Had visited Buenos Aires for a week and a half during the cusp of November/December and absolutely had one of the best trips of my life (been on half a dozen international trips, 25 countries before this). My work is very lenient on time off work (unpaid of course) so I figure since I am making decent money and I am turning 25 during this trip I will myself a hoorah and hunker down (save $) during 25 and 26 and buy a condo.

• Chicago — Miami (12 hour layover) — Santiago (May 7-8)
• Santiago - Mendoza (May 11)
• *Mendoza — Salta (May 14)
• *Salta - Tucumán (May 16)
• Tucumán — Buenos Aires (May 18)
• Buenos Aires — Asuncion (May27)
• Asunción — Cusco (May 27)
• Cusco (Ollantaytambo) — Lima (June 1)
• Lima — Detroit (June 4)

— = flight

- = bus

() = actual location where

* = car rental

Context Concerns :

• Spanish is very limited
• altitude sickness in Peru
• car rentals in Northwest Argentina

Questions Ideas:

• stay in Ollantaytambo instead of Cusco since its lower elevation take Diamox?
• purchase car rent before or after I get there?
• should I skip Paraguay?
• Is Tucumán safe?