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Leaving South America remained a very abstract concept until I sat down on the plane for my flight from Quito to Lima. It all became very real at that point and I relaxed, happy to deliver myself into the care of the flight crew. I love flying but this would be a bit of a test, even for me. Due to some naïve decisions, made with the help of my travel agent over a year ago, I was looking down the barrel of fifty hours in transit. My flight had been booked with the requirement that I arrive and depart the continent via Buenos Aires. The only problem with this plan was the fact that I finished my adventuring in Quito, Ecuador - about as far away as you can get from the Argentinean capital. So, ... read more

The first thing that I noticed was the smell. A unique, arousing blend of sea spray and jet fuel, whipped along on the hot afternoon breeze. As I followed the orange safety cones across the tarmac, that scent carried a strong feeling of segmentation. Like a Russian Doll, this was to be another holiday from the business of travelling. I had flown out of the cold bustle and smog of Quito and escaped to a paradise. Admittedly, it seemed like everyone else had done the same, and there was a stiff USD100 Park Entry Fee but neither of these issues could detract from the excitement of finally arriving at The Galapagos Islands. Clearing the khaki shorts and tanned legs of customs, we formed back into the little group of four that had been broken up by ... read more

My time in The Valley was like nothing else I have experienced on my trip to date (and that is all I ask of each new destination). I arrived at the secluded hostel feeling broken and tired but still able to smile happily at the sweet girl who checked me in. I explained that I was sleep-deprived and manic from the buses and she took this as her cue to transform into Florence Nightingale, helping me with my bags and hurrying me into the restaurant so that I could eat before they closed for the night. I thanked her and waited for my menu. Looking around I could see why this place had been so highly recommended to me. (I decided to come here after a Cuba-Libre-conversation with a cool couple in Cusco who had raved ... read more

I arrived in Huaraz in that spaced-out state that is becoming so familiar. A bumpy night of fifty ten-minute naps, it´s like blinking incredibly slowly, a strobe-lit vista out the window. Abruptly spat out in the early-morning glare of new city to face the aggressive touts. As much as I stand out as a gringo, I still feel ultra-conspicuous trudging through unfamiliar streets with my big bag, all turtled-up. It was even worse with my newly-acquired limp, I could almost see the jackals trotting along behind me and vultures taking interest from three hundred feet above. It must sound like an incredibly negative way to spend my first moments in a new location but I put it down to a healthy paranoia that has allowed me to hang on to all of my stuff where so ... read more

Part one of my plan went off without a hitch. Immediately on our return from the canyon I began racing around Arequipa in a series of tiny taxis. These little yellow boxes are everywhere buzzing through the streets and beeping their horns every fifty metres. They are so comically small that two people could probably lift one out of the way if it parked your car into a spot. With the adrenaline pumping and my empty stomach growling, I did a mad repack of my bag and raced between the bus terminal and my hostel to secure a ticket. After wolfing down a massive rectangular pizza and thanking my landlady for her hospitality, I was on the 22:00 bus to Ica. From Ica the plan was to zip out to the strangely located desert Oasis of ... read more