The Globetrotting Diaries: Stories from Central & South America Destination Specialists

Stepping Back Into the Inca World

My favourite travel memories are travelling around the Sacred Valley and visiting Machu Picchu in Peru. The beautiful landscape of the Sacred Valley harbours traditions and an ancient culture that locals still preserve today, making it truly unique. When traveling around there, I felt that I was going back in time! Machu Picchu just took my breath away. I could not believe what the Incas built so many years ago in the middle of the Andes Mountains. It’s such a special place, where you can feel the spiritual energy and a deep connection with the past.

Story by Virginia Dameno.

Berlin Skyline, Germany — The Berlin skyline.

Spotted in the Not-So-Big City

I have a funny memory. I have family in Germany, but I did not tell them I was going to be visiting. We were in downtown Berlin and in the middle of a big crowd, someone yelled “Cindy!” I thought “Oh, there must be a lot of Cindys in Germany.” They yelled again, “Cindy Gross!” And I’m like, “That is really specific…”

It was my cousin.

Technology Saves the Day

My husband Manuel and I were in Istanbul, traveling to Athens by land. This involved catching a train in Thessaloniki, and it was almost a four-hour ride. When we arrived in Thessaloniki, I was able to see the train so we ran to meet it.
Once we arrived in Athens, Manuel realized he’d left his cell phone on the bus! So, I called the agency and they gave me the number of the driver. He was from Bulgaria and spoke Russian and no English. I wrote on my tablet everything I needed to ask him and clicked translate. My tablet asked him about our things and gave us the address.

Stories by Cindy Gross.

Atacama Desert, Chile — The Atacama Desert in Chile.

The Magic of Atacama

I chose to visit this area based on its awesome reputation, but as time was getting closer, I kept thinking, “What will I do in the desert other than seeing dunes and sand?” My thoughts were proven wrong. I had an amazing time and wish I had stayed longer. There was so much more to see and do than I expected, including Moon Valley, sunset over Death Valley, El Tatio geyser, salt flats, star gazing, and hiking on the sand dune.

Story by Kajal Gadhia.