Peru

For a long time Lauren and I have travelled sans insurance. We didn’t actually think nothing would happen, instead we thought it would be cheaper to self-insure. Now that we’ve been on the road for more than a year, looking back, we’re not surprised to … Continue reading →

Malaria is a tricky one. You can’t be vaccinated against it, but it can be cured. Yes, almost one million people die from it every year, but those who do, don’t have access to treatment. There are many ways to try and prevent malaria, but … Continue reading →

It began over pizza and beer, just like many expeditions before it. We all sat there, poring over topographic maps, tracing steps to come, completely mesmerised by the uncertainty of it all. I quickly interrupted to show-off my (exceedingly rudimentary) comprehension of Spanish, ‘Did you say … Continue reading →

We had just handed over a hefty amount of money to pay for a month’s rent (extortionate for Cusco). We thought it included everything (hot water, electricity, internet…) when, ‘Excuse me, but the stove doesn’t work’. ‘Oh yes, you have to buy gas. You can buy … Continue reading →

When Lauren and I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro in 2008, we forgot to book a hotel for the following night in Cairo. So with a thick beard (me, not Lauren), dirty clothes and trekking gear, we stumbled into Egypt at 2:00am without a place to sleep. … Continue reading →

There we were, strolling slowly home from our afternoon Spanish class, the main Plaza looking a lot more crowded than usual. Then suddenly, an unmistakable sound: the melodious ‘crackling’ and ‘whoooosing’ of rally cars. There are a lot of things I love about travelling to … Continue reading →

When I first stumbled upon Huacachina as the sand-boarding mecca of Peru, I added a new must-do in my bucket list. And then came the images of soaring sand dunes, the legend of a mermaid princess who created the natural oasis that is Huacachina, and the … Continue reading →

If Peru is in your bucket list of places to see before you cark it, it’s likely to be a bit more specific: Trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. But what many people don’t realise is that there are a number of Inca trails … Continue reading →

What does the cost of living in various cities have to do with your next two-week vacation? Well, nothing really. This post is for those of you with a dream. A dream that involves long-term travel OR anything that requires your undivided attention (and no income). By … Continue reading →

A view from the Temple with Three Windows at Machu Picchu, and it was timed perfectly might I say. There were a group of tourists each taking turns running down the stairs for yet another paparazzi pose. Some top advice when you visit Machu Picchu: no matter … Continue reading →

‘Ughh… I thought we were hiking “off the beaten track”, not through a beaten-up dumpster.’ Too often, plastic bags, crushed water bottles and candy wrappers litter the scenery when trekking and camping. We’re so used to flushable toilets, regular garbage pickups and pre-packaged food that … Continue reading →

It’s easy to make a visit to Machu Picchu un-memorable. Arrive at 10am, take a two-hour guided tour, pose for a few happy snaps, and return home with a memory full of rocks. But it doesn’t have to be that way. After two full-day visits … Continue reading →

‘I’m about to put the deposit down. Are you sure? Sure that we want to trek for 60+ days across the fifth largest desert in the world?’ … a few months ago there was only Canada. A few weeks after that, India. And in the last … Continue reading →