I was in BKK for a few days earlier in the week and as others have posted, it was really nice. Blue skies, a few clouds, mild temps, and a pleasant breeze. Then yesterday I flew back to Chiang Mai where I have a condo. The air quality is stunningly bad at the moment. Yesterday was bad enough; today's worse. Visibility is 2 miles or less. Before starting up my air purifier the PM2.5 reading inside my living room was 110, which translates to an air quality rating of 179 -- "unhealthy". Eyes hurt upon waking up this morning. Looking from the Ping river, Doi Suthep and the hills to the west are completely hidden. People are wearing N95 masks in the shopping malls and while driving their cars with the A/C on. Maybe it's my imagination, but most people seem low energy, a bit shell-shocked. This condition is severe, and it takes a lot out of you.

Some people on this site say yeah yeah, it's been going on for a long time, this is nothing new. I disagree. I've spent a lot of time here over the years, including the smoky season, and have never seen it nearly this bad.

Songkran is next week -- I wonder what it will be like this year. I'm reminded of the Seinfeld line "Sometimes even a picnic is no picnic." :)

My main question is whether we are trying to do too much?

It's a subjective question. Your plan isn't crazy fast, and some people would be OK trying to fit this much in. Others would feel pretty rushed. Most people would want more time for Buenos Aires.

2 days is fine for Iguazu. After you check into your hotel cross to the Brazil side and spend some afternoon hours seeing the falls from the trails up high there. Then do the Argentina side on day 2.

My main concern is El Calafate/El Chalten in October. It's going to be chilly, with daily high temperatures around 12-13C degrees, and it will feel colder than that because of the wind. Patagonia almost always has wind. If you're not OK with that then consider Mendoza instead.

If El Calafate/El Chalten, try to stay in El Calafate the night before your flight to BA. Don't risk a morning bus the day of your flight.

Any other suggestion on cool places to go to and explore

Head for the Gateway of India, a yellow basalt archway facing the Arabian Sea. Adjacent is the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Treat yourself to afternoon tea. Wander the hotel's shopping arcades.

Arrange a tour of Dharavi slum. http://youtu.be/Im0tHRs9Bng and http://youtu.be/l-yjpvzGKZQ

Visit Mani Bhawan, the house that Mahatma Gandhi stayed in whenever he visited Mumbai (or Bombay as it was).
Visit the Dhobi Ghat, Mumbai's open-air laundry which has rows of concrete wash pens, each with its own flogging stone. Arrange to get in - just don't look from the bridge above.
Visit the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India.
Visit the Haji Ali Dargah.
Visit Banganga Tank
Visit the Hanging Gardens / Malabar Hill.
Check the bullet holes at Leopold's Cafe (from the 2008 attacks).
Take a trip out to Elephanta Island. Plus:

• Victoria Terminus (train station)
• Oval/Azad Maidan (downtown Mumbai’s only large park, which is often dominated by games of cricket)
• Crawford Market
• St Thomas Cathedral
• Drive through Nariman Point
• Colaba Causeway (tourist and market area)

For drinking, the rooftop bar and restaurant at Hotel Harbour View (aka The Strand) is hard to beat – go late afternoon and enjoy sunset. Harbour View is located opposite ‘Radio Club’ (well known) on Strand Road, the same road as the Taj Mahal Hotel. Indus at Hotel Diplomat just off Colaba Causeway is worth a look. Dome at Inter Continental Hotel on Marine Drive or Aer at Four Seasons in Worli are well worth the splurge – the bar at Aer has the best view in Mumbai.

Eating: Samrat in Churchgate; Chetana in Kala Ghoda (best Gujarati thali this side of ...)

"The Brazilian beaches tend to be used mostly by Brazilian people, not people escaping from cold weather places."

Suppose that Argentina and Uruguay were fully developed countries along the lines of North America, Western Europe, Japan, Australia, etc. (there was the potential in the early 20th century to be so). Suppose further that the people in - say - Buenos Aires or Montevideo thus had more money available for vacations than just the ones they take in the summer to beach resorts like Mar del Plata, Punta del Este, or perhaps Florianopolis. If that were so, then perhaps Argentines and Uruguayans would escape their cold winters (albeit objectively much less harsh than in most of northern North America or northern Europe - more like the Carolinas/Georgia or Texas or California or Sydney/Melbourne) and come on over to resorts like Buzios, Trancoso, Morro de Sao Paulo, or Pipa. (Provided, of course, that the Brazilian real were cheaper than the Argentine peso, which in real life hasn't always been the case by any means.) That might create a secondary peak season in the winter, albeit less of a peak season than in the summer, when the Brazilians come en masse.

Hi there! Pullman Bus Service can be taken for under $60 one way at the San Salvador Sheraton, reservations are a must. Very safe and comforatble. Remain on bus at all times as it will stop at Inguiatu border crossing for about 20-30 minutes and you'll encounter plenty of crooked money exchangers there. You may also want to check Volaris Costa Rica (low cost carrier)...they may be running their $75.00 one way air fare to Guate...Buen Viaje!

Most flights in Arg go via Buenos Aires. You may find a direct flight (on the Salta Airport site there is a direct flight - but not sure if its daily or if its routed through B).

And Argentina is expensive for flights unless you are a local (they get discounted tickets). You'll be looking at about 250 dollars for a one way flight (depending on distance).

HI,

Honestly, I don't think Buenos Aires is worth a couple of days. Iguazu is worth visiting on both sides, the experience is different. Look into Quebrada de las Conchas, it is very nice. I think i would skip Patagonia then as you won't have enough time to go there. I would consider going BA>Iguazu>Salta>Cafayate>Mendoza>BA and exploring those regions a bit. Or skip Iguazu and BA and go straight to Patagonia

Cheers
Maciek