This summer sees the release of four travel books featuring Latin America (there may of course be others!), all written by supporters of LATA and which we are pleased to share with you. We also have a recommendation for a new travel podcast for those after something new to listen to.
Small Earthquakes: A Journey Through Lost British History in South America
Shafik Meghji
Published on 24 July. You can pre-order a copy here
Small Earthquakes uncovers the fascinating story of Britain’s forgotten connections with South America, from the Atacama Desert to Tierra del Fuego, Easter Island to South Georgia.
Blending travel writing, history and reportage, award-winning journalist and author Shafik Meghji tells a tale of footballers and pirates, nitrate kings and wool barons, polar explorers and cowboys, missionaries and radical MPs. From a ghost town in one of the world’s driest deserts to a far-flung ranch in the sub-polar tundra; rusting whaling stations in the South Atlantic to an isolated railway built by convicts; the southernmost city on the planet to a crumbling port known as the ‘Jewel of the Pacific’, he brings to life the past, present and future of this remarkable continent. He sheds light on Britain’s impact on Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, from sparking wars, forging national identities and redrawing borders to its tangled role in their colonisation and decolonisation. But it also reveals how these countries, in turn, have shaped Britain in profound and unexpected ways, from Fray Bentos to the Falklands.
LATA asked Shafik for two of the most unusual places he discovered when researching the book:
Fray Bentos, Uruguay: The former meatpacking plant of one of the most famous British food brands of the 20th century is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an unlikely tourist attraction. Alongside the vast, atmospheric industrial plant – which revolutionised the way the world eats – there is a quaint British-style suburb originally built for the senior managers.
Estancia Harberton, Argentina: The oldest sheep ranch in Tierra del Fuego, Estancia Harberton was founded in 1886 by Anglican missionary Thomas Bridges and is now owned by his descendants. On the shores of the Beagle Channel, it offers accommodation, guided tours and trips to its own offshore penguin colony.
Jamie Lafferty
Published on 25 September. You can pre-order a copy here.
From Kings and Emperors to Macaronis and Rockhoppers, penguins are one of the most immediately recognisable animals on Earth. Yet for all that familiarity, what do we really know about them? An Inconvenience of Penguins follows award-winning travel writer Jamie Lafferty as he visits all 18 species in a bid to understand the birds and their extraordinarily varied habitats a little better. On voyages to some of the world’s most inaccessible and challenging landscapes, he recounts the history of our unique relationship with the world’s most popular bird, telling stories of the penguins, but also the people and places around them.
From getting stranded in the Galapagos to marching through African guano fields, and leading photography groups in the Antarctic to taking psychedelics on the Falklands, this is a birding quest like no other. Along the way Lafferty relives the experiences of early polar explorers, for whom penguins were perplexing mysteries, welcome companions and even occasional meals, and meets the modern penguin lovers trying to save their fragile environments. Featuring cameos from a wide cast of characters including Ernest Shackleton, Charles Darwin, and Sir Francis Drake, as well as beautiful photographs of each penguin species, An Inconvenience of Penguins is part-love letter to and part-biography of these remarkable creatures.
LATA asked Jamie where the best place is for penguin sightings:
Penguins have spread across Latin America, from The Galapagos to Chilean Patagonia, but the greatest diversity is found on The Falkland Islands. There are five penguin species breeding there: the majestic Kings, the burrowing Magellanics, the thriving Gentoos, the rambunctious Macaronis, and the characterful Southern Rockhoppers, which exist here in greater numbers than anywhere else. It could also be argued that there is another half-species – unique to the archipelago, on Bleaker Island and at Cape Bougainville there are instances of the Rockhoppers and Macaronis interbreeding to create a hybrid. This raises the important question: should the offspring be called Machoppers or Rockeronis?
Moon Chile: With Patagonia & Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Steph Dyson
Published on 24 June. Order a copy here.
The book features flexible itineraries – whether you have two days or two weeks in the country – outdoor adventures, and insider recommendations from seasoned explorer and Chile expert Steph Dyson on when to go, where to eat, how to get around, and where to stay. It’s published in full-colour, with detailed maps throughout.
This book is perfect for anyone planning a trip to Chile, whether they’re travelling to Torres del Paine or more road-tripping along the Carretera Austral.
LATA asked Steph for her off-the-radar recommendations for where to visit in Chile:
“Superlative in beauty and scale, Chile is a truly unique South American destination. For travellers seeking a Patagonia without the crowds, look beyond Torres del Paine to a luxe lodge in Tierra del Fuego or an adventurous road trip along the Carretera Austral to lesser-known national parks. A place of fantastical seafaring mythology and architecture, Chiloé Island offers a side to Chilean culture that few visitors encounter, while hikers can head back in time amongst the volcanoes and millennial trees of dazzling Conguillio National Park. In the north, Arica’s museums guard the world’s oldest mummies and grant access to Atacama Desert scenery without the throngs of San Pedro de Atacama”.
South America: An Anthology of Travel Writing
Bradt
Published on 25 July. Pre-order your copy here
A new travel writing anthology from Bradt Guides celebrates the extraordinary continent of South America.
South America: An Anthology of Travel Writing covers some of the world’s most famous destinations, from Machu Picchu to the Argentine pampas, the Galapagos, Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.
The anthology features modern-day personalities including Sir David Attenborough, Sir Michael Palin, Kate Humble and Simon Reeve, and acclaimed writers and seminal figures such as Jan Morris and Charles Darwin.
There’s an extract by George Bradt, co-founder of Bradt Guides, from one of the company’s earliest guides to South America. And Hilary Bradt, in an extract from her autobiography Taking the Risk, reflects on listening to the 1969 moon landing while in Manaus, Brazil.
Editor Celia Dillow, an experienced traveller and sometime resident in South America, comments:
‘[South America] is a place for explorers and adventurers, naturalists and scientists, those who need to hide and those who want to discover. Voyagers tell tales and spin stories that weave themselves into our dreams. They tell us what it was like for them. What they saw and heard and felt helps us to experience it too. And that is the value of travel writing. We can go with these writers, read their words, hear their voices and experience a little of that great and magical land.’
It’s a Journey – A Sustainable Travel Podcast
Holly Tuppen and Richard Hammond
Prefer a podcast to reading a book?
We’ve been listening to this brand new podcast on sustainable travel. It’s a Journey is hosted by Holly Tuppen, sustainable travel writer and expert, and Richard Hammond, publishing director of Green Traveller Media. Together, they draw on their years of experience in sustainable travel media to tackle the thorny issues and provide practical insights for a more responsible industry. The two episodes so far have discussed how to communicate sustainability and how doing the right thing by people and the planet also makes commercial sense. Future episodes will discuss the future of rail travel, the success and impact of public-private partnerships and community tourism.
Find It’s a Journey on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.