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Natalie’s LA life

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By Josephine Agostino

This rock chick wants it all — and just might get it, now that she and her man have set up house in Hollywood.

It wasn’t that long ago that Natalie Bassingthwaighte was saying goodbye to her Neighbours on Ramsay Street. Now the 32-year-old singer of electro-pop band Rogue Traders is making the big move to the bright lights of Hollywood, to try her luck as an actress and solo artist. Boyfriend Cameron McGlinchey, Rogue Traders’ drummer, will be keeping her company.

On the eve of her first TV hosting role, for the Australian version of So You Think You Can Dance, Natalie invites Woman’s Day into her sleek LA pad.

You were based in Melbourne for a long time while you were on Neighbours and you’ll be based in Sydney for SYTYCD. Have you given up Melbourne now?

Well, the funny thing is, I’ve decided to keep my home in Melbourne because we just want a place where it feels more homely. I can literally leave Melbourne without any notice, because I’ve got everything here. I’ve got a whole new make-up kit, you know, blow-dryer, all that stuff, so that if I have to go at the last minute, I don’t need to pack anything. But I can go home and it’s the same as well. I think if I’d actually packed up my house, I’d be like, “Oh, my God, I’ve really done a big move!” But because my house is still there, I’m like, “Oh, yeah, I can go back any time.” Also, we’re really close to our family, so we didn’t just want to kind of pack up and leave.

Do you and Cameron find that you make sacrifices for each other?

Yeah, I think you do on a day-to-day basis, but I think that’s what makes a great relationship. You have to make sacrifices for each other. I just think that if something comes up we’ll sit there and talk about it and evaluate it, and then go, “Okay, what’s going to be the best for us?” We want to be together, so we’re going to work it out.

Does it make it easier because you’re both in the industry?

Yeah, we both know what it’s like and we both have dreams and goals that we want to achieve and we’re happy for each other. So it definitely works for us.

Where are your shopping hot spots?

Robertson Boulevard is a really great strip and also the Beverly Center. They’ve got, like, Roberto Cavalli, Dior, Diesel, all the lush brands and the casual brands, so it’s a pretty great place to get anything. I just bought two pairs of Christian Louboutin heels and Balenciaga boots. I have the biggest shoe fetish! Luckily, my wardrobe is enormous. You could put a queen-sized bed in there.

Do you hit the clubs in your brand new clothes?

I don’t usually go out much. I like going to really nice restaurants and we have a couple of our favourite bars.

Did any of the auditions for SYTYCD make you laugh?

We had a lot of people dress up as Michael Jackson! It’s incredible the passion they have for such a man — I mean, Michael Jackson’s an icon, but it’s way beyond what you thought was possible. Then there were people dressed up as fruit. I don’t think they did that intentionally, but I kept telling them they looked like that, and they kept saying, “No, we’re not tomato and grapes!” What I loved was those who came in and did cultural dances like Hawaiian dancing. There was a guy who was Aboriginal and he was doing this insane dance with white paint on his body. It was just beautiful!

Is Cameron a fan of the show too?

We both love the show. My girlfriends and my friends — guy friends — we all really like the show because it’s inspiring and fun. Cam came to some of the auditions and I think he was one person who initially said, “Are they going to be as good?” but I think he now agrees and is very excited about it.

Can you see yourself on stage with him when you’re old and grey?

Oh, my God, if I’m still on stage at 60, someone shoot me! Actually, no, that’s not true, you know what I’ll be like, I’ll be up there for sure, so why not!

Is your new book based on personal experience?

Yeah, it’s a journal, so I tell my stories, some of which are really embarrassing. It celebrates our differences, so it’s really cool.

You have an intimate scene with a female in a movie coming out this year called Prey. How was that?

I’m not really allowed to say anything, because I’ll get in trouble. I’m just going to leave it at that!

Are you looking forward to seeing yourself on the big screen?

I think it’s going to be really great. You never know what anything’s going to be like, but we’re really excited about it. We can’t wait to see it when it comes out. Hopefully, it’ll be in the next six months.

How do you feel about living in a place where everyone is a wannabe celebrity and is always on a diet?

The funny thing as well is that there’s this perception that it’s all fake and everyone is so skinny and everywhere you go you see that, but I don’t surround myself with that. If I did, then I would be very paranoid about how I looked and what I ate. I think you are what you surround yourself with, and I hang around with positive people who like food. I used to worry about that stuff a lot, but now I think that would make me unhappy, and I don’t ever want to be like that.

Would you like to buy one of those sprawling LA mansions like all the celebs there have?

We’ve been talking about purchasing something here. I would love to, but I don’t know. It depends what happens — whether I keep my place in Melbourne or keep both. I think it’s silly to waste money on rent, but I didn’t want to jump in the deep end as soon as I got here. I just wanted to be here for several months and then decide whether I’m going to stay here or not.

Read more of this interview in Woman’s Day (on-sale January 28, 2008)

So You Think You Can Dance screens Sundays and Mondays from February 3 at 7.30pm on Network Ten. Rogue Traders’ single ‘I Never Liked You’ is out now.

Listen to the latest Rogue Traders album here.

Watch the video interview with Natalie.

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Terri’s amazing makeover

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The widow of the late Steve Irwin has everyone talking about her new look.

Casting off her trademark khakis — and apparently the heavy heart that has tormented her since the death of her husband Steve Irwin in September 2006 — all eyes were on a radiant Terri, 43, as she entered the swanky G’Day USA ball in Hollywood.

“Terri looked like a new woman, she really was the belle of the ball,” says a fellow guest.

“It was like a weight has finally been lifted from her — she seemed genuinely happy again. “And she looked absolutely amazing, a real stunner.”

Instead of splurging thousands of dollars on her eye-catching party frock, Terri paid a mere $80 for it at a US department store. She then honoured her late husband’s memory by donating $15,000 — the estimated cost of a typical red carpet designer gown — to help save the Tasmanian devil…

See the pictures and read the full story in Woman’s Day (on-sale January 28, 2008) — plus, find out why some people are speculating Terri may have found love again!

Your say: What do you think of Terri’s new look?

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Heath Ledger, April 4, 1979 – January 22, 2008

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He was the feisty, rough and ready boy made good from Perth. At 16, a determined Heath Andrew Ledger knew school wasn’t for him. He packed his bags and high-tailed it to Sydney to pursue the bright lights and the big screen. All he wanted was to act.

The son of Kim, an engineer who designed race cars, and Sally, a French teacher, Heath always said his parents’ marriage bust-up when he was just 11, had set him on a creative path.

“It set me up for this bohemian life I’ve been leading,” he told Rolling Stone magazine in 2006.

But Heath had more than stars in his eyes, his dream of success was backed up with highly noticeable talent.

He never went to acting school, his acting was instinctive.

“What was noticeable about him was he was concentrated, very quiet, and you could see that he was really observant of other people,” John Rapsey, the writer of ABC teen series Sweat, said of Heath after he turned in a stirring performance playing a gay cyclist in one of his first professional roles in 1996.

Casting agents couldn’t help but notice his surfy blonde locks and athletic build. He became an instant heartthrob playing the lead in Fox’s fantasy warrior drama Roar, and proved himself very much a ladies man by dating his co-star Lisa Zane (actor Billy Zane’s sister) who was 18 years his senior.

Having made his big screen debut in Australian movie Blackrock, Heath decided to try his luck in Hollywood.

Again he found himself wearing the ‘hunky heartthrob’ badge in the hit teen comedy, 10 Things I Hate About You, in which he starred alongside Julia Stiles, but Heath yearned for projects that would stretch him as an actor. He didn’t want to be pigeonholed as a mere teen poster boy. He got his wish, taking the lead in the acclaimed Australian movie, Two Hands.

It was Mel Gibson who picked up on Heath’s brooding intensity while scouting for someone to play his son in the revolutionary epic, The Patriot.

“He possessed the unknown factor that sort of lights up the screen,” Gibson said. “I had such great hope for him.”

The movie was a smash, the critics raved about Heath, and his star power was confirmed with him landing on the cover of Vanity Fair with the headline, ‘We’re Havin’ A Heath Wave.’

A Knight’s Tale saw Heath bloom as a Hollywood leading man. Filmed on location in Prague, he lost his heart to another older woman, the stunning Heather Graham.

Intensely private, Heath never understood the media’s fascination with his private life. But as his star continued to rise and he fell in and out of love, the paparazzi were always there.

He fell in love with his Ned Kelly co-star — again an older woman, this time 11 years older — fellow Australian Naomi Watts. Their two-year on again, off again fling was played out in the glare of flashbulbs. Heath’s loathing of media scrutiny intensified.

Throughout his career, Heath’s focus, passion, and dedication to the craft of acting often saw him being compared to a young Marlon Brando. For him, it was the ultimate compliment.

The Brando comparisons were universal with Heath’s tortured portrayal of gay cowboy Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain. His standout performance saw him receive Golden Globe and Oscar nominations. He didn’t win the Oscar, but he won co-star Michelle Williams. The smitten pair set up house and had a baby together, Matilda Rose Ledger, born on October 28, 2005 in Brooklyn, New York.

“It really is quite profound to what extent this film has changed my life,” Heath said in 2006. “Brokeback Mountain has given me two beautiful girls who I fall deeper and deeper in love with daily. It’s given me Brooklyn, a city I adore, it’s just enlightened nearly every aspect of my life.”

Unfortunately it was at the Australian premiere of Brokeback Mountain in Sydney, that Heath’s troubled relationship with the paparazzi reached its lowest point.

While walking the red carpet at Fox Studios, Heath and Michelle were given a thorough drenching, when photographers turned on them with high powered water pistols. The prank was said to be payback for Heath’s alleged bad treatment of the paps.

The humiliating incident obviously upset the young star and inflamed his hatred for media intrusion. He sold up his Bronte beachside mansion and left Australia.

Sadly, Heath and Michelle ended their relationship in September 2007. The relationship may have soured, but Heath’s love for his little girl only grew stronger. He was often spotted contentedly pushing Matilda in a stroller through the streets of Brooklyn.

“Fatherhood has changed me as an artist because I feel things on a deeper level. I think my performances will grow simultaneously,” he said.

As many of his acting colleagues have testified, we were yet to see the most remarkable of Heath’s acting. His portrayal of the Joker in yet to be released Batman — The Dark Knight, has critics raving.

“I tell you the big surprise in the new Batman — Heath Ledger as the Joker,” Michael Caine told the New York press. “Heath is like the most murderous psychopath you’ve ever seen on the screen.”

Ironically it was the arrival of daughter Matilda that made Heath comfortable with the notion of dying.

“I feel good about dying now because I feel like I’m alive in her,” he recently said. “But at the same time you don’t want to die because you want to be around for the rest of her life.”

Judging by the outpouring of grief from family, friends and colleagues, there are a lot of people who wish Heath Ledger could have stayed around a little bit longer.

Words: Glen Williams

Read more tributes to Heath in Woman’s Day (on-sale January 28, 2008)

Plus, more about the events that lead to his tragic death.

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New looks for an old-fashioned darling

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Want a gorgeous big flower that blooms in sun or light shade, doesn’t need watering, pruning, weeding or feeding, and will refuse to die even if a semi-trailer backs over it? Then you need some agapanthus.

Agapanthus are among the most generous bloomers about but… (there are always ‘buts’ in the gardening world!):

‘But’ number 1:

Some older varieties of agapanthus – big, strong darlings – are so big and vigorous they can become a weed, colonising the bush and roadsides. Don’t plant the ‘big oldies’ if you live anywhere near the bush! And just to be safe, always break off the flower stems on any aggie when the flowers have faded. That keeps the plants looking neater, too – but it also ensures that your aggies will never go wild.

‘But’ number 2:

Most people think all aggies need the same conditions. There are hundreds of different varieties of agapanthus. Some bloom in deep, dry shade, others need full sun to bloom well. Most will bloom in either full sun or light shade, give you some flowers even in the worst droughts and lots of blooms in good rainy years.

But if your aggies aren’t giving you a glorious display of big shaggy blooms, then they may well be in the wrong place. And there is one place that ALL aggies hate – anywhere they’ll have wet feet. Aggies MUST have well drained soil, or their roots will rot. But apart from that they are very tolerant. They’ll even thrive on slightly salty bore water or with strong salty coastal winds.

Which Agapanthus?

Aggies come in a lovely range of blue to purple shades, from an almost inky black to a misty sky blue. There are also pure white aggies, aggies with a pink or blue tinge, and a rare pale pink aggie too. They range in height from blooms on one metre high stems to those on stems of a mere 30cm.

Most aggies flower in mid-summer for about six weeks with spectacular giant blooms. But many of the newer varieties will flower from the end of November right through to late summer and autumn. There are winter blooming agapanthus, too, though in very cold climates they may sulk and refuse to flower till early spring.

Just about all aggies are evergreen, but there are some deciduous ones – their leaves die back in winter and then burst forth again in spring.

A few favourites:

Black Pantha: Tall and dark, dark purple, and if the breeders are correct then this variety won’t set seed so it can’t become a weed.

Agapanthus pendulus: Deep blue drooping flowers, tall and sun loving.

Agapanthus Snowball: Just as the name says – a wonderful ball of white on a small ‘dwarf’ plant.

Agapanthus Sea Mist: Small plants with flowers of a light misty blue.

Agapanthus Snowflake: A neat small plant with silvery green leaves and masses of white flowers carried through most of summer.

Agapanthus dwarf white: Only 20-30cm high.

Agapanthus Alba Rosea: Small plant, White flowers with pink tips.

Agapanthus Streamline: Low-growing, dwarf agapanthus with pale blue flowers that have a deeper blue strip down centre.

Agapanthus Double Delight: Deep purple flowers, likes morning sun and afternoon shade

Agapanthus Strawberry Ice: Spectacular aggies, about 80cm high, with white flowers blushed with pink.

Agapanthus Peter Pan: About 60cm high, pale sky blue flowers in mid-summer.

Agapanthus orientalis: The common variety that can easily become a weed. They come in shades of blue and white, and grow about 150cm tall.

Agapanthus Tiger Stripe or Gold variegated: This rare aggie has yellow striped leaves, though you do need full sunlight for the colour to be really distinct. The flowers are pale blue and grow between 1.2-1.5m.

How to cosset an aggie:

Aggies are almost indestructible – but they do need to become well established first.

1.Plant in a good deep hole – don’t crowd the roots.

2. Give them half a bucket of water. A bit of mulch isn’t a bad idea, either.

3. Water about once a month for the first year.

4. Now ignore them – except when you’re admiring them and clipping off the dead heads, of course.

After a few years your single aggie plant will have grown into a giant clump, and the ones in the middle may not be flowering. Use a spade to ‘divide’ the clump. Plant your new aggies in another part of the garden, or give them away to friends who need some hardy colour in their lives and gardens!

Where to buy your agapanthus:

Most nurseries will have some varieties of aggies for sale. But if you become an agapanthus devotee – and in hot dry times it’s easy to do – then you’ll have to start hunting out specialist nurseries. Try Googling agapanthus and see what you get!

Where to grow your aggies:

Line the drive with a hedge of aggies, or plant them along the front fence.

Use a thick line of tall aggies as a backdrop in your flower garden, or as an edging of small ones in front;

Aggies look spectacularly elegant in pots on patios;

Cover hot dry areas with a mass of smaller, long-flowering aggies for a stunning summer display; and

Plant tall aggies around our deciduous trees. They get just enough sun to flower well. But more importantly, they protect the base of the trees from a husband who can get just a bit too enthusiastic with a whipper snipper or mower and damage the tree’s bark!

Oh, and aggies make superb cut flowers too – big, bold and beautiful, as well as long lasting.

Have fun!

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Energise your life!

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When was the last time you felt your whole being hum with vitality? Try working one or two of these tips into your day as first aid for feeling worn out.

1. Kickstart with cayenne: Start the day with a glass of warm water, the juice of ½ a lime, a teaspoon of honey and a good pinch of cayenne pepper. The lime activates liver function and the cayenne boosts circulation. Together, they rev up digestion and metabolism and speed detoxification. Translation: This tonic gets things moving.

2. Brush and blast : Before you step in the shower, use a long-handled bristle brush all over your body (except face and neck). Skin brushing stimulates the lymphatic system and makes skin tingle. Finish with short burst of cold water for morning pep.

3. Punch up your prana : In yoga, pranayama – breath control – is used to energise body and mind. Try this invigorating exercise outside in the fresh air.

  • Stand with hands on your shoulders, elbows pointed out.

  • Inhale and twist to the left, then twist to the right as you exhale, making a loud ‘ha!’ as you punch your left arm to the right. Make the sound from deep in your gut, not just your throat.

  • Repeat, inhaling and twisting to the right, exhaling and punching to the left.

4. Knock three times : The “three taps” of chi kung create waves of fresh energy deep within the body.

  • Head Using your knuckles, tap vigorously from the shoulders up the neck, over the skull to the forehead, and back down the neck again.

  • Kidneys Gently tap the kidneys from top to bottom. You’ll find them just above your waist at the back of your abdomen on either side of your spine.

  • Thymus Using one hand, tap the centre of your chest. The best rhythm is one heavy tap followed by two lighter taps (ONE, two, three, ONE, two, three)

5. Pick a flower essence :Developed by the homoeopath Dr Edward Bach, these work on a subtle level to restore emotional balance. Bach recommended Scleranthus for sluggishness and Larch for that couldn’t-be-bothered feeling. Essences can be taken by mouth, used as a room mist, or added to a bath.

6. Thought-switch : This technique comes from neuro-linguistic programming (NLP).

  • Close your eyes and imagine a ‘trigger picture’ – what makes you feel exhausted? Maybe it’s you surrounded by to-do lists. Make it big, like a computer screen.

  • Now imagine a ‘switch picture’ of how you want to be instead, in your ideal, energetic state. Place this at the bottom of the screen, like an icon.

  • Select the icon and bring it up to fill the screen, deleting the negative picture.

  • Open your eyes and stamp your feet. Repeat whenever you start to slump.

Be inspired to energise your life with these healthy recipes from the Women’s Weekly Detox Cookbook

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You’ve got to move it, move it

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Whether you want to lose a little or a lot of weight, there are three essential components for weight loss success: a healthy relationship with food, an active lifestyle and a balanced approach to living.

So it’s surprising to find that so many people overlook the need to move it to lose it. Most of us know that regular physical activity is important for health, but we struggle to translate that knowledge into daily practice and motivation.

Make it personal

Many people fail when they start an exercise kick. Why? Well, there are a whole host of reasons, but time and time again it comes back to a balanced approach to living. If you work in a high pressured office, an hour and a half for a lunchtime gym class, shower and time to munch down a sandwich, just isn’t going to happen. And if it’s been a while since your body was in lycra, starting with a 60min cardio pump class, may be pushing things to far. The key is to find those activities you enjoy, at the right times of your week, so that physical activity becomes as routine as brushing your teeth.

The power of three

Keep your focus on a variety of the three types of physical activity – cardio respiratory, resistance and stretching activities. A balanced workout includes cardio or aerobic activities to burn kilojoules and strengthen the heart; resistance activities to tone the muscles, maintain metabolism and bone health; and stretching activities to maintain flexibility.

Top tips

  • When it comes to burning more kilojoules, if you’re intimidated by the word “Exercise”, focus on increasing your everyday “Activity”, and remember every move you make counts! Try wearing a pedometer and aim to gradually increase your steps-per-day.

  • If lack of time is challenging, try breaking it up into multiple small bouts. Three 10-minute sessions are just as effective as one 30-minute session.

  • For many people starting out with exercise, especially those overweight, home is where the heart is. Motivating audio cassettes, DVD’s and videos, plus yoga mats and cross trainer weights, can get you going with in-home walking and activity programs.

  • Instead of watching TV after dinner, take a family walk or bike ride around the block to burn kilojoules and spend quality time together.

  • Plan a family weekend trip to the zoo – the kids will love learning about the animals, and everyone will benefit from physical activity in the process.How do you kep your exercise routine interesting? Tell us below…

How do you kep your exercise routine interesting? Tell us below…

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Trends with the battle of the bulge

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For many Australians 2008 will be the year to get into shape. However new research is indicating that many people need to carefully consider their weight loss approach in order to be successful.

Of those who went on a weight loss plan at the start of 2007, a staggering 68 percent were back to their old ways within six months.

Ambitions run high Based on last year’s track record, only 14 percent of those who made a resolution to shed kilos were completely successful. Additionally, while our intentions are good, Australians have extremely ambitious weight loss targets – particularly women. Most (5 million Australians or 69 percent) want to shed a minimum of 10 kilograms. Almost half of Australian women, who resolve to lose weight, want to lose more than 10 kilograms. The good news is that most (96 percent) of those who want to lose more than 10 kilograms have a high Body Mass Index (BMI) of greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2 or greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2. However, the bad news is the majority (55 percent) want a quick fix.

Choose wisely “It’s encouraging to see so many Australians motivated to lose weight,” said Professor Lesley Campbell, Director of Diabetes Services and Centre, St Vincent’s Hospital and Professor of Medicine at University of New South Wales. Whilst we are more aware of our obesity crisis and want to take action, I’m concerned that we are destined to follow the same path as last year if people don’t choose sound weight loss methods. “It’s also very concerning that so many people are still looking for quick fixes which only provide short-term results,” said Professor Campbell.

Surprisingly, men are more likely than women to say they will consult their doctor about weight loss options (42 vs 32 percent) and men are more likely to want to lose weight because of medical reasons (44 vs 27 percent).

Weight loss methods Topping the list of intended methods is exercise (93 percent), followed by going on a diet (72 percent), consulting a GP/doctor (36 percent) and joining a gym (35 percent). The fact is many people have a high chance of failure trying to lose weight on their own, so it’s time we re-think how we lose weight and seek professional advice. A comprehensive weight loss program should address dietary change and exercise, but most importantly it will provide a supportive environment and be tailored to suit your individual needs right through your weight loss journey and beyond into weight maintenance.

Do you struggle to maintain your weightloss? Tell us below…

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How old do they look?

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Can your lifestyle and beauty routine really affect how old you look? We found six women from different backgrounds and ages to see which woman looks the best for her years. You may be surprised!

Pictured left to right

Tammie Phillips, 37, Organic Food Store Owner

Ageing doesn’t frighten me. I focus on my inner health first and believe that what you eat is reflected in the way you look and feel. I embrace natural therapies, and only want to put natural, organic products on my skin. I’m not into cosmetic surgery, but I believe you should do what makes you feel good.

Lesley Thompson, 54, Events Manager

I have a fuss-free approach to beauty. I’m not that interested in it, as it all seems too hard. Whatever I do has to be about simplicity and ease.

Marina De Kraker, 45, Educator/Trainer

Beauty comes from the inside and is an indication of how well you care for yourself. You have to nurture yourself for beauty to shine through and cosmetics can only enhance that beauty.

Janesse Taylor-Saar, 46, Skin Medics Medispa Owner

I like to do as much as I can to look and feel as good as I can. I’m happy to invest in all types of cosmeceutical treatments and injectables to keep my skin smooth and firm. Afterall, that’s the business I’m in.

Shae Claverie, 28, Personal Assistant

I think I’m going to age gracefully. I can’t see myself having cosmetic surgery, but I’m not against it. I’m more interested in my health, than looking cosmetic or superficial.

Sue Cullen, 60, Businesswoman

I care about appearances and like to look after myself. But it’s not just about caring for my skin and face; I’m interested in total well-being. I don’t allow myself to get too overweight and I’m quite disciplined, as I don’t want to look middle-aged and overweight. I look after myself because it makes me feel more confident, and ultimately that makes me feel good about myself.

Do you think these ladies look their age? Tell us below…

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Peru and Bolivia: the land of the Incas

The high road to the legendary lost city of Machu Picchu, Susan Duncan, author of the best-selling novel Salvation Creek, visits several legendary places in Peru and Bolivia.
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Machu Picchu

Lima – the capital of Peru

My husband, Bob and I, began our odyssey from Peru’s parched coastline to Machu Picchu after arriving at Lima airport at 1.30 on a May morning. The potholed streets of the Peruvian capital were blurry under yellow city lights, muffled by a viscous sea mist off the Pacific Ocean. Casinos line the road from the airport like a lurid necklace. Behind them, acres of flat-topped mud-brick houses, many with holes for windows, and with corrugated-iron roofs held down by rocks, huddle closely. It’s a desert city, where the rain never falls; raw, sprawling and growing so fast, no one can keep count of the thousands of people pouring in each day, looking for a better life.

In Lima, the gap between rich and poor is vast and petty crime is rampant. Café chairs have leather straps to lock your handbags while you eat a sandwich, architecturally bold new houses are built like fortresses, with spiked fence tops and electric alarms. There’s an armed guard in a little wooden cabinet on nearly every block in the affluent suburbs of Mireflores and San Isidro, where little white dogs on diamante leashes tiptoe along the streets in delicate red slippers alongside maids in white uniforms.

Nazca

We made our way south from Lima for 400km along the coast to a rickety little town called Nazca, travelling through a dead, almost lunar, landscape, where sand dunes rise higher than 1000 metres.

Ordinarily, dusty Nazca wouldn’t rate a second glance, but in 1939, during a flight over the almost lifeless red plain, a massive collection of man-made designs, spread over 500 square kilometres, suddenly became clear. These huge outlines of a monkey, owl man, hummingbird, whale, spider, condor, lizard – 300 geometric figures in all – had been made by people piling stones on either side of lines drawn over hundreds of metres in the desert. No one knows how they were created in a time when man couldn’t fly. Or could he? They intrigue, fascinate and even haunt.

Nearby at Chauchilla Cemetery, a massive graveyard where mummies were bundled in exquisitely woven shawls and laid out with pottery for the next life more than 1000 years ago, there are human bones scattered by grave robbers over the centuries. It’s a shattering, ghoulish reminder of the fragility of our existence.

From Nazca we travelled towards the towering Andes to lovely Arequipa, a thriving city of white stone at 2350 metres in a lush river valley surrounded by volcanoes and snow-capped peaks.

We climbed higher and higher, past the wrinkled hills and yellow plains of Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Park. There were llamas, alpacas and even skittish little fawn vicuna, whose delicate fleece fetches $470 a kilo and, before the Spanish conquistadors conquered Peru, was woven into exquisitely fine clothes that only the Inca emperor was allowed to wear. At 4900 metres, the air was bitingly cold and the stones were covered in rock-hard, bright-green lichen that looked like starbursts. As we climbed we knew were getting closer and closer to Machu Picchu. And we couldn’t stop thinking about whether this fable city would awe or disappoint?

At Colca Canyon, where my husband ate guinea pig (cuy) for the first time and declared it delicious, we saw condors surfing the early morning thermals. They are the biggest birds in the world, with a wingspan up to three metres, and they rose up from the emerald river valley far below, in silent majesty.

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is simply awesome. Imagine, if you can, islands made of reeds that float on a lake many times bigger than Port Philip Bay in Victoria. Families live in golden huts, treading the spongy surface like dancers on a foam-rubber mattress. Young girls wear fiery-coloured skirts over masses of petticoats and comb charcoal black hair in the morning sun. Next to them, women in almost comical bowler hats, cook breakfast on a small flame in a tiny clay oven. It could be theatre, but it’s simply daily life.

La Paz, Bolivia

Then we crossed the border to Bolivia from a wild, cowboy town called Desaguadero. Boys with slippery dark eyes and wearing military uniforms stamped our passports in a windowless cubicle with 1950s wooden desks. There were pencils, ledgers, books with columns – and not a computer in sight. The golden Altiplano (high plains), leading to La Paz, was hemmed by snow-capped mountains and we passed through what felt like lawless towns where traffic was chaotic, pigs scrounged roadsides and livestock sales were in full swing.

Nothing, though, prepared us for the sight of La Paz, a crowded, deafening city of red brick houses perched on wickedly steep hillsides. It was claustrophobic and intense, a bedlam of honking horns, tinny music, car alarms, shouting, screeching brakes, speeding traffic and women in glittering fringed shawls and tall, black bowler hats shouting to each other across the streets. It’s the only city in the world where real estate is worth more the lower it’s located. In winter, when the wind howls off the snow caps, it’s 10 degrees warmer in the bowl of the city. There are no fire brigades, either. There’s not enough oxygen, they say, to fan a big blaze.

La Paz was like stepping back 50 years – and 1000 years. It intrigued, shocked and challenged. Ultimately, though, its energetic, shabby charm was irresistible.

TOUR: Peregrine Adventures (tel: 1300 791 485; www.peregrine adventures.com) has 20 trips to Peru and Bolivia (six trips combined with the Galapagos), including:

+ 12-day Inca Adventure (from $2570), visiting Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and La Paz in Bolivia.

+ 15-day Highlights of Peru (from $2985), visiting Lima, Arequipa, the Nazca Lines, Colca Canyon, Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

+ 31-day Lima to La Paz & Galapagos (from $7975) includes destinations above, plus a two-day trek on the Inca Trail and a seven-night cruise to the Galapagos.

+ Orient Express Hotels, Trains and Cruises (www.orient-express.com) operates the Hiram Bingham train from Cusco to Machu Picchu. Passengers spend a leisurely one-day return journey with brunch, afternoon tea at the Sanctuary Lodge (on the threshold of the ancient city), take a tour of the citadel and are served a four-course dinner on the return journey. Orient Express has three luxury hotels in Peru – Monasterio (a former monastery in Cusco), Miraflores Park Hotel (Lima) and Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge.

VISA: Only a valid passport and return air ticket are required.

READ: The Lost City of the Incas by Hiram Bingham, Orion, rrp $21.60, (visit www.boomerangbooks.com); Lonely Planet Peru Travel Guide, rrp $33.95.

For more details visit Peru Travel

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Energise your life!

When was the last time you felt your whole being hum with vitality? Try working one or two of these tips into your day as first aid for feeling worn out.
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When was the last time you felt your whole being hum with vitality? Try working one or two of these tips into your day as first aid for feeling worn out.

1. Kickstart with cayenne: Start the day with a glass of warm water, the juice of ½ a lime, a teaspoon of honey and a good pinch of cayenne pepper. The lime activates liver function and the cayenne boosts circulation. Together, they rev up digestion and metabolism and speed detoxification. Translation: This tonic gets things moving.

2. Brush and blast : Before you step in the shower, use a long-handled bristle brush all over your body (except face and neck). Skin brushing stimulates the lymphatic system and makes skin tingle. Finish with short burst of cold water for morning pep.

3. Punch up your prana : In yoga, pranayama – breath control – is used to energise body and mind. Try this invigorating exercise outside in the fresh air.

  • Stand with hands on your shoulders, elbows pointed out.

  • Inhale and twist to the left, then twist to the right as you exhale, making a loud ‘ha!’ as you punch your left arm to the right. Make the sound from deep in your gut, not just your throat.

  • Repeat, inhaling and twisting to the right, exhaling and punching to the left.

4. Knock three times : The “three taps” of chi kung create waves of fresh energy deep within the body.

  • Head Using your knuckles, tap vigorously from the shoulders up the neck, over the skull to the forehead, and back down the neck again.

  • Kidneys Gently tap the kidneys from top to bottom. You’ll find them just above your waist at the back of your abdomen on either side of your spine.

  • Thymus Using one hand, tap the centre of your chest. The best rhythm is one heavy tap followed by two lighter taps (ONE, two, three, ONE, two, three)

5. Pick a flower essence :Developed by the homoeopath Dr Edward Bach, these work on a subtle level to restore emotional balance. Bach recommended Scleranthus for sluggishness and Larch for that couldn’t-be-bothered feeling. Essences can be taken by mouth, used as a room mist, or added to a bath.

6. Thought-switch : This technique comes from neuro-linguistic programming (NLP).

  • Close your eyes and imagine a ‘trigger picture’ – what makes you feel exhausted? Maybe it’s you surrounded by to-do lists. Make it big, like a computer screen.

  • Now imagine a ‘switch picture’ of how you want to be instead, in your ideal, energetic state. Place this at the bottom of the screen, like an icon.

  • Select the icon and bring it up to fill the screen, deleting the negative picture.

  • Open your eyes and stamp your feet. Repeat whenever you start to slump.

Be inspired to energise your life with these healthy recipes from the Women’s Weekly Detox Cookbook

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