Peru

Peru is a country located in western South America, on the Pacific Coast, north of Chile. Peruvian territory was home to ancient cultures spanning from the Norte Chico civilization, one of the oldest in the world, to the Inca Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian America. The Spanish Empire conquered the region in the 16th century and established a Viceroyalty, which included most of its South American colonies. After achieving independence in 1821, Peru has undergone periods of political unrest and fiscal crisis as well as periods of stability and economic upswing.

Links To Peel
The Daily Telegraph interviewed John Peel on May 2004 about his favourite holidays. Amongst his favourites were his family holidays in a chateau in Dordogne in southern France and his honeymoon trip to visit the pyramids in Egypt. After asking Peel where he would like to go next, he replied:

"South America, for new cultural experiences. But there's so much to see that it's rather daunting."

After the article got published, Michael Kerr, the journalist, decided that John Peel should perhaps travel to South America with the Telegraph expense to visit a country and write an article for them. After Peel agreed with the idea, he and his wife Shelia, decided to go for Peru. Peel at first was worried:

"I've got a bad back and diabetes ... I'm not the most robust of travellers. But I would like to see as much of the country as I can. Where do you recommend?"

Kerr suggested the well known places of Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Lake Titicaca, the Colca Canyon. All of them, and several others, were on the final itinerary for Peel and his wife Sheila.

Peel was scared of flights and Kerr suggested three options for travelling within Peru, but Peel wasn't happy with the first two, as it involved many internal flights. He chose the third, which involved a couple of flights and road travel through many pot holes, which Peel prefered more than the flights.

Travelling In Peru
John and Sheila arrived in Peru on Sunday October 17th 2004. After a couple of nights in the capital, Lima, they moved on to Arequipa, to see the condors soaring above the Colca Canyon, and then to Puno, gateway to Lake Titicaca, before catching a train to Cuzco, where they were to stay three nights, before visiting the ancient Inca ruins of Machu Picchu.

Death of Peel
On their second night in Cuzco, at the Hotel Liberatdor, where they were staying, Peel suffered a massive heart attack and doctors were called to the hotel, to revive him. After unsuccessful attempts, he was taken to a local hospital, where he was prounced dead on 25th October 2004.