My passion for Latin America first came from my degree in Modern European Languages where I studied Spanish colonialism and the history of the Incan Empire. Despite this, my desire was to begin learning a completely new language — Japanese — so the next few years took me east rather than west.
It would be a few years later when I rediscovered my love for Spanish so I made it my aim to pursue a career where I could wax lyrical about Latin America and try out my Spanish (with middling success).
Working at Audley now for over 14 years, I get to live out my passion in travel and share my knowledge and experience with my clients with a focus principally on Peru and Ecuador. There's much more to see than Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands. Whether it’s vicuña (cute wild llama) or volcanoes, penguins or Pisco sours, alpaca, or Amazon, you’re simply spoiled for choice in these two fantastic countries.
Q&A with Jake
What’s the one thing you always pack?
There’s no tipping culture in Japan — a welcome change when visiting a country. I will always pack a few trinkets from home in my luggage, however, as you never know when a stranger will help you out in a busy train station or does a random act of kindness when you’re least expecting it. A little gift from home, however small, will always be greatly received in Japan.
Where would you love to travel next?
Shikoku, the fourth main island of Japan, is often overlooked for its bigger, more popular sisters, but this is its appeal to me as a relatively undiscovered Japan. It’s all about nature here: you can see ancient vine bridges, cobalt blue rivers, and a centuries-old strolling garden to name but a few.
Your best piece of travel advice?
My tip is to experiment with different kinds of food establishments in Japan. Of course, the country is famed for its high number of Michelin-starred restaurants, but for me, some of the best food is in a local, unassuming shop or street-food stall (yatai). Other than excellent value for money, you are guaranteed a high level of cleanliness wherever you are in Japan. The best bit: you can’t beat a local’s vantage point of watching the world go by with a delicious bowl of ramen in both hands.