Richard McColl

I am a freelance writer from deepest darkest London but for the past 7 years or so I have been maintaining my extended "writing break" in Latin America through various guises, writing, leading expeditions, coordinating social projects for Quest Overseas in Rio's Mangueira favela and the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Previously I was in the employ of the environmental NGO WWF. After some nasty illnesses in 2006, (malaria and dengue, together, twice!) I have relocated to the lofty climes of Bogota.

I have filed articles for CNN Traveller, the BBC and various newspapers, magazines and websites (Newsweek, The Santiago Times, The Scotsman, The Times, The Independent, South American Explorers Magazine, Pure, Global, Travelbite.co.uk) from the likes of Surinam, Peru, Colombia, Brazil and have extensively travelled all the countries on this continent.

My other projects include a Traveller's guesthouse, La Casa Amarilla, in the UNESCO world heritage site of Mompos, Colombia and as of January 2009 I have launched a new travel company in Colombia - Aji Colombia.