An eternal battle rages between the Pacific and Atlantic weather systems for domination of the mighty Andes, sweeping their 6000-metre peaks snow-free for most of the year and causing massive turbulence in the troposphere. I’d better sit upright in my airline seat: seeing the Cordillera for the first time in all its stupendous glory is heart-stopping. The Andes, South America’s spinal column, stretch more than 7000km from Venezuela to Tierra del Fuego, the end of the world, determining the continent’s shape, geology, climate, vegetation, fauna, history and culture. It is the world’s longest mountain range, shaping its countries with an unarguable grip… Continue Reading