I was super excited for my parents to come and visit me in Colombia. My parents (my mother especially) love a holiday so it didn’t take too much to convince them to come and visit me on the other side of the world. My Mom tried to cover her fears when she realized that the only time they were available was when I’d be in Colombia and for several weeks before the holiday she had sleepless nights over taxi kidnappings and ride by shootings. Luckily, we faced no such obstacles.
My first thought after embracing them both in the clammy heat was the list of goodies I had asked them to bring across the waters with them…marmite!...baked beans!...clean socks!...YAAAAAY! It’s amazing the things you miss from home.

After spending a couple of days seeing the sights in Bogota (all by air conditioned private vehicle of course), they flew to the beautiful sea side port of Cartagena to meet me. Cartagena is definitely the most expensive city in Colombia and there are many western tourists strolling the streets and plaza’s but it is truly beautiful. Areas of the city are still to see development and the old Spanish walls have been beautifully maintained.
We spent our days sipping cerveza’s in shady squares and looking at the stunning fading architecture. My father busied himself in the ships and war museums while Mom and I shopped for souvenirs.

There are several excursions you can take around the city, and we booked all ours through the hostel I was staying in, The Chill House. Dad opted out of the trip to the mud volcano, an experience which wasn’t quite as relaxing as we’d have hoped, but an experience none the less. You drive up to the mud volcano, a massive lump of mud with a slippery climb to the top. Hop in with up to 30 other tourists and bake in the sun as a Colombian man rubs you down. The thick, sticky mud feels strangely calming, and the inability to stay afloat is somewhat unnerving, ending in giggling from all parties as you float off from your group unintentionally and struggle to ‘swim’ back. After negotiating the dangerous climb back down, the group heads to the river where you can pay someone to wash you down, or as we preferred, simply do it yourself. I was finding mud in my ears for the next 3 days so whether you pay someone or not, you’re not gunna get properly clean for a while!

The other trip we went on, which Dad joined, was a day trip to one of the stunning offshore island beaches. I can’t remember the name now, but I will endeavour to update this blog post with more accuracy soon. Most backpackers head off for an overnight stop here which I think is much advised. The tours take you to a few other stops throughout the day which are basically excuses for you to buy things, and leave you with a very short amount of time on the white sand beach which is the bit you want to relax and enjoy. Furthermore, once all the boat loads of tourists have packed off back to town and the beach vendors have given up trying to sell you things, an evening in your hammock or thatched hut would be very close to a slice of paradise.

I was a bit apprehensive to be spending 4 days in Vegas but I needed a tick to check The Grand Canyon off my bucket list. I went for a cheap day tour which pretty much involved hours of driving, an hour at the canyon and a shit load more driving. I wish I had more time to spend a night or two there as it was truly sensational, in fact I wish I had more time in the states period to see some of their stunning national parks, but I didn't, so whatevs! Splashing out on a helicopter ride would be totally worth it but the budget wouldn't handle it. Plus there's something kinda cool about driving through Nevada, stopping at gas stops in the middle of the desert next to the typical American motel.
I couldn't take enough photos of the canyon, nothing would do it justice and luckily me and my new friend off the coach were able to get away from the crowds and take in the beautiful view.

The rest of my time in Vegas stays in Vegas! I was couchsurfing with a 60 year old guy who grew his own weed and spent the day eating the buffet at his local casino and taking hits from the bong. How could I not get into the Vegas spirit?! I hung out round his pool feeling every inch fear and loathing! A night at the Cosmopolitan resulted in a free ticket to see a band on the roof top bar followed by a strip club and another evening resulted in a karaoke session where a woman hugged me for having the voice of an angel. Mix that with walking the strip with a pitcher of frozen cocktail while seeing a choreographed water fountain routine and a volcano spout fire. Vegas is super cool and being there with a group of mates would be awesome but i loved the randomness of my time there and the people I enjoyed it with. You always have friends in Vegas!

SURVIVAL TIP
Get cash out and leave your card at home, otherwise you'll wake up with more than a nasty hangover!

San Francisco is ace, it's cool, laid back, arty, cultured and clean, and proud to be all of the above and more. If you google 'San Francisco quotes' you'll find a ton of great things that people have to say about the city. I started with an amazing tour from Wild Wes that I went on with people from my hostel. Dapper Wes turned up with his ukulele ready to sing to through the highlights of the city. He took us to some cool places, like an underground tunnel used by pirate smugglers as well as all the cities best sights.

Fisherman's Wharf is another tourist attraction that you shouldn't miss, especially when the sun's out. Munch on clam chowder eaten out of a sour dough bowl, maybe even buy a sour dough crab or alligator! Check out the friendly sea lions and try and see the iconic San Francisco bridge through the fog. I also went to a cool vintage mechanical games hall, which was full of dancing puppets and fortune tellers.

'The Mission'

The Mission District was my favourite area of the city. I crashed on a friends couch who lived there so it was easy to walk around and check out the area. San Francisco is HUGE! And similarly to L.A it's a lot easier if you have a car although the public transport is much easier and cheaper to navigate. The Mission is the hipster area of town with heaps of galleries, coffee shops and graffiti. It's famous for its murals which line the main streets and back alleys. There's a strong Latino culture here, after the Spanish kicked the Yelamu Indians out in the late 1800s. I loved spending the day here, sipping my latte and taking photo's. There were some super cool boutique shops with stuffed animals and weird victoriana themed artefacts. Try not to talk to homeless people though. There's a huge homeless problem in San Francisco and once you've engaged some light conversation they won't leave you alone. Trust me! Trying to lose a scabby faced gang tattoo covered drunk down back alleys while he's begging you to hang out can get a bit hectic!

ALCATRAZ!

You typically have to book Alcatraz in advance so plan your time in the city around it. Boats run back to the mainland every few minutes so once you've got your ticket out you can stay as long as you like. I found Alcatraz amazing. Steeped in history and with a really creepy lost in time feel I loved it. The audio your is awesome, taking you all round the prison with voices of wardens and prisoners adding a real human aspect to the tour. You can stand in the cells and take in the atmosphere in your own time. I latched on to a walking tour where the guide told us about several crazy escape attempts which was awesome.

SURVIVAL TIP
There's loads to do and see in San Francisco but the best thing about the city is the laid back vibe. Grab a coffee, go for a stroll and let it all sink in.

I spent a month volunteering at Fundacion Arte del Mundo in the beautiful mountain town of Banos. There is tons to do in and around this region and although I spent most of my time sleeping in and making popcorn, in hindsight I did quite a lot while I was there. Here's a list of some of the fun stuff to do if you're ever in the area.

Banos is an adrenalin junkies dream with zip lining, an active volcano and numerous hikes on offer. Whilst I was there I went white water rafting, something to tick off the bucket list. It was AWESOME! We bundled into the minivan and headed off along the mountain roads. After donning our wetsuits and having a safety briefing we were in the water! 6 to a raft including our instructor we were soon dodging currents, bobbing gently in serene waters and throwing killer paddle high fives. Our only man went overboard in the final stages and with 4 panicky girls on the rescue mission I think he swallowed more freezing river water than he would have liked! But we survived! And by the end I was hooked, I wanted more rapids, more danger and more near death experiences (as long as they were experienced by someone else).
Two very brave boys I know also gave the bridge bungee jump a go...I was happy I just took the photos.

I know, I know, I'm a dickhead traveller. But I'm embracing it! Gap yah, yah? A traveller friend and I had discussed for some time about getting tattoos and when she came to visit me in Banos we bit the bullet. We were recommended to Kokopelli tattoo studio on bar street. I went for the colibri (hummingbird) nazca line after having a bit of a 'moment' when I saw them and having seen my first real life hummingbird in the yard of my volunteer quarters. Check out how badass I am! (So badass I almost cried and it only took 15 minutes).

You can't beat a bit of karaoke to cement new friendships. Karaoke is fairly new to South America and the ecuadorians love sitting in dark bars, confined to their booths singing depressing ballads. We went to karaoke twice and had two very different experiences. The first involved little showmanship from the other contestants and long waits for songs . Our second attempt was a much more successful evening, my recommendation is to find a small bar where there are no booths or tables. You pass the mic along the bar and have your moment in the sun. Although I previously slated the choice of 'depressing ballads' the English choices are pretty slim. My nights warbling wonders included Mariah Carey, Aerosmith, The Police and Toni Braxton. Ace!

For a relaxing morning, afternoon, evening, in fact any time at all! Get yourself to the thermal baths. A natural spring there are a number of pools of varying heats, some of them are bloody hot! Dip from pool to pool and shower off in the revitalizing waterfall! It's meant to be good for your circulation...or something? Whatever it feels great. Next to the baths are some sacred waters and a small shrine which is what brought people to the area all those years ago. Evenings are a great way to relax and unwind and look at the stars but they're busy, there's less chance of getting stuck in a small pool squashed between two red Ecuadorians if you go in the morning. Or maybe that's your thing?

There are tons of waterfalls shooting out of mountain caverns all around Banos, take a bus ride to a neighboring town and you'll see them. A Chiva bus (a brightly painted bus playing reggaeton with flashing disco lights - acceptable at night amongst Ecuadorian teens, a little bit weird for tourists in the middle of the day) can take you out to a number of the falls. We took a rickety cable car out over one, hovering above the devils mouth and then to the double fall which was spectacular. Wear your raincoat! You're gonna get sprayed!

RHINO BUS
I think this is for children? It's about a dollar, has bright lights and speeds round the towns tight bends. It's funny as hell, do it!

FOOD
There are some great places to eat in Banos. A hefty amount of backpackers has seen some lovely places open that have good western food as well as fantastic Ecuadorian classics. Here's my run down of a few of my faves.

• Stray Dog - Slow service but totally worth it. Run by a dedicated American the food here is to die for, great sandwiches and fries that really feel like home. The slow roasted pork is nom nom nom!
• Casa Hood - The staff here are super friendly and they do a brilliant $2 almuerzo. 3 courses of veggie goodness and a fruit shake, total bargain! It's also a nice place to hook up to the wifi and hang out, borrow a book or check out their movie screenings. Not to be confused with Cafe Hood, also a yummy option- get the purée potatoes!
• Cafe Sativa - This chilled out spot opposite Casa Hood has the best spiced coffee, darn it, the best coffee I've ever tasted. Simple dishes (the veggie burgers are ace and I'm not a veggie!) and the beautifully painted murals make it a lovely daytime hangout.

Puyo, a small lazy riverside jungle town and gateway to jungle excursions is a short bus ride from Banos. A few of the volunteers and I went for a weekend. My favorite part of the trip was a visit to Parque Omaere, which can be found in Lonely Planet. The American owner, married to a native Ecuadorian has set up an amazing botanical garden of medicinal plants and flowers as well as examples of indigenous dwellings. Tours in English are educational and fun and can be tailored to fit your time scale and interests. Highly recommended! They say they have the cure to cancer, go see what you think!

SURVIVAL TIP
It's easy to lose a lot of time anywhere when you're travelling (most get lost in the beach towns!) I was lucky enough to have to spend a month in Banos so do as much as you can with whatever time you have. If you can spend a significant chunk of your trip in any one place it's really worthwhile no matter where it is. (Drinking yourself crazy in a beach town probably isn't the best choice though!)

Otavalo market is a shoppers dream. I would definitely recommend organizing your trip to fly out of Quito so that you can hit the markets for all your souvenirs before flying home. I don't have a problem, honest.
Some travellers don't rate it as it does have almost everything most other markets in South America have just over and over again. Personally I don't see what their problem is? Yeah so it's the same old crap?...over and over again?! Ace!
No I joke, in my opinion Otavalo had lots of souvenirs I didn't see else where as well as local items like traditional dress and jewellry. It also gives you the option to find the best of what it is you're looking for within your price range. It doesn't beat the cheap steals of Bolivia but it did have more western styled items that you might be able to use at home, such as blanket and bag designs. I left with a queen sized hand woven bed spread, a table runner, two hand painted wooden spoons, a dream catcher made from cow intestines and rare bird feathers, some paintings and some jewellry. It was fantastic. And let's be honest everyone loves mincing around a market?! It's what holidays are made for right? All the boys say YEEEAAAAHHHHH!!

If you get up early enough the nearby animal market is an absolute must! Ask around for days it's on. We got up around 6am and headed out to find a field full of every farmyard animal you could think of, pigs, cows, llamas, ducklings and sacks of puppies. Literally SACKS of puppies. Sacks of pretty much anything really, woman walking round with handfuls of live chickens and all animals large and small. The basic rundown is each seller stands with their wares and waits for someone to approach them with a price. It's just as much a hang around and chat situation as it is a selling one. If you're big on animal cruelty you probably won't enjoy it but if you can embrace the madness of another culture it's brilliant and well worth the early morning.

SURVIVAL TIP
Haggle hard, get a price in mind and stick to it, if you walk away they'll either call you back or you'll have the afternoon to decide whether to go back and pay the price they're asking AND DON'T BUY A PUPPY!

Police Museum:

The Museo Historico Policia (not to be confused with the Military museum where you'll find tanks and other manly things) is a humorous museum that fills a nice afternoon. It houses a strange collection of police related odds and ends such as Pablo Escobar's gold encrusted Harley (and a roof tile with his blood on, although this was closed when I went), a range of military uniforms, weapons and a whole room on the drug situation in Colombia. Anyone trying to smuggle drugs can learn how NOT to and there was even a plaque to a canine hero who had sniffed out the largest drug raid ever recorded in Colombia. They gave him a medal!

Our guide was what made it though, he was absolutely hilarious, keeping watch as we tried on hats from around the world and posing with our pen for photos. He even took us up on the roof for views of the city and told us a story about the images on Colombian money. We got a free poster when we left too!

For a night out in Bogota head to Carne del Res outside of the city. Most hostels will put on a party bus of some sorts to take you there. It's expensive but the food is amazing! We got a steak and bottle of rum and then after everyone's finished eating you jump up on the table and dance away. It gets pretty crazy but the restaurant vibe will see you heading to an after party at around 2am.

Finally I have to show you some of the street art scattered around the city. The Old Town has some really beautiful buildings and street performers hang from trees in the small squares each evening. Grab a beer from the corner shop and go and hear a story being told or see a tightrope walker, this is what I loved about Bogota.

SURVIVAL TIP
Don't be scared! Your guidebook might deter you from the old quarter but it really is beautiful. There are police everywhere so you feel safe and if you keep your wits about you, like in any large city, you should be fine.

Cusco is a must on all travelers tour of South America. The jump off point for tours to Macchu Piccu and the Sacred Valley as well as a beautifully restored town and well known party city.

The Plaza de Armas is the meeting point of the city, surrounded on all sides by beautiful colonial architecture and boutique shops. A ticket to see all of Cusco's historic monuments can be quite pricey but just walking round the city you can tick the big ones off your list and pay separate entry fees for the few you may choose to see inside. The Cathedral of Santa Domingo is the big must see and the Church of the Jesuits in the main square is equally impressive.

All around the city you can see memories of the Incas. The huge stones used to build the old city walls still stand and in them you can find images of pumas and toads. Some are a little harder to see then others so tagging on to the back end of a your can help you pick them out.

Cusco's central market is a great place for a spot of lunch, a typical almuerzo will set you back a dollar or two and you can always be sure of a surprise treat you weren't expecting. And if you're not hungry, you'll soon work up an appetite with all the souvenir shopping.

The Inca Museum was a great spot with loads of artifacts on show from pots to gold and maps of cities and stars. It's a good place to get in the mood for Macchu Piccu.

To tell you about Cusco's nightlife might be telling a little too much, the best way is always to search out the hotspots for yourself. Most of the clubs are clustered up and around the square and many stay open into the early hours of the morning. My hostel recommendation for Cusco is Kokopelli, they have three other hostels in Peru and are a great place to start the party as well as a cool place to chill if you don't want a wild one.

Macchu Piccu was at the top of my bucket list and was the thing I was most excited to see in South America.
Most people do a 4 day Inca Trail (booked 6 months in advance) and others take a tour from Cusco a few days before, either a similar 3-4 day hike or for those who don't want the hard journey up the Inca train and then coach to the top.
I had booked a 2-day Inca hike along the original Inca Trail before leaving the UK (I don't find hiking particularly pleasurable) and was so pleased I did.
I woke up early on the day of my hike and was put on the Inca train where I went about a third of the way up and was hurled off on the side of the tracks. There I met my guide and we started up hill. The rest of my group had cancelled due to sickness so I got a private tour which was excellent. I practised my Spanish and learnt as much about the Inca's as I could.
The scenery along the way was spectacular, waterfalls, valley views and smaller Incan and pre-Incan settlements kept us entertained and were beautiful spots to take the necessary breaks. We chatted about how different we thought the world might be today if things had turned out differently for the Incas. Known for their warrior mentality the Incas had a great respect for 'Pacha Mama', the earth goddess. They only took from her what they needed and gave back when they did. They were also great thinkers, who built civilisations with complex water systems and mapped the stars. When they first met the Spanish they gave them gold as a welcoming gift, bad idea.

My favourite thing about the hike was walking through the Sun Gate and seeing the great Macchu Piccu nestled amongst the hills. We sat for about an hour looking at it, after regaining my breath which took some time!. My guide told me how no matter how many times he sees that view it is always like he is discovering it for the first time. It was magical.

After walking down to the town we had dinner and a good nights rest ready to see the site in all it's glory the next day. We got up early to see the sunrise, taking the bus up to the site (I got a stamp in my passport!) and then we waited for the sun to appear through the sun gate that we had walked through the day before. Their are too many amazing facts to share about Macchu Piccu, it truly is mind boggling. The stones within each temple fit together like a jigsaw, each block unique, and yet you cannot fit a blade between each rock. In one place, just to show their craftsmanship and skill the Incas built a curving wall between two natural stones with no purpose other than beauty and showmanship.

Complex stone hinges meant the city was secure, and a water system meant crops and inhabitants were hydrated. Scattered everywhere were signs of their belief systems, water fountains in the shape of frogs and an underground vault which opened up to the mouth of an eagle, believed to be where the dead were prepared for burial and then reborn.

Then I learnt about the Sacred Valley, a series of Incan settlements that lie around Cusco, and of which Macchu Piccu is a part of. The Incan king foresaw that the end of the world was near (which coincidently was foreseen to take place around the time the Spanish invaded, spooky). Believing that you travel to the afterlife via the Milky Way, the king began to build his own Milky Way on earth in order to control his destiny and pass through to the next life when his end came. Each town within the sacred valley lies directly below a constellation and from an aerial view the cities are built in the shape of each constellation. It literally is the Milky Way on earth. Pretty impressive huh?!

Many people sidestep Ica and head straight to Huacachina to sandboard and Nazca for the unexplained desert lines. Some come to Ica to volunteer to help restore the city after the devastation of the 2007 earthquake. I however made Ica my base and set off on day trips while contributing to the local economy. The town square was pleasant with winding streets surrounding it and a cheap lunch deal can be found on every corner.

1. SANDBOARDING AT HUACACHINA

The oasis at Huaachina is stunning and I can see why people want to spend a night here. A short cab ride from Ica the magical palms spring out from the desert and for me the place had a 50s nostalgia to it, where vintage screens sirens might come to live out their own Arabian Nights.
The real pull here is the sandboarding and I would recommend opting for a board an buggy package. For a third of the price you can just have the board but the dunes are steep and the real trill comes from ragging it full force. After a few crazy wheel spins and some face first tabogganing we watched the sun set over the dunes and all was calm. Until I screamed like a baby on the drive back!

2. ISLAS BALLESTAS

Las Islas Ballestas are known locally as 'The poor man's Galapagos' but then so are most other islands off the west coast of South America so don't get too excited. The trip consists of a few hours boating where you get up close and personal with penguins, boobies, pelicans and seals. I'd seen many of these animals somewhere more secluded on my trip so it wasn't super exciting but animal lovers and bird watchers especially would live this trip. I did find myself zoning out, imagining myself a crew member on some great expedition to research the mating rituals of sea birds and I felt a smile creep onto my face. Then I zoned back in to a seagull shitting on my right shoulder. Hey ho.

3. THE NAZCA LINES

I did the Nazca lines in a day from Ica. I remember it seeming difficult but it really wasn't, an early bus gave me time to book myself a helicopter ride, see the lines, have some food and catch the bus back before nightfall.
The lines were awesome. The flight is expensive, there's no two ways round it and you can see two of the lines from a viewing tower just off the highway, but its not the same.
Waiting for my flight to fill up I watched the National Geographic video play on a loop getting more and more excited. After a bumpy 20 minutes in the air it was all over, I'd seen them. It was ticked off the bucket list and I felt a sense of accomplishment. I have no answers for you. I doubt the alien connections, it's easy to see how man could make the lines, especially men with great mathematical and scientific minds capable of such wonders as Macchu Piccu and other similar Mayan civilisations. The why is still questionable but I won't ruin it for anyone wanting to go, the spirituality of these civilisations is evident everywhere in South America and for me it shows more of mans strength than it does anything else.

SURVIVAL TIP:
Take some snacks to the airport. I was advised not to eat before the flight due to air sickness but I booked the flight at 9.30am and didn't fly till 2pm so was bloody starving!

Lonely Planet describes Puyo as Disneyland made of reeds, or something to that extent. It was my least favourite place on the trip so far but one I wasn't going to miss out on as there is nowhere else like it on earth.

Las Islas Flotantas are situated on the Reed lakes just outside of Puyo, somewhere all visitors will pass through if coming from Lake Titicaca. We decided to do a tour which included a homestay on another of the islands on Lake Titicaca a had heard how touristy the reed islands were and didn't want this to be our only memory. A good decision. The reed islands where amazing and great inspiration for artists or story tellers, tiny islands made completely out of reeds, come on! However the whole thing felt not only as though we the tourists were manipulated (every 10 steps something cost you more money, a boat ride here, a souvenir there) but also that the inhabitants were trapped in a tourist machine. They sang us a song in numerous languages and showed us inside their homes while their Adidas tracksuit bottoms snuck out from under their traditional dress. It was worth going but totally weird, especially as they shouted 'hasta la vista babies' as we set sail and waved goodbye.

The homestay had a similar feeling but nowhere near as bad. We stayed in a beautiful farmhouse with children's school achievements pinned to our bedroom wall. We hiked to the top of a ceremonial mountain, leaving rocks of thanks and wishes at the alter on our way up to watch the sunset and then dressed up in traditional clothes to go to a dance. This last part was a little awkward but it was fun to dress up and dance stupidly to the local band.

Our last day consisted of going to another island where the men wear hats to show their status, single, married etc and the men with more decoration showed their wealth or political status. Very cool.

SURVIVAL TIP: Take extra cash when visiting Puyo, it's expensive but the island people are generally ripped off by the tour operators and at least when you buy their local crafts you know the money's going directly to them.