Scrapping beyond the surface of Peru

Whanganui High School Spanish teacher Beverley Stuart brings a slice of Peru back home. 
PHOTO: Stuart Munro

Mountains, markets and live music are just a few goodies that sparked Beverly Stuart's love affair with Latin America.

For the last ten years the Whanganui local has been running three week trips to Peru giving New Zealanders "a behind the scenes tour."

In her "younger years" Ms Stuart ventured to Peru on her way back home from her OE travels around Europe. She ended up staying...opening a pizza restaurant, becoming fluent in Spanish and raising five children with a local tour guide Lucho Hurtado.

"I fell in love with the people, the colours, the landscapes, the markets, the weaving, and as life would have it I ended up staying," she said.  

Ms Stuart returned to New Zealand after 12 years and has taken on the role of Whanganui High School's Spanish teacher.

Seven years after moving back to Whanganui, missing her second home and frustrated with New Zealanders not understanding or seeing the real Peru on their travels, Ms Stuart started her business Travel with Beverly.

"People visit Machu Picchu, Cusco and Lima and say they've "done" Peru but they have only seen a snippet and there is so much behind the scenes to experience in order to understand the culture beneath.

"It's a common New Zealand mindset to say "I've done a country" implying that there is no need to go back but Americans don't say "done"...they might say "I have been there once"," Ms Stuart said.

Running up to three trips a year Ms Stuart said she has hosted a total of 20 trips to Peru, including three school visits.

"Eight is a perfect number for adult trips but I can take up to ten. My school trips have been between 20 to 25 students."

Ms Stuart works with Mr Hurtado who still lives in Peru and has a business called Incas Del Peru.

"He is one of the best tour guides in Peru and it is a big advantage having him on the ground to help organise activities and tours...he knows Peruvian politics, medicine, history, spiritual, cuisine...a whole range.

The next tour is booked for July during the Peruvian winter season when there are dry skies and no rain.

Ms Stuart said she will continue running the tours until she no longer gets enjoyment out of it but every time she has gone back there has been something new and exciting to explore.

"Once when I was living in Peru I was showing some friends and family round and a guy asked if he could join the tour...it turned out he was a tour guide himself but was only visiting Peru.

"It showed me there was a market for authentic tours helping tourists to really understand the culture."

By Emma Russell
Wanganui Chronicle 13/4/17