Tanya Gurtin

The first time I travelled overseas was to Australia when I was 7 years old.  Although not far from New Zealand, this is where my travel bug started and has only grown since.  Since then I have travelled to around 80 countries (I've lost count!) and lived in Australia, US, France and the UK.  Along the way I met my husband (a Frenchman), and we continued our adventures together.

My most memorable trip was after living a few years in the UK, we made the epic journey back to NZ.  This took us overland through Europe to Egypt, then from Mexico to Rio.  I have so many stories from this trip!  

From the colourful chicken buses in Guatemala and sticky mud volcanoes in Colombia, to the dark nights in Peru and oysters of Chiloe.  I have hiked in cloud forests, walked desert roads, ridden horses in the high Andes, cruised the Patagonian fjords, and gotten lost in as many cities as possible!

Do I have a favourite place?  No!  There is so much to see on one continent - Mexico always has a special place in my heart - amazing food, indigenous cultures, colourful colonial buildings and history.  Cartagena in Colombia was an unexpected surprise - one of the prettiest cities in South America.  The stunning vistas of the Altiplano in Bolivia and high mountain scenery of Peru - these places will blow your mind.

Where do I want to go next?  I want to introduce my kids to Latin America, so perhaps Costa Rica to start, a touch of Cuba, before Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.  Can I squeeze Patagonia and Rio into the same trip?  

What I love about Latin America is the colour, culture, history and diversity.  There is something so special about Latin America, I highly recommend everyone to visit!