EXPAT Andreas Holland "MY LOVE OF THE ANDES AND OF THE OPEN AIR WERE WHAT CONVINCED ME TO WORK IN THIS SECTOR". Andreas Holland Where were you born and where have you lived? I was born <strong>in</strong> England, but when I was 2 I went with my family to live <strong>in</strong> Paraguay. We went back to England when I was 12 years old. In 1979, when I was 27, I left England aga<strong>in</strong>, with my partner Rachel and our first child Qu<strong>in</strong>o, who was 2, to go back-pack<strong>in</strong>g for six months <strong>in</strong> <strong>Peru</strong>, Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia. We travelled around <strong>Peru</strong> and just stayed. We also lived for a short time <strong>in</strong> Australia and now alternate between <strong>Peru</strong> and Catalonia. Why Ollantaytambo? It’s unique, beautiful and its people are marvellous. How did you decide to work <strong>in</strong> the adventure tourism sector, and particularly trekk<strong>in</strong>g? My love of the Andes and of the open air were what conv<strong>in</strong>ced me to work <strong>in</strong> this sector. It has always been a challenge, tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g my collaborators and develop<strong>in</strong>g new routes; that’s what makes it so <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g. By Carol<strong>in</strong>a San Roman What did you do before you travelled to South America? My first job was as a mathematics teacher <strong>in</strong> a London secondary school. Why did you decide to move to <strong>Peru</strong>? I fell <strong>in</strong> love with the country and its people, and I decided to move here because I wanted to explore the <strong>Peru</strong>vian and Bolivian Andes. How did you become <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> tourism? Once I was <strong>in</strong> <strong>Peru</strong>, with a grow<strong>in</strong>g family, I looked for a way of mak<strong>in</strong>g a liv<strong>in</strong>g and at the same time <strong>in</strong>dulg<strong>in</strong>g my passion for Andean history and culture, the Andes themselves and my <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> show<strong>in</strong>g the wonders of my adopted country to the rest of the world. Where <strong>in</strong> <strong>Peru</strong> have you lived? I’ve lived <strong>in</strong> Ollantaytambo and <strong>in</strong> Cusco. What is your favourite trek, and why? An eighteen-day route across the whole of the Vilcabamba Range. You visit Huancacalle, Ñusta Hispana with its fabulous Yuraq Rumi, Choquetecarpo, Q’elcamachay, Mayuyoc, Pacchar — where you rest for a day and enjoy a pachamanca — Batea Paquisha, Lasuñayoq, Collpa, Huayraqmachay, Ichupata, Jaime-Pablopata, Chusquiñay, Anccascocha, Chancachuco and Ollantaytambo. Just pronounc<strong>in</strong>g those names makes me want to go back! What makes <strong>Peru</strong> an <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g dest<strong>in</strong>ation for adventure? <strong>Peru</strong>’s the perfect country for adventure; it has some of the world’s most impressive mounta<strong>in</strong>s and thousands of kilometres of routes for trekk<strong>in</strong>g. Its rivers are tremendous and unforgettable and its three regions, Coast, Highlands and Jungle, make it simply uniquely enchant<strong>in</strong>g.
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