When will Venezuela wonders open?

First stop, Venezuela: that was the traditional route for British travellers to Latin America in the early 1990s.

- Simon Calder, The Independent

The national airline of the oil-rich nation was Viasa. It offered cheaper fares than any other carrier between the UK and pretty much anywhere in Latin America, from Cuba to Chile. As an additional enticement, the airline threw in a stopover at its hub in Caracas at no extra charge. Some passengers opted for a day or two on a Caribbean beach (the hotels at Caracas airport begin almost as soon as the runway ends), while others spent weeks exploring Venezuela. In the latter camp: Lyn Hughes, founding editor of Wanderlust magazine.“My late husband Paul and I were on a Viasa flight all those years ago, at the end of 1999,” she recalls. “On that trip we were exploring Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, which is where we first conjured up the idea for Wanderlust.

“Venezuela was the last part of that journey — a very memorable month or two. I remember being up in the mountains and getting down to planning what this new travel magazine was going to be.

Lyn was “completely wowed” by Venezuela: trekking in the mountains, exploring the Orinoco Delta, visiting local communities ("I had some really memorable cultural encounters”) and winding down on deserted white-sand beaches.