(George)The time had finally come. The country we had both been waiting for since our initial planning, Peru. With my good friend from university, Sis, having completed 3 months of volunteering and work in the country a few years prior to this trip, I had been regaled with stories of the mountains and locals that enraptured the mind. With stunning pictures to accompany her extravagant tales, I remember the feeling of wanderlust and an overwhelming desire to see t...

(George)Having already made a weeks worth of plans prior to our stay in Minca, we decided we should stick to the itinerary we had in order before we returned to the hilltop hostel. Our 7 days were to be some of the busiest we had set ourselves throughout the whole trip as we would visit 4 different locations along the Caribbean coast of Colombia. The agenda was as follows, Rodadero > Parque Tayrona > Rodadero > Taganga > Cartagena > Minca. With so much to do and ...

(Tamara)Ninja turtles packed and reporting for border crossing duty at 6.30am! As an increasing, underlying sense of anxiety regarding the day ahead came over us. We booked a taxi at reception for 07.00am, enabling us to be the first in line when the crossing opened at 07.30am. Picking up a hint of disapproval from the man at reception for such an early morning request, we shrugged off his bad temper and headed for breakfast. After describing endless breakfasts i...

(George)The bus was hot. The station was hot. Everything was hot! Brazil is a challenging location for us Northern folk, we are used to stiff breezes, chilling blizzards and wispy trails of breath that weave between our fingers as we desperately attempt to avoid frostbite. To make matters worse, we stood out like mime artists in a debate. Taxi drivers of South American descent have an uncanny ability to smell the money in the pockets of a gringo. Like a pack of w...

(George)Arriving at Salvador airport, already nursing a severe case of the post-carnival blues, we sought refuge away from the bright lights of a bustling city and immediately took to the Internet to search for a tranquil hostel outside of the city limits. After a quick scroll through hostelworld, we quickly found the perfect match in a hostel 5km away. Jumping in the taxi, we were pleasantly surprised to see the beach was a mere 50m away from the incredibly spac...