Once dubbed "The Most Dangerous City in the World" by Time magazine due to the drug-fueled violence of Pablo Escobar, in the last 20 years Medellín has transformed. In addition to significant improvements in public safety, there's been an enormous surge in urban development projects, including Colombia's first metro system and cable cars to service more impoverished … [Read more...] about 8 Essential Things to Do in Medellin (on Your First Trip)
South America
Visiting Colombia: 3 Important Things to Know Before You Go
Ah, visiting Colombia. A place of beautiful mountains. A place of happy people. A place of adventures. A place where you could lose yourself. (...This could be a good thing or a bad thing.) Colombia is a country that has risen on the radar of many travelers because the situation in the country is much different than it was 20 years ago. The armed conflict between the FARC … [Read more...] about Visiting Colombia: 3 Important Things to Know Before You Go
How to Travel Chile on a Budget: The Ultimate Guide
Chile is a country full of mountains, deserts, coastline, and everything in between. It's a country that, in my opinion, belongs on everyone's bucket list, whether it's to explore the otherworldly landscapes of the Atacama Desert, sip wine in the valleys, road trip the Carretera Austral, or hike the mountain trails of the W Trek in Torres del Paine National Park. I … [Read more...] about How to Travel Chile on a Budget: The Ultimate Guide
A Machu Picchu Tour with G Adventures
In January 2018, I had the fortunate opportunity to go on an all-expense-paid Machu Picchu tour with G Adventures I'd won courtesy of National Geographic at an event to promote study abroad. Long-time readers may recall I first visited Machu Picchu in 2011 when I did the 4-day Salkantay trek. The whole experience was terrific, from the high-altitude trekking … [Read more...] about A Machu Picchu Tour with G Adventures
Graffiti and Street Art in Lima, Peru
Talk about Peru with any traveler and they'll mention Machu Picchu, the Nazca Lines, and ayahuasca ceremonies in the Amazon. But tell them you are going to stay in Lima for a week and you can expect a strange look. It's true that Lima doesn't have a reputation as a magnificent city, but I'm not in Peru for hiking trails like regular tourists. I'm on a mission to take … [Read more...] about Graffiti and Street Art in Lima, Peru
