THERE’S a trend in Melbourne – well, a mini trend, at least – with the Victorian capital’s newest hotels moving into territory that once served a different purpose. The shiny new Sheraton Melbourne Hotel (below) sits on the Little Collins St site of the bygone Naval and Military Club, a 127-year-old institution that once counted SirContinue reading “Hotels with history …”
Category Archives: Peru
Riding the rails …
FROM The Oriental Express to the Rocky Mountaineer, the romance of train journeys have long captured the imaginations of travellers the world over. We’ve chosen the top ten rail experiences that will bring out the explorer in you. 1. Peru’s Andean Explorer (below) takes 10 hours to rattle from Cuzco to Puno, making for aContinue reading “Riding the rails …”
Lake Titicaca …
WHERE … Lake Titicaca, Peru WHEN … Tuesday, June 18, 2013 WHAT … The staff at Titilaka Lodge – a boutique guesthouse on the edge of Lake Titicaca, a stone’s throw from the Purvian settlement of Puno – picked a June night with a clear ski to light a fire so guest could watch theContinue reading “Lake Titicaca …”
Travel back in time …
THE man with the white beanie sits away from the group. He is quiet, listening to the conversation but not joining in, and he rarely lifts his eyes from his work while his relatives stop to stand and stretch their legs or just turn their heads to gaze across the blue water of Lake Titicaca,Continue reading “Travel back in time …”
Wanders of the Incas …
I HAVE always been intrigued by Machu Picchu – the ancient settlement built on a peak in the Peruvian Andes and an Inca city hidden from the world for centuries and only revealed by American archeologist Hiram Bingham in 1911 – but I could never imagine getting myself there. I thought the only way toContinue reading “Wanders of the Incas …”
Arequipa’s curious discoveries …
THE life of a nun never appealed to me. When I was little, and there were a couple of “Boston buns” knocking around my Catholic primary school, the vow of poverty was an instant deal-breaker, as I couldn’t imagine giving up my yellow Walkman or my collection of Judy Blume novels. A few yearsContinue reading “Arequipa’s curious discoveries …”
When second is best …
IT’S fair to say America’s Grand Canyon is the world’s most famous gorge. But when it comes to deep, the Grand Canyon is a couple of spots from the top sitting third on the list of the globe’s most cavernous ravines. There are two canyons in the Peruvian Andes that are considerably deeper than theContinue reading “When second is best …”
Climbing to Canyon …
TRAVELLING in Peru is all about altitude, and today we got our first serious helping of high. We started the day at 2335m in Arequipa, tonight we’re sleeping at 3635m on the edge of the Colca Canyon, and we crossed an Andean mountain range that took us up to 4910m to get here. It costContinue reading “Climbing to Canyon …”
On shaky ground …
IT was back on to a plane today for our first flight in Peru with a LAN Airbus taking us Arequipa. This is the second-largest city in Peru, a destination that’s growing at a rapid rate with tourists using it as a launching point to see the Colca Canyon, and we had a driving tourContinue reading “On shaky ground …”
The big five-oh …
AFTER sitting on 49 countries for the better part of a year I’ve finally added the 50th destination to the list of places I’ve been. I’m in Peru for a couple of weeks, on an expedition organised by LAN Airlines and Adventure World, and starting this visit with a day in Lima to get usedContinue reading “The big five-oh …”
Far Near Or Here 