Taking a taxi in Lima is not for the faint-of-heart. You really have to have a thick skin and an affinity for close calls to even get into one without cowering at the surrounding chaos of traffic. The fact that most of the seatbelts in these cabs don’t work or are missing altogether doesn’t help the matter much either. Aside from the unstable and ungoverned condition threatening the safety of traffic in Lima there is an equally pressing reason to take the road seriously in this city – taxi theft. [Continue reading...]

What do you think of when you think of the Amazon rainforest? What comes to mind? Do you think about colorful birds and insects? Perhaps plants that eat those said insects? Jungle cat’s maybe? I know I do. Even with certain preconceptions that I’ve developed over the years from a myriad of sources ranging from National Geographic magazines to Disney’s “The Jungle Book”, I still didn’t really know what to expect when arriving at the Puerto Maldonado airport. Was it going to be just like the nature films I watched in high school Biology class, or was it going to be something different. Upon researching Peru prior to my arrival, when I learned that part of the rain forest stretched into Peru I immediately booked a tour. So my jungle adventure began with Corto Maltes. [Continue reading...]

If you are going to live in Peru for a long period of time as a wandering outlander, you better well like it. However the life of a vagabond is not always full of adrenaline-rush-water-rafting-paragliding-mountain-climbing fun. I was warned by many fellow adventurous wayfarers before my Peruvian journey of the notorious traveller’s cycle in which we are eventually entangled into three distinct stages. First we are drawn into the romance of the honeymoon period where the novelty seduces our senses and our exploration of the country is full of endless possibilities. [Continue reading...]

Peru has plenty to fill up your holiday schedule, but if you’d like to explore more of the continent that close to 400 million people call home, it’s time to check the entry requirements for the eleven other countries that make up South America. Currently listed below are details for Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay; Venezuela does not give out visas to non-residents of Peru. [Continue reading...]

It is long regarded as one of the most majestic of structures in the world. Machu Picchu has been depicted as a symbol of power and beauty and a link to one of the world’s greatest empires. It is plain to see that Machu Picchu stands majestically atop the central highlands of Peru. It is a magnificent sight, especially after spending three days hiking in order to get there. It would be really easy to go on and describe how beautiful it was and how it was everything I expected after three days of rigorous hiking. The truth of it all was that it really wasn’t your classic Machu Picchu experience. [Continue reading...]