After a 4am wake up call I made my way to the departure point for the clay lick. A walk through the jungle down to the pier awoke an Armadillo crossing the path, he seemed to follow us for around 5 minutes.

Following a short boat ride across the river bank we sat patiently waiting for the show to begin. Silence, then in the far distance we heard the shrieks of Green-winged Macaws making their way to the clay lick for sunrise. Not far behind them were Scarlet and Blue-and-gold Macaws.

Perching in the near by trees awaiting the first Macaws to fly onto the lick. When the first few took their first flight of the morning, others followed, a truly spectacular sight. We were incredibly lucky to witness such a spectacular event and overhead close views of the beautifully coloured birds produced numerous blue sky shots! Still, its such a shame to think without the help of organisations such as Rainforest Expeditions operating conservation projects these beautiful birds may have become extinct.

Having spent 4 nights in the Peruvian Amazon, Tambopata Reserve (which is home to 32 parrot species, 10% of the worlds total), I had been fortunate to observe a number of different species of monkey, frogs, Caimans, birds along with an Anteater and Armadillo.

The Amazon Basin encompasses an area of around 7 million square kilometres, shared with neighbouring countries to Peru such as Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana and Venezuela. Of course the Amazon represents approximately half of the planets remaining rainforests and is disappearing at a rate of more than 3,200 square kilometres every half year and is increasing significantly.

After the Amazon I returned to the Sacred Valley which looked absolutely stunning during the rainy season, incredibly green and lush with lots of beautiful flowers. Visiting Maras and Moray I got a fantastic view of the entire valley, a definite must upon an itinerary! Of course, Pisac ruins, market and Ollantaytambo are also an incredible insight into Peru's culture and history.

Crossing Lake Titicaca I remember thinking how much it looks like the ocean, being so vast. Upon arrival into Suasi Island it was incredible to note the striking flora on the island. Furthermore, it is possible to be observe Vicunas, Llamas, Vizcachas, hummingbirds, cormorants and many other species of bird. A fantastic place to relax and unwind in amongst the beautiful well-kept gardens at Suasi.

Peru really does have so much to offer in the way of wildlife, history and culture, a great insight into Latin America..........

Departing Peru I had a short stopover in Santiago before my return flight home, during which I headed North to visit Valparaiso and Vina del Mar. With 25 funiculars, 12 still in operation offering a walking tour unlike any other, Valparaiso offers several hills featuring colourful tin houses, pastel shades making great coastal views. Just a short distance from Santiago, it is a great addition to a visit to Chile.

Upon arrival into Trelew airport, I was greeted by a dinosaur on the terminal building....in one day I saw so much wildlife from Rheas (similar to Ostriches) to a mother and calf Southern Right Whales. An inquisitive baby elephant seal (still weighing 40kg) came rather close to me whilst I was on the beach at Estancia Rincon Chico.

In the same day I encountered strong hot sun whilst walking along a beach in Peninsula Valdes, to walking through the snow in Ushuaia. Upon arrival into Ushuaia, I kept passing the pier to see when the Antarctic Dream docked ready for my expedition the following day. It was an incredible feeling boarding the vessel knowing this was home for the next 10 nights.

Crossing the Drake passage on the outbound journey to the South Shetlands it seemed I was one of very few onboard the lovely ship! It became apparent when we arrived into calmer waters that the boat was indeed full!

When I disembarked the zodiac for the first landing (wet), I was greeted by a whole colony of Gentoo penguins. I sat down on the fresh snow to watch passing penguins, they are really rather comical and endearing. This is the best way to watch them on land protecting their eggs from birds and gathering gifts in the form of stones for their partners (occasionally taking from another nest next to theirs).

The scenery, wildlife and sheer wild spirit of Antarctica offers is one to remember! Not to mention the distress call we received from the M/S Explorer whilst we were on a rescue mission. Luckily the NordNorge was closer and all passengers were safe.

We knew we got lucky with the Drake on the way out due to being so early in the season and consequently we really experienced this on the way back to Ushuaia. A truly unforgettable experience!

'My first thought was that I had just entered a butterfly farm when disembarking the plane at Iguazu airport on the Argentinean side. Thousands of beautifully coloured butterflies greeted me and immediately I knew I was in for something special. '...extract from the forthcoming On Location August 2007 from my recent trip to Argentina & Chile.

A truly memorable trip from start to finish, from hearing the vast quantities of water passing through Iguazu falls, to watching the most spectacular sunset I have ever experienced next to the stand of flamingos grazing in the Laguna Chaxa saltflats at the Salar de Atacama. I literally needed to pinch myself due to the sheer magnificence!

Looking forward to my next trip back to Argentina in November, where I will embark upon an amazing adventure to Antarctica and Peninsula Valdes. From watching the recent 'Saving Planet Earth' BBC programs following the Albatross in the Falklands, and previous nature programs on the penguins in Antarctica, I am incredibly privileged!

Having watched this weeks Holiday programme featuring Ecuador, it brought back fantastic memories of my time spent in the Amazon! Climbing to the top of the 39 foot high canopy above the rainforest and paddling in a dug-out canoe through lush green forest with monkeys running overhead as the sun was setting. A magical experience!

I thought the programme truly captured the essence of Ecuador. Although I am sure they must have spent hours filming to capture a Toucan so close! All the same, well done the bbc!