Tambopata: Waltzing with Butterflies Bleary-eyed and lethargic, we chug downstream through muddy brown waters as the cool morning air gradually lifts our heavy, squinting eyelids. The breeze is a refreshing change from the cloying heat we are used to and as our spirits are lifted by its tonic touch the boat becomes a chattier place, … Continued
I rolled the seedpod around in my hand while Hugo positioned his frame to make for the best human trebuchet. Though I didn’t understand much Portuguese, the message that I “jogar como uma garota,” throw like a girl, came across clear. While he demonstrated how you must use your whole body to throw, I kept … Continued
Time is an illusion; a man-made restriction set upon ourselves to dictate order and retain control. We attach verbs to it like spend, save, waste, kill, take and run out of, hoping to grasp onto time as though it were some tangible thing. We define life itself as a certain amount of time spent upon … Continued
My time in Colombia was brief but certainly very sweet. From admiring street art on the buildings in Bogota, to embracing the peace and beauty in the colonial town of Villa de Leyva, to endless partying in Medellin, every minute of my time there was well spent. Although the country has many positive qualities, and … Continued
We spend our lives making safe choices: insurance policies, retirement funds, dual-side airbags. Then we travel. Only as our finger hovers over “Purchase” on the airline website are we free. In that moment, we haven’t yet determined when we should depart for the airport. We haven’t compared hotel reviews or fretted about connections in Dallas … Continued
Ibn Battuta once said, “Travel- it leaves you speechless and then turns you into a story teller.” When my feet first touched the ground in Peru, I instantly felt changed. Every single step was culturally enriching, from hiking Machu Picchu, to trekking through the Amazon Forest, to running through the markets of Cusco in the … Continued
The “Heath River Centre Lodge” is on the river Heath which marks the frontier between Peru and Bolivia; nothing to see except some local miners looking for gold. Soon after leaving, except the splendid crescent of the moon, the night was complete. The boat had no lights and followed the indications of someone lightening the … Continued
Rio de Janeiro. The city that has more love than Paris, more nightlight than Tokyo, more culture than Barcelona and more music than a New York City street. Rio is the city that only those willing to risk all will travel to, unless with a corporate credit card, business briefcase and a high luxury suite. … Continued
You can dress a puddle of mud up how you like. Call it a “mud spa”, “a mud volcano”, even a “mud fountain” if you want-but essentially, it remains what it is-a puddle of mud. These are my thoughts as I stood on the wooden steps of the 15 metre El Totumo mud volcano in … Continued
“A woman was shot dead in this bar a few years ago” says my host brightly, passing me a plate of empanadas and a beer, “She was sitting right where you are now actually”. I resist the urge to leap out of my seat and head for the nearest airport. Medelllin, Colombia (pronounced Med-e-jin ) … Continued