 94 stations. A quantity of cultural and community events are held throughout the city on a regular basis, so keep your eyes open. For a grand view of the city, head to the Chile have to see urban park referred to as Parque Metropolitano exactly where visitors may ride the funicular train to the best of Mount San Cristóbal. And of course, as in most South America destinations regardless of size, it is worth experiencing the principle Plaza de Armas and its standout attractions such as the Catedral Metropolitana and outstanding Museo Historico. This is a particularly excellent place to go to if you are a photography or architecture enthusiast, because the colonial works of art are nonetheless beauties to behold in today's modern day age.

From Santiago to Mendoza, a full network of transportation choices exists. Working with public transportation such as buses, coaches, and vans, the ride really should take about 6 to 7 hours with variable time necessary at the border crossing itself. The cause for venturing into this part of Argentina is hassle-free: Mendoza is portion of a most exclusive region of the country. The city is surrounded by flowing vineyards and that create the world-famous wines that Argentina is recognized for. Bodega, or winery, tours can be simply arranged in town, and numerous Argentina travel packages include such tours on their itineraries. Nearby Mount Aconcagua is the tallest peak in the South America Andes and the highest mountain outside of the Asian Himalayas travelers may possibly trip there for a outstanding day of trekking and gorgeous panoramas. Cerro Arco not too far away is a different suggested place to go if you want a view above it all in Mendoza.

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