Travel tips for Buenos Aires

[charlotte15]

I was totally afraid of South America. I had nightmares. Yet it's super safe, so I was super wrong!

My airbnb host is from Brazil, and he told me Buenos Aires is a small paradise compared to Brasil. He and his boyfriend never had any problem here. I didn't believe him at first, but now I do.

Today, I walked in the neighborhood and on Av Corrientes and I do confirm it's on par with any large north american city. I saw gay couples holding hands, trans women totally not passable yet happily doing their shopping and being left alone. I'm somehow inbetween - I mean, sometimes I pass, sometimes I don't, sometimes I malefail. Yet I did not catch any bad glance whatsoever. People really don't care. That's SO NICE!!!

Amy had told me about that, and I confirm: it's totally safe to present as a girl in the daytime, regardless of your passing privilege.

I haven't tried the nighttime yet. I'm here for my FFS, not for a LBGT review of Buenos Aires! Charlotte is only partially crazy, not totally crazy.

Now about the travel tips, it's a long thing of various things I realized:
- install whatsapp on your phone before you go. Absolutely everyone here uses that. Even the cab driver. Nobody will ask you for your phone number - only your whatsapp.
- take your favorite brand of shampoo and conditioner if you have delicate and colored hair like I do. You will find brands that look similar but that are not the same
- the concept of body wash apparently never reached Argentina. I forgot to pack any and I'm super afraid my travel-sized vial is starting to get empty. Tomorrow I will try shopping, but in a sample of 5 different shops I couldn't find any.
- likewise, I couldn't find any dermablend. I forgot my makeup bag and now I'm super sad I will have to do without if I don't get more luck tomorrow.
- my airbnb place don't have a airdryer. Apparently I was the first person to ask for one to my host. It's not ok if you have long hair as in this season the weather is cold enough to be uncomfortable. I will have to buy one tomorrow - and a blender since I'm not sure how I will be able to control by mouth in the few days following FFS.
- take cash with you. Lots of cash. Expect to spent about 150 pesos if you go to a restaurant, 50 pesos for simple thinks like milk and cereals. Divide by 10 to have the price in USD. If you convert with a friend instead of a bank, you'll bet a better conversion rate (like +1/3). I did not take enough cash. I'm not sure I'll have enough for the hairdryer as electrical things are superexpansive. I estimate you need about 300 pesos a day per person (about $30) to eat, buy simple things, etc.
- don't change cash in cuevas unless you totally pass 100% of the time. They are not safe for LGBT. My airbnb host strongly advised me against that.
- your FFS contact may help you with converting your dollars into pesos if your airbnb host can not suggest you a safe friend
- the plugs are weird. Argentina uses the Australian format for plugs. Buy converters (I had paid like $10 for 3 on amazon) and bring a multiplug with you to have standard north american outlets for your devices' plugs - but these outlets will give 220V. If your devices are 110-240V (all of mine are) you'll be good.
- watch out where you walk. Apparently everyone thinks it's ok to have dogs poop of the streets. Well, I can only hope it's good omen that I did that to my favorite shoes. I mean, I would totally sacrifice all my favorite shoes to the god of FFS (and I would throw in my favorites clothes as a freebie, in case the god of FFS is greedy)
- cleaning services are not expansive. I paid 10 pesos to have my favorite shoes cleaned. I will see how will cleaned they are tomorrow.
- if you have a friend coming with you, you may want to get a prepaid sim card. Movistar is like 40 pesos for the sim card alone, and not very customer friendly. I chose Claro, 10 pesos for the sim, then 4 persos per minute, or 3 pesos a day for 50MB of internet access at full speed, then at a reduced speed (but you're not cut off). That's like 21 pesos or $2 per week to get internet access - a great deal!! As being online too much is not helping with my stress, I did not take that offer so I can't comment how good or reliable it is.
- a coffee is about 20 pesos in a coffee shop, where you are served cookies and sparking water for free along with the coffee. A great deal if you want a place to stop.
- beauty shops also offer great deals! A manicure is 50 pesos, waxing your legs about 60 pesos, but you need to take an appointment. There are several beauty shops on Av Corrientes.
- clothes however are expansive. Pack as much as you think you need, then some more. I wish I had taken more jackets as it's still warm during the day, but cold at night

Well that's about it for today. If you travelled to Argentina for your FFS, feel free to add to this list.

If you are a mod and think these tips can be interesting, feel free to pin the thread.

[RubyAliza]

Thanks for the great tips Charlotte. Just got here today and I'm a bit overwhelmed. This city is pretty darn big and fast - I have an apartment in downtown Retiro and I'm wondering when and where to go out. I think I have the confidence to go out after reading your post

[charlotte15]

For now all I can suggest with full certainty is Av Corrientes, around the Carlos Gardel subway station for the B line. There's a big mall, and many weird and interesting shops around. I will try to post many pictures on my facebook - friends only as I'm still paranoid! Ruby of course you're invited.

Maybe you can suggest other places where you get good vibes too?

[jhulyglow]

Tem o zoológico de Lujan, para quem gosta. Dá para trocar dinheiro facilmente na Rua Florida. Eu e minhas amigas fizemos uma viagem rápida de navio para a cidade Colonia de Sarmiento, no Uruguai e depois para Montevideu.

[Celia0428]

- the concept of body wash apparently never reached Argentina. I forgot to pack any and I'm super afraid my travel-sized vial is starting to get empty. Tomorrow I will try shopping, but in a sample of 5 different shops I couldn't find any.

The concept of body wash in Argentina is called "gel de ducha" or "jabón líquido corporal". The main brands are Palmolive, Dove, Nivea and Lux. I use Palmolive Aroma Therapy at home. You can find it everywhere: pharmacies, convenience stores, supermarkets, etc.

[firestarter]

Hi Charlotte.
Buenos Aires is a beautiful, friendly city. Obviously as in any city, you have to have a certain level of caution, mainly against pick pockets, and other petty criminals.
You can buy all you hormones cheap from the pharmacies, but shop around, and if ordering a good amount you can definitely ask for more discount.
Try not to miss going to the Teatro Colon, or a couple of Tango shows, I recommend the Saturday night performance at the Pacifico Galleria.
Enjoy the whole experience, you are in good hands  xx

[charlotte15]

So, more tips:
- you can easily negotiate 1/5 or more of the price of clothes. Just try it, ask for the price, say it's too expansive
- cash is called effectivo. If you ask to pay by visa (because you already spent all your daily allowance on clothes!!) and they say solo effectivo, no deal for you
- the price of hairdressers is up to 2x to 3x as much on Av Corrientes compared to the side streets. That's valid for haircuts, keratin treatment, etc.
- about keratin treatment, make sure to ask what's inside. If they say formol, I suggest you say no if you have colored hairs
- pharmacies sell eye antibiotics without prescriptions. I will also try to get a 3 months supply of hormones to bring back home.
- at night, weird people start to congregate on the streets, sitting on the boardwalks, etc. It starts to feel unsafe
- if someone is calling you "paolo" with a raised voice, and repeats that, apparently it's a local insult meaning you've been clocked and someone thinks something very bad about you, so go away ASAP

Buenos Aires is a great city. I mean, it's just one bad thing that happened to me. Tomorrow I'll try more clothes, and make sure to go home at dusk.

[charlotte15]

Another few tips:
- if you go to a beauty salon with like 10 boots and lots of clients in the waiting room and they pretend they are short on wax, it just means they don't want you as a client. I though my money was as good as any cis girl money, but apparently it's not. Life sucks. Whatever 
- some places will pretend not to have water to sell you overpriced bottled water. Last time, I paid more than half the price of a full pizza for one small bottle of water. Suggestion: have one bottle of water with you at all times
- people give looks in the subway. I'm not sure I can recommend to take it alone before FFS. I will try again after my FFS
- the last subway is at 10pm. Don't miss it!
- another insult you should know is "maricon". If you hear someone say that to you, it just means it's time to go away.

Buenos Aires is still a great city to have fun before your surgery. We had an all-girls night with Ruby at a cool sushi place. Personally, I felt safe, and the place was relaxing.

If you know someone else from the forum going for surgery at approximately the same dates, try to meet! It's really nice and destressing to be able to talk with someone who can totally relate with what you're going though