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310 W. 89th Street,
New York City,
November 9, 1922

Dear Waldo:

To get an accurate figure for the cost of travel in South America is just about impossible, the most that can be done is to give approximate amounts. 

Last night I looked over my South American records but could not find anything that would be of any great help in determining present expenses of travel, for several reasons. In the first place most of my travel was in the interior and that along the coast was made on the regular steamship lines which touch at every port that amounts to anything at all, as far as being able to live there is concerned. These steamship lines charge rates which you can get at the Pan American Union, if not let me know and I will get them here. That is, get the rates from port to port. 
      
You will find that it will take considerable planning after you get in South America to catch the steamships so as not to waste time waiting for them. By that I mean, that after you get the schedules of sailings, you will often find that you can get to all the ports you wish to stop at, most quickly, by going beyond a certain port, to the next one, working there,and then catching the next steamer back to the port you skipped. So you can often save time and money by working back and forth along the coast. You can't very well plan this sort of coast itinerary until you get down there,but that is of no importance. We did that sort of thing on the West coast when I was down there and it worked very well.

When you are on the steamers the only expense you have is the passage money, except for moderate tips. In tipping don't spoil them, as they are not used to the large tips we give in the States, but you will find tipping a very necessary evil but a small item. As for sailing vessels between ports, I would not count on them at all except as you find you can work them in after you get down there. You don't need to worry about what the passage on sailing vessels would cost as it will be less than on a steamer, unless you charter the whole boat, when it might be cheap or inordinately expensive depending on how much they think they can make you pay. It will be high if they get you where they know you have to have their boat.