Greetings everyone!
I will be graduating from an american university in May of 2014, and have decided I am going to backpack South America before entering "the real world". I am planning on bussing the entire trip. I have already been compiling a list of places, with bus prices and travel lengths, just to get a feel for how much I'm going to need to save and how long I should plan to be there. I am looking for some advice for those that have made the trek, Ex: places to go/avoid, travel tips, price estimates, time period, etc.
Here are a few things about myself that will help you narrow your advice:
-23 yr old university graduate
-have studied Spanish in Ecuador for 5 months
-traveled all around Ecuador with no problems (theft, getting lost, general bad experiences)
-love the outdoors...hiking, climbing, fishing, biking, surfing, everything and everything
-will try anything at least once (food, sport, drink, etc)
-like to go out for a drink and bust some moves on the dance floor...I know a little Salsa 
-plan on doing some volunteering along the way via HostX, WWOOF, Workaway, & any other option...for a free bed and some food
-World Cup in Brazil
I plan on starting in Salvador, Brasil in May and ending in Cartagena, Colombia some time in September-October. I would love any and all tips/advice that you could offer!
My rough preliminary itinerary (subject to chage along the way):
Salvador, Brazil
Porto Seguro
Vila Velha
Rio de Janeiro
Sao Paulo
Curitiba
Foz do Iguaçu
Asuncion
Corrientes
Salto
Montevideo
Colonia del Sacramento
Buenos Aires
Rosario
Santa Fe
Cordoba
San Luis
Mendoza
Santiago
Valparaiso
Vina del Mar
La Serena
Copiapo
Antofagasta
Calama
Uyuni
Potosi
Sucre
Cochabamba
Oruro
La Paz
Copacabana
Puno
Arequipa
Cuzco
Lima
Trujillo
Chiclayo
Máncora
Tumbes
Huaquillas
Guayaquil
Galapagos Islands
Guayaquil
Riobamba
Baños
Quito
Tulcán
Ipiales
Pasto
Popayán
Cali
Armenia
Pereira
Manizales
Medellin
Bogota
Villa de Leyva
San Gil
Bucaramanga
Santa Marta
Tapanga
Santa Marta
Barranquilla
Cartagena, Colombia
If you are interested in joining me for the adventure, reply or send me a message so we can get to know each other better =)