South Americas countries offer a range of cultural differences, according to South American travel expert Bradley Nehring. Argentina and Chili are known for their wines and sophistication, while Brazil is known to be very loud, energetic and racially tolerant.
Nehring, a 1984 graduate of W.F. West High School, should know. Along with business partner Juergen Keller, Nehring started a business in 1999 called 4 Star Brazil, then expanded that to 4 Star South America. The enterprise started out as a German company in 1999 but has expanded to the U.S. in 2000, Brazil in 2002, Peru in 2005 and Argentina in 2005.
With the new Web site domain name .travel that has been in existence for the past year and a half, Nehring and Keller were able to land the coveted Web site www.southamerica.travel. Nehrings company has been known as SouthAmerica.travel since July of 2007.
Now when you Google South America and any words relating to travel, Nehrings Web site will be one of the top on the list.
Nehring and Kellers motto reads Brazil is our home … South America is our passion! The travel guides, who live in South America, have 25 people of different nationalities including German, Brazilian, Peruvian, Canadians and Americans working for them in five different offices - one in the United States and the rest in South America.
Because they were fed up with how expensive and difficult it was to travel economically, Nehring and Keller decided to make it easier to coordinate a trip to South America. Instead of the many phone calls to set up airfare, hotels, tours, custom adventures, resorts, railway journeys, cruises and any other forms of travel on your own, Nehrings business will take care of all the details for you.
Were cutting out the middle man, Nehring said. You can buy directly from us and the hotel. Theres better coordination with the traveler and hotels.
A graduate of the University of Washington with two degrees (International Studies and Germanics) in December of 1991, Nehrings international credentials include living in Germany and Spain, along with working in London, England and traveling throughout Europe. He worked for EF Educational Tours as he coordinated tours for students before working as a tour director for different companies.
Nehring, who comes back to Chehalis twice a year, lives in Rio de Janeiro and knows all parts of South America. His growing business could expand to other continents, but Nehring and Keller said they want to be specialists of one continent and are trying draw more people to the place they call home.
That is the key, to know all areas, Keller said. Once you travel to certain places, you dont know every corner of it, but you have a feeling or a sense of it.
After 9/11 many travelers decided to stay home, but Nehring said their South American travel company has made it through other difficult times, including SARS and the Iraq War - two other world dilemmas that have kept people from traveling long distances.
Nehrings business moved from student groups, who all pulled the plug on travel plans after 9/11, to the luxury market. The student market wasnt a big part of their businesses anyway, maybe with only two or three student groups a year, Nehring said.
It was a difficult period, Nehring said. But nothing was happening in South America. It was one part of the world that was very quiet.
Many people that look up www.southamerica.travel or www.4starsouthamerica.com want a private itinerary for their trip to South America, meaning they want to plan out their own trip. Nehring said many travelers have a general idea for their vacation. They recommend not rushing to try and hit too many spots because most of your trip will be spent in an airport.
You can look at our brochure and get ideas, Keller said. You can get as much or as little out of your vacation as you want. Some people are specific but most have general ideas of what they want. They want to test the waters and then get a little extra. You get much more out of your trip if you slow down and enjoy it.
Nehring and Keller also say that many people are surprised with society, economics, government, health and even the look of people in South America. AIDS continues to be the biggest health problem in South America, but their government is trying to tackle the problem with free condoms, free testing and better drugs, Nehring said.
Ten years ago, Nehring said South America was the poor cousin of Europe, but now stands on its own because the continent can export raw materials such as iron ore, copper, ethanol, soy, beef and wheat - things that the rest of the world demands. South America has been buying stocks and bringing money back into the continent.
Brazilians are the warmest people I know. Theyre always optimistic, Nehring said. They have one of the best social security systems in the world. They dont have racism in Brazil. Discrimination exists but only through money, not through skin color. That gap is closing between poor and rich. The middle class is coming.
A special Tango, Samba, Waterfalls and Oktoberfest tour will host a group from Lewis County from Oct. 10-21. Find a special rate for this trip at www.southamerica.travel/OKT.
Kevin Westrick is The Chronicles Life section editor. He can be reached at kwestrick@chronline.com or 807-8226.
