An alternative route to Machu Picchu

July 2, 2015

When you say you’re going trekking in Peru people immediately assume you’re doing the Inca Trail. But, with conveyor-belt overcrowding – 500 permitted trekkers embark on the Trail each day – Julian and I decided for a path less travelled to the Incan Citadel. Instead we took the gloriously scenic Salkantay trail which, over 6 days, saw us trek from flower filled meadows up to the chilly heights of the Cordillera Vilcabamba mountain range and then down through sub-tropical cloud forest to the steamy jungle; all with hardly another person in sight. We also shied away from ending each night in a freezing cold tent, opting instead for bricks and mortar in the form of four comfy lodges complete with huge squidgy beds (down quilts and hot water bottles as standard), scorching showers and good food.

Each day brought something new and exciting to experience and here’s our story:

Kaleidoscopic Kathmandu

July 4, 2014

Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is chaotic, mesmerising, fascinating and exhausting all at the same time. This slightly bonkers city is an absolute assault on the senses but it’s also utterly captivating and I first fell under its spell when I arrived on the overnight bus from India – a journey that has haunted me for over 20 years!

Now don’t get me wrong, compared to an Indian city, Kathmandu was still a mad old place with the same persistent stall holders and imploring beggars. But it was different. With the legions of trekkers visiting the area over the years, the city had come to cater very nicely for the needs of the independent western traveller – the pizzerias with wood fired pizza, cafés offering salads washed in filtered water and German bakeries with the best tasting cakes, were like nirvana to me after spending months in India living on Dahl!

Highway to Himalayan heaven

April 4, 2014

From our final house in the lower valleys of the Kumaon Hills (read about our walk here), Julian and I were heading closer to the snow line of the Himalayas and, as you can imagine, getting to such a location wasn’t going to be easy. A six hour bone shaker of a drive on eternally winding pot holed roads almost got us there, but not quite. When the road ran out we had to complete the last hour on foot, our bags (shamefully) carried by tiny Indian ladies in bright saris and flip flops.

Walking the Himalayas with not a teahouse or tent in sight

March 14, 2014

The scene is hypnotic with rhododendron trees in early bloom, their vibrant red flowers contrasting against the snow-capped Himalayan peaks, whilst neon green terraces dotted with tiny villages cascade down vertigo inducing valleys. This was a daily event on the recent walking trip we (Julian and me) did in the little known but immensely pretty region of Kumaon in India’s northwest state of Uttarakhand.

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