“We usually eat them whole, with our hands.” She mimed chomping across the bony flesh, then gestured to the knife and fork on the table. “But you can use those.” Piranhas have a fearsome reputation but most of the time they’re harmless enough. Just don’t get into the water with them during mating season….
Tag: Travel inspiration
Pope fever in Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Santa Cruz was just supposed to be a stopover, a brief first glimpse of Bolivia before continuing on to Puerto Quijarro on the Brazilian border, from where we were travelling into the Parque Nacional Otoquis. We arrived early in the evening, the taxi following a twisting route through endless city blocks. Many roads were…
My first travel video, the BBC and World Travel Market
In the spirit of trying new things, I’ve made my first travel video! It’s highlights of my trip to Bolivia and Brazil this summer, set to one of my favourite tracks. Hope you like it, feedback welcome! I made the video with a free video editing app called KineMaster, which I heard about on a…
I left my heart in…Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil
“Ah, my other son. He’s in some tiny town in the far north, in Piaui state. I’ve never heard of it.” Our laid-back guide rolled the window down and shrugged. There’s many unknown places in Brazil. Take Chapada dos Guimaraes. It may be the official geodesic centre of South America, but until we…
A stroll through the streets of Corumba, Brazil
It took us four hours to cross the border from Bolivia into Brazil – one hour for an exit stamp and three to get into Brazil. The Puerto Quijarro-Corumba crossing is not one of the fastest or most well-used! A couple of kids from Sao Paolo adopted me for a while to practice their English….
Falling in love with travel again
This isn’t the post I planned to write this morning – I have a whole list of things to share from my recent trip and I will get to them! But I am missing being on the road like crazy today, so here goes. You may have noticed a slight change in the focus of…
Bolivia to Brazil – trip highlights in photos
I’ve just returned from a great trip which took me from Bolivia to Brazil, through stunning landscapes and surprising cities. While I gather my thoughts, here are a few of the best pictures from my trip. Above – with ‘sticker Pope’ in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. We were there during the papal visit, along with an…
Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve – discover the Brazilian Amazon in a unique place
Many years ago, the Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve was my first introduction to Brazil and I’ve been in love ever since. Nothing I’ve done before or since has left such an impression as that journey. Below are my original travel diary notes of my first impressions. Tefe looks pretty relaxed after Manaus, or maybe it’s just…
Five gorgeous Scottish drives
Scotland is home to some stunning scenic drives – many of which can also be accessed partly by public transport. Although I don’t drive, I’m lucky enough to usually visit with family members who do. Here are some of my favourite drives on the west coast of Scotland. Glen Fruin across to Garelochead Photo credit-…
Explore the Lakshadweep Islands – camping on your own desert island
I never had the Robinson Crusoe fantasy, until I laid eyes on Thinnakara, a tiny coral island in the Lakshadweep islands, 200 kms off the Keralan coast. The Lakshadweep islands are the Maldives without the intensive tourism. They form the northern tip of the same chain of coral islands and atolls and were known as…