Laurie on the Move

South America

Beautiful lake Titicaca landscape from the top of Amantani, with rolling hills and a small village in the foreground, under a colorful.

Amantani Island overnight stay: what it’s really like

Amantani Island has no hot water, no heating, and no roads. It also turned out to be the most memorable nights I’ve had while travelling Peru. Here’s what the overnight homestay is actually like, and ...
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Local women walking on a stone path on Amantani island with trees and a brick building.

The Lake Titicaca Two-Day Tour: Uros, Amantani, and Taquile – An Honest Guide

The two-day Lake Titicaca tour is longer, colder, and more complicated than the one-day version. It’s also significantly better. Here’s exactly what to expect across two days on the water - and why the overnight ...
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Traditional Peruvian dancers in colorful costumes at Puno, Lake Titicaca.

Visiting Puno and Lake Titicaca: What to do, where to go, and why the altitude will humble you

Puno sits at 3,800 metres and it will let you know. But Lake Titicaca one of the most genuinely extraordinary places in Peru. Here's everything you need to know before you go ...
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Unique treehouse with multiple levels and a spiral staircase in a lush, mountainous setting.

Oxapampa, Peru: The best weekend trip from Lima you’re probably not doing

A German-influenced town somehow stuck between the Andes and the Amazon, a 12-hour overnight bus from Lima, and the best breakfast that might kill you. Oxapampa is weird and brilliant and you should go ...
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Vibrant street view of Paramaribo with colorful buildings and clear sky.

What is Paramaribo really like? Five things I wasn’t expecting

Paramaribo surprised me. Not always in the ways I was expecting. Here's the honest version of what it's actually like ...
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Museum of Eastern History, Yopal Colombia, cultural site, regional museum.

Yopal, Colombia: An honest guide to a day trip from Bogotá and how to spend seven hours there

Yopal isn't on anyone's Colombia itinerary. Here's why you should probably add it anyway, and how to make the most of a day in Casanare's overlooked capital ...
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Iconic blue and yellow cathedral in Paramaribo with twin spires and red doors.

Unexpected South America: Best things to do in Paramaribo, Suriname in a day

Paramaribo is a stopover city, one you pass through on a Guianas trip or on the way to French Guiana or the Suriname jungle. But it has more to offer than most people expect. Fort ...
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Vibrant, colorful houses in Curaçao's harbor showcasing island charm and architecture.

Curaçao: Must-Do Activities for One Day in Willemstad

Curaçao is colourful, compact, and one of the Caribbean's best cruise stops - but it works just as well for a long layover or a short visit. Here's how to spend a day well in ...
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Woman sitting in front of Puno Cathedral with colorful "PUNO" sign, Peru.

How to get from Puno to Copacabana: Buses, the border crossing, and Isla del Sol

If you’ve made the effort to get to Puno, you might as well cross into Bolivia. Here’s how to get from Puno to Copacabana, navigate the Kasani border crossing without losing your mind, and why ...
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Vibrant staircase painted with Venezuela's flag colors in an urban setting.

Is Venezuela worth visiting? Seven things that really surprised me

I booked Venezuela on a whim in 2025. Here's what genuinely caught me off guard, including the stuff that's hard to find written down anywhere. From Visa on arrival, six days covering Caracas, the Orinoco ...
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Recent Posts

From a cliff, the view is the town of Atar within the desert in Mauritania

Mauritania Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go

Fewer than 5,000 tourists visit Mauritania each year. If you're planning to be one of them - for the infamous iron ore train, the ancient desert cities, or simply the adventure of going somewhere almost nobody goes - this is everything you need to know before you arrive.
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A yellow mosque in Nouadhbou

Nouadhibou: How to enjoy the end of the Ore Train

Nouadhibou sits at the very tip of a narrow peninsula jutting into the Atlantic, split down the middle by the Moroccan border. It's where you'll end up after riding Mauritania's Ore Train. It's not a destination in the conventional sense, but as a final stop on a Mauritania trip, it's a surprisingly good one.
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A stone mosque sits in the middle of sand dunes in Chinguetti

Chinguetti, Ouadane and the Adrar Region: Mauritania’s Ancient Desert Heart

Mauritania's Adrar region is unlike anywhere else on earth - and most people never make it here. Everything you need to know to visit the gems of this ancient heart of the desert, including Chinguetti, Atar, Ouadane, and the Eye of the Sahara.
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The Saudi Mosque in Nouakchott, taken from above, showing the sprawling city, under a blue sky

Visiting Nouakchott: An Honest Guide to Mauritania’s Surprising Capital

Most people pass through Nouakchott on the way to the iron ore train. They're missing out. Mauritania's capital is chaotic, fascinating, and - in parts - genuinely surprising. Here's what to know.
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A drone shot of Atauro island showing the beach and coast line

Atauro Island: How to Get There, What to Do, and What Nobody Tells You

Atauro Island, Timor-Leste, is home to the most biodiverse reef in the world, but almost entirely unknown to most people. It can also be a logistical headache. Here's how to actually get there and back, what to do while you're there, and everything you need to know about the Sunday shutdown.
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A white SUV sits in the middle of a desert road with sand all around on a Saudi Arabia Road Trip

Saudi Arabia Road Trip: How to Handle Fuel on a Cross-Country Drive

I drove 3,000km across Saudi Arabia solo. The thing everyone panicked about wasn't the driving - it was the fuel. Here's how to avoid getting stuck - practical tips to get through the cross-country drive.
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