“You have to go to Isla del Sol – it’s magical,” were common words as we travelled through Bolivia. It’s the legendary birthplace of the Incas, where the god Viracocha made his first mystical appearance, and it’s full of Inca ruins. People tend to wax lyrical about it’s tranquil, mystical nature, and we were keen … Read more
Details Bauhouse Hostel and Bar, Benigno Malo10-31, Cuenca, Ecuador Price $10 for a dorm and $32 for a double. In a nutshell Sleekly designed hipster party hostel and bar for the nocturnal. We loved it the first two nights, but hated it the day we left after being kept awake until the early hours by a party. … Read more
“There’s a lot of that going round – loads of panic attacks,” said the long-haired, wiry Californian. His wild-eyed companion peered around nervously before speculating: “They must be interfering again.” I wondered who the ‘they’ were that they referred to – a mysterious force causing endemic panic attacks. It sounded like something out of a … Read more
An elfin-like girl perches on a chair, slicing her bow expertly across the strings as she winks and smiles at the dreadlocked guitarist. He’s the kind of man I can’t imagine ever not being topless. The singer sways with stoned, sparkling eyes, and the crowd dances wildly to the klezmer mix. I sit to the … Read more
Drunk, kamikaze drivers, freezing cold nights, and crippling altitude sickness was enough to make us apprehensive about venturing into Bolivia’s salt flats – but it definitely wasn’t enough to put us off exploring what promised to be some of the planet’s most other-worldly landscapes. Here is our journey in photos as well as some travel … Read more
Have you ever heard of the Wichi people? We hadn’t until we went to Jueves a la Mesa, a vegetarian puerta cerrada in Buenos Aires. A couple from New York – Leigh and Noah – were holding an exhibition there of photos taken by Wichi children. They had given kids in the community digital cameras … Read more
Travelling in the olden days, by which I mean 10 years ago, used to mean guaranteed internet-free periods. You’d have to seek out a fluorescent-lit hole filled with god-forsaken PCs struggling along on Windows 98. Nowadays, a laptop is almost as common as Imodium on every traveller’s packing list. A hostel without wi-fi is like … Read more
My heels hover above the ground in downward dog, I wobble in tree and tortoise looks like a distant dream, yet in a few days time I start a month-long yoga teacher training course. This might sound akin to someone rubbish at gymnastics becoming a gym coach, but there are a few differences. Firstly, I’m … Read more
Details Izhcayluma Hosteria and Spa, Vilcabamba, Ecuador Price $10 for a dorm; $25-45 for a double In a nutshell… In their spot-on words “the luxury of a resort priced for backpackers”. It’s an affordable spa hotel that doesn’t cut corners on style or quality – and the views are incredible. It’s one of our favourite … Read more
There was something familiar about San Pedro de Atacama from the moment we arrived. We struggled to put our fingers on it until suddenly it became clear: the oasis in the middle of the desert was a little like being at Glastonbury festival in the UK. Here’s why: 1. Transitory towns San Pedro is filled … Read more