Midday Monday, I found myself in Santa Marta on the north coast of Colombia following a flight from Medellín. The busy port town itself isn't particularly nice, but acts as a gateway to the more beautiful options along the Caribbean Coast. I came in search of warmth, sunshine, and relaxation following the hectic nature of Medellín.. but man, was it hot! I had one nights stay at a hostel in El Rodadero, a nicer area than its neighbour Santa Marta, to work out a...

So.. on to Medellín. Colombia's second largest city was never on my "to-do" list prior to my travels but it certainly was having spoke to dozens of others who I've met along the way that absolutely raved about it. I never expected the comfort of a Mercedes to be carrying us from Salento. Reclining leather seats, charging outlets, wifi, and a television screen.. sweet! I was convinced an old beat-up, Scooby Doo van would be our ride. It's always comforting to ...

From a dull, grey Lima, to a colourful, energetic Bogotá! The reset button was pressed as I took the 2.00am flight on Friday morning from one capital to another. I touched down in Colombia shortly after 5.00am expecting great things having heard so many rave reviews about the country. Negotiating a cab was simple, if a little overpriced, even though I was aware of the dodgy taxi driver stories here. I was in no frame of mind to haggle over a few million Pes...

We arrived in Lima at midnight on Sunday, where we finally managed to get our heads down for the night at an average hostel in the popular Miraflores district. After a lot of early starts, tours, long distance bus journeys, and constant travel from place to place it was time to set up camp for a good few days and regain some routine to recharge the batteries. A lovely AirBNB apartment on Avenida Benavides was our base for the next 10 days.. a perfect spot loca...

Thursday morning - Arriving in Arequipa at 5.00am on the overnight bus from Cusco was shattering.. thankfully someone was awake at the hostel, allowed us to check in and get some much needed shut eye. The rooftop terrace was a cool way to get my first sight of Peru's second largest city. Caged in by three dramatic volcanoes, Arequipa lies in a precarious setting, more due to the fact that the region is regularly wracked by earthquakes, the last big one to cause...