“Parque Nacional Tayrona?” The bus driver looked at us blankly. Staying in a little village only a few miles down the road from the park entrance, we thought our journey should be simple enough. “Just flag down any bus, they all go past there”, we were assured. It wasn’t till we looked around that we…
Author: Claire
In search of ‘El Pibe’ in Santa Marta
“Could you drive us past the statue of Valderrama?” “Ah, El Pibe!’ smiled the taxi driver. “Si, claro!” You can’t go far in South America without finding a statue. On a hill, in a plaza, at the border – statues. Santa Marta was the last resting place of Simon Bolivar, liberator of much of the…
There’s nothing ‘brave’ about visiting Colombia
“Colombia? Wow, you’re brave!” Just one of the reactions I’ve had since I came back. Several others have joked that at least I didn’t get kidnapped. But there’s nothing brave about visiting Colombia. Sure, a lot of people still associate it with the FARC. There are still areas not recommended for travel due to residual…
An amazing deal and an unexpected destination
Photo credit: Fernando Zuleta – Flickr Creative Commons Always be open to the opportunities life throws you…especially when it involves travel. One day back in November an email dropped into my inbox at work from my husband. ‘Ever thought about visiting Colombia?’ I’ve found this unbelievable fare…’. Colombia has always intrigued me, ever since I…
An old favourite, now in living colour (Canaima and Angel Falls)
Way back in the mists of time (ok, 2007) when I started this travel blog, it was more of a travel diary, notes copied from my trusty Moleskine. Although we travelled with an SLR, it wasn’t digital. So for some reason, the photos from my first trip to South America remained in an elusive Flickr…
There’s always more to see
‘There is always more to see’ An advertising slogan for a BBC TV channel caught my eye the other day. It really chimed with me because sometimes people ask why I keep travelling. ‘Haven’t you seen all of South America now?’ (No, just a tiny fraction). I remember the first time I stepped on a…
World Cycling Championships in Tuscany
Sometimes luck and good timing combine to offer you unexpected opportunities. When we planned a few days in Tuscany, we knew the World Cycling Championship road race would be in Florence the following weekend. As a cycling fan I was a little bit disappointed to be missing it by only a couple of days. As…
Last days of summer in Lucca
When summer had already disappeared from the southern shores of the UK, in Tuscany it held on well into September. It’s no secret that I love the parts of Europe that touch the Mediterranean sea: terracotta roofs, the constant chirp of cicadas and most of all the warmth that allows you to sit out well…
Autumn escapes and future travel plans
September is a great time to travel in Europe. I love the autumn colours and the crowds have thinned out enough to make wandering through a new city enjoyable again. This month I’m off to Tuscany for four days to celebrate my birthday with delicious ice-cream, a stay in a spa town and visits to…
Capture the Colour 2013
The Capture the Colour contest, run by Travel Supermarket, is running again this summer. Last year I used it to highlight some scenes from a trip to Bahia in Brazil. This time I thought I’d broaden it out a bit. Click on the photos to enlarge. Green I could have chosen a landscape, but this…