I frequently am asked "when going abroad, do I need a converter or an adapter or both?"

What is a power converter?

A converter takes energy from the wall in one format and turns it into another. So, in Argentina the power is 220-240v, 50 Hz, AC. That means the voltage is 220 to 240 and it comes in 50 alternating cycles per second. For comparison the United States of America is 120 volts at 60hz. You can see different standard power measure from around the world at http://www.kropla.com/electric2.htm

Now, will that work for you? Most electrical products should say in tiny little writing something like

Input: 100-240v, 50-60hz.
Output: 6.5-18.5v, 4.6A max.

For me, maps are little gold mines of information. I love to pour over them imagining what the place is like, or letting them remind me of my favorite parts of a trip to a specific area. As we spent our 9 months in the Spanish Speaking world the one souvenir we kept from every location was the local maps. I'm sure that in years to come these will be great for kickstarting our memories.

Historical Maps of Latin American Locations

On our trip, Nikki and I were a bit concerned about coffee because we like the American style rich, strong, and somewhat sweet roasts. So, we brought along some coffee from the US but also found a couple of local places to get our beans for home brews (we also spent tons of time in the cafes of Argentina - it is known for its cafe culture, after all).

Primula 9 Cup Stove Top Coffee Maker

Hello all,

Because the Mexico City Airport (Benito Juarez, airport code MEX) opened a second terminal recently, I thought I would share a quick tip. The airlines that arrive at Terminal 2 are:
Continental
Delta
AeroMexico
Lan
Copa
Aeromar

All others arrive at Terminal 1. The metro (Yellow Line, stop: Terminal Aerea) goes to Terminal 1, and is very easy to find and take. You can take safe taxis from either terminal by buying a ticket at a taxi stand (not by answering one of the gentlemen yelling "TAXI!", they are not necessarily safe). I don't know Terminal 2 very well, but if you have to meet someone at Terminal 1, there are two international arrivals gates about 200 yards apart and very nearby is a restaurant called Freedom which is easy to find and a good spot to meet up.