Laura Mottram

From Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Laura and Patrick Mottram embarked on a 21,000 kilometre adventure around South America by bike. As they cycled over the Andes, across the Atacama Desert and through the Amazon Rainforest, they witnessed a side to the continent that few people ever see. 

Their journey took them through Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentine, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana as they made their way, like the giant leatherback turtles they encountered, back to the very beach where their journey began. 

'Ipanema Turtles' is an inspirational travel memoir about exploration and self-discovery during one couple’s adventure of a lifetime. It tells the stories of the strangers they met, their close encounters with sloths and tarantulas, and the incredible places they visited, as well as providing an excellent insight into the life of a cycle tourist.