Crossed Off the Map: Bolivia from the Andes to the Amazon with Travel Writer Shafik Meghji

Follow travel writer Shafik Meghji from the Andes to the Amazon on a journey across one of Latin America’s most spectacular countries – Bolivia. We’re going to travel from the stark white plains of the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world, to the most biodiverse place in the entire amazon rainforest, we’re going to discover a lost city and a mountain that eats men … but we’re also going to do what all good explorers do and dig deeper.While traveling up and down to every corner of the country, Shafik realized there was a bigger story to be told – not just about Bolivia, but about us too. Everywhere he went he found a contrast between the ancient and the modern – the unchanging and the acceleration of the new. Bolivia, he realized, lived on the cusp of the past and the future, that knife edge dynamic of push and pull that shapes our world. And the more he traveled, the more he realized that we live on that cusp too.This is a story for travelers, and it will take you to some of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring places on the planet. But it's also a story for explorers who like to dig down, ask questions and discover the deeper threads of history and society that define a country and our world today.Who’s the guest?Shafik Menghji is an award-winning travel writer, author, broadcaster and photographer. His book of this journey is called ‘Crossed off the Map: Travels in Bolivia’. It’s an incredibly well researched and written book and an essential read for anyone visiting or dreaming about a trip to Bolivia. You can find it here or go to www.shafikmeghji.com to find out more. You can also connect with Shafik on Twitter and Instagram @shafikmeghji … Go and hang out, he’s an awesome bloke to travel with.Buy me a Pint!If you're enjoying the show please consider showing your support by buying me a pint! The show is free, but it takes many hours to produce, almost all of which is done by one person, little old me. The sponsors cover costs, but not my time. If you like what you hear and think that two episodes a month is worth the price of a single frosty beverage then please go to www.patreon.com/armchairexplorerpodcast. From just $5 per month you will get you ad free episodes, exclusive episodes not available anywhere else and lots more. Buy me a pint! ... the next round will be on me.Thank you Sponsors!Today’s episode is brought to you by Wondrium. Imagine Netflix, but for your brain – a huge audio and video encyclopedia for anything that you might want to learn or are curious to find out about – and you can download it all right to your phone. Go to www.wondrium.com/armchair to get a free no strings attached trial and 20% off the annual price if you like what you hear. Let's Hang outFollow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode