My first visit to South America took me to Ecuador – a small, compact country which can be split into four main areas – the Amazon basin, the Andes region, the Coastal region, and the world-famous Galapagos Islands. My trip began in the capital city, Quito, home to excellent museums, churches and art galleries. My half day tour covered its colonial centre, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Outside of Quito, I travelled by Chiva Express – a colourful bus on railway tracks – to Cotopaxi, the world’s highest active volcano. The journey allows you to sit on top of the Chiva Express so you can have an uninterrupted view of the spectacular countryside, and surrounding volcanoes.

A few days later I ventured off into the Amazon jungle – which due to its location (approx 40 minutes flight from Quito) is one of the most accessible areas of the upper Amazon basin. During my time here I saw monkeys and pink river dolphins, plus many bugs and insects including a tarantula during a night hike. It was a fantastic experience, but after 4 nights, I was relieved to get back to Quito and a hot shower. Before I went to Ecuador, the most I knew of the country was in relation to the Galapagos Islands, and while the islands are fascinating, Ecuador has so much more to offer its visitors.