Veronika Wild

The adventure begins.... Trekkers and train passengers disembark at Ollantaytambo Getting to Machu Picchu wasn't easy, even for a non - trekker.  I knew my limitations and was still weak every time I had to walk uphill. Just walking to San Blas about ten metres above central Cusco already had me looking for somewhere to sit down. Because I felt queasy most mornings, I had started taking sirroche capsules along with my mate, though some say this is not wise since they may mask the symptoms of altitude sickness. The cost of trekking was daunting too - around $500 plus your guide and tips etc. Not that it was much cheaper the way I did it, but it was a lot more relaxing. First you took a minibus, then the train, then after an overnight stay in the valley at Aguas Calientes, you took another bus the following morning. As the mini bus trundled up and out of town,  I couldn't help thinking that nothing exemplifies the contrast between the old and the new as the sight...

A rock is never just a rock in Iceland - Rocks are trolls who have been petrified by contact with sunlight Iceland is a marvellous place, but I am not going to tell you much about it at all. This is partly because much of its charm cannot be conveyed this way - certainly not the undercurrent of myth and mystery that pervades all, but also because I am working on a longer version which may be published which means I can't use the photos again. I will however, endeavour to show you a few glimpses to whet your appetite - I just know how much you love looking at other people's holiday snaps! I didn't actually see Snaefells Glacier, a place which is supposed to convey  much spiritual energy - it was always under cloud   You may notice that many of these pictures are quite grey and grainy. This is because it rained for the first four days and I certainly got my wish for a bit of cold weather after the heatwave in Russia.   Traditional Turf Cottages - West Coast...