My top 3s

In this modern age of reviews, ratings and the oracle that is tripadvisor, I thought it only appropriate that I rate some of my best (and worst) experiences in South America for you. Of course every dodgy meal, crazy taxi ride, noisy hostel and interesting acquaintance - whether they stick out in my mind or fade into the myriad of memories - had a part to play in my journey so apologies for those that don't get a mention.

Hostels - your choice of hostel can determine your enjoyment of a certain place in every single way. It's your home for the night, the most likely place to make friends, find things to do, eat, sleep and 'sort your life out' as I often like to do. My top 3 hostels, although very different have two common attributes - the food on offer in-house was incredible and the opportunities for meeting people were endless.
1) Discovery Hostel, Rio - right from the word go - the friendliest staff, best free breakfast, the most interesting and open travellers that you could fit into such a small homely hostel, beautifully decorated and filled with things to do, bedrooms and bathrooms designed by a perfectionist. I continued to recommend this hostel throughout the rest of my trip.
2) Community Hostel, Quito - booked for 2 nights, stayed for 6. The only downfall of this place was you weren't sure who was staff and who was a guest but you soon got used to everyone being super chatty and helpful round the big dinner table as we tucked into stunning communal meals made by the lovely chefs. Luxury bathrooms, super fluffy pillows, perfect location right by the central
market and a tour agency downstairs completed the convenience package.
3) Casa en el Agua, Colombia - more of a static boat than a Hostel, despite only spending one terrifyingly stormy night in a hammock here it gets a mention for ridiculous uniqueness. Eating lobster fresh from the ocean around us, drinking coconut cocktails in the natural ocean pool, stargazing on sunlounger kayaks whilst lightning rippled around the horizon - a pretty epic experience if not the most comfortable or cost-effective.

Meals - obviously eating is an essential part of life, and often the highlight of my day wherever I am in the world but whilst travelling it can become an activity in itself. Having already done a whole blog about the cuisine in Peru you know this already. It's so hard to pick just 3 meals that stand out so I'll try grouping meals together.
1) Meals on the Inca Trail - tasty platters of trout, meat, salads, soups and hot breakfasts - all tasting Better than ever eaten under canvas after hours of trekking
2) Seafood in Lima - a super cheap ceviche lunch followed by a not-so-cheap baked salmon at Ponto Azul for dinner (lobster, prawns and whole fish in Colombia also deserve a mention)
3) Pizzas in Rio - as much as I tried to avoid eating international foods too much I went to some fantastic little pizzerias in Santa Teresa, Rio where unique toppings such as gorgonzola, ginger and sesame replaced the usual tomato sauce and pepperoni

Cities - many cities in the Andes had lots of similarities between them - with a main plaza, Bolivar statue, food markets, fabulous street art, Favela-like areas and some sort of hilltop viewpoint. So my top 3 are ones that stand out for one reason or another.
1) Rio - I had high hopes for this iconic city, and despite the not unfounded scaremongering about its street crime, it did not disappoint. The stunning landscape, party vibes and incredible people I met - and the fantastic experience living and working in a Favela - collectively give Rio a very special place in my heart. If the opportunity arises to go back I won't hesitate to do so.
2) Arequipa - bit of an obscure choice, a fairly small, lesser-known city in Peru. It was just a quietly beautiful place with a relaxed atmosphere, great restaurants, stunning architecture and volcanic backdrop.
3) La Paz - despite having the most lonely feelings and unfortunate events of my trip happen during my stay here I could still appreciate its uniqueness. In a huge bowl surrounded by snow-capped mountains with cable cars as their main form of public transport, this city has many other quirks. The Aymara women at strange market stalls that line every street and replace any form of supermarket, the San Pedro open prison and the backwards town hall clock to name a few.

Day-trips - my favourite way to pack loads of sight-seeing in whilst giving myself a break from the constant decision making and navigating whilst also a good chance to meet some brilliant people - mostly in the form of excellent tour guides. As my Ecuador blog would suggest my top 3 are all from that country.
1) Otovalo - not necessarily the most spectacular of trips but with visits to a biscuit factory, ice cream parlour, hat workshop, crater lake and the incredible arts/textiles market in between jokes and history lessons from Omar it was a fun day. I remember thinking on the drive back to Quito how lucky I was to be here whilst witnessing a fabulous rainbow.
2) Amazon - the most jam-packed day full of monkey petting, canoe riding, jungle trekking, Tarzan swinging, waterfall swimming, face painting, chocolate making and all with only one other tourist in sight! Despite not going far into the Amazon itself I felt very much off the beaten track!
3) Cotopaxi - another day with the brilliant Omar. Lots of travel but the most exhilirating hike up the highest active volcano and meeting some great characters makes it one to remember.

Adrenaline Activities - despite being fairly risk averse generally I do like to challenge myself to do some rather dangerous things whilst travelling - just in case the opportunity doesn't arise again. I managed a fair few on this trip - hang gliding, white water rafting and rappelling 72m into a cave don't even make it into the top 3 there were that many!
1) Snorkelling in Rio Prata - not quite a heart-stopper but 3 hours of floating down the clearest river you've ever seen alongside beautiful fish and aquatic scenery made for a completely unforgettable adventure.
2) Canyoning - abseiling down 5 waterfalls up to 30m high, learning how to set up the ropes with a guide practically to myself this was a very pleasant if slightly nerve racking way to spend a rainy morning.
3) Dune-buggying/sandboarding - this activity should have come with a health warning! Back- breaking bumping along the sand, terrifying drops over the brows of the dunes and the possibility of grazed knuckles, chin and winding after your sandboard hits you in the face (as I found out) were not advertised. However, it was possibly the most exhilirating and by far the longest lasting rollercoaster I have ever been on - with the bonus of spectacular desert views!

Experiences - obviously anything can be an experience but what I mean really is an extended part of my trip that felt particularly memorable. My top 3 probably won't surprise you, they were as good as expected if not better.
1) The Inca Trail - a truly magical experience, I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed the actual hiking and the group were all fantastic. I felt simultaneously supported by the guides and porters and yet completely free to stare at the hills and ponder my thoughts. Even waking up at 5am every day was weirdly enjoyable!
2) Volunteering in Rocinha - living and working in one of the most notorious places in the world and yet not feeling unsafe as I passed the guys hanging out with machine guns was a fairly unusual experience. Looking after very cute if rather naughty children and finding my way through the steep maze of alleyways, marvelling at the view of higgledypiggledy brick walls, cables and water tanks from our hillside house was just incredible.
3) Salar de Uyuni - the salt flats themselves were every bit as dazzling as the pictures suggest but the multitude of incredible landscapes we drove through to get to them over 3 days, with a lovely driver and great quartet of fellow travellers helping each other overcome the sub-zero temperatures and altitude sickness made me realise how fragile and inconsequential mankind can be in such an inhospitable but breathtaking environment.