Tarapoto: A Surprising Little Town
I wasn’t expecting to like Tarapoto. In fact I didn’t have any expectations about the place whatsoever. Tarapoto was simply the closest populated area that we could fly to from Iquitos in order to re-connect with Peru’s road network, and continue our journey through what I would soon discover to be a vast, diverse and […]
Amazon Adventures with Heliconia Lodge (part two)
Whilst falling asleep to the cacophony of jungle sounds around me had been complete bliss, waking up several times in the night as a result of a deafening rain storm hadn’t. I was still at the point where I was drifting in and out of sleep when our 5am alarm sounded. The plan had been […]
Amazon Adventures with Heliconia Lodge (part one)
Much as I’d loved my time in Iquitos, where the vibrant buzz of city life blends beautifully with the slow pace of life on the Amazon, after 3 days in the city it was time to move on. Where we was going, roads would be replaced by rivers, and South-east Asia style tuk-tuks, rusty cars, […]
Life on the water: Exploring the floating shantytown of Belén
One of the major ‘attractions’ in Iquitos is the neighbourhood of Belén. However it’s also considered the city’s most dangerous neighbourhood, and guidebooks do not advise visiting here without a guide. Due to the abject poverty present in Belén, a tourist seen to be carrying a bag (and therefore money and a mobile telephone) or […]
Iquitos: The Rough Diamond of the North
I love sitting by the window on flights. I love having somewhere to rest my head if I want to try and sleep, I love the incredible vibrant red sunsets you see when you’re above the clouds, I love watching city lights come into view, and the tiny cars travelling along the roads down below […]
Making Ceviche & Pisco Sour: A Culinary Tour of Lima
I strongly believe that one of the best ways of learning about a country is through its food. So what better way to become acquainted with Peru than by taking a market tour and learning to prepare two of its signature dishes, in Lima – Peru’s capital city and one which is now globally recognised […]
Learning to Love Lima: My First Impressions of the City
As I’m sure that anyone who has been will tell you, Lima is not an easy city to love. I was well aware of this fact before I arrived, so if anything I had fairly low expectations of the city. However, unless you are travelling to or from the country overland, any trip to Peru […]
Hoping for the Luck of the Irish: Chasing the Northern Lights on St. Patrick’s Day
When I originally booked my trip to Iceland, it didn’t occur to me that I’d be in the country on St. Patrick’s Day. I usually like to celebrate the occasion back in my hometown of Shrewsbury, with one of my best friends who originates from Ireland, and her parents, who mark the event by playing […]