Anna Maria Espsater, originally from Sweden, first moved to Mexico at 20, enjoying the culture shock, spicy food and sunny weather. She has since returned repeatedly for shorter and longer stays. Now based in London, she works as a freelance travel and food writer, chasing the ambition of visiting every country in the world. With 90 visited to date she has a way to go yet, but remains undaunted despite surviving tropical disease, earthquakes, assault and armed robbery on the road. Ben Box - One of the first assignments Ben Box took as a freelance writer in 1980 was sub-editing work on the South American Handbook. The plan then was to write about contemporary Iberian and Latin American affairs, but in no time at all the lands south of the Rio Grande took over, inspiring journeys to all corners of the subcontinent. Ben has contributed to newspapers, magazines and learned tomes, usually on the subject of travel, and became editor of the South American Handbook in 1989. He has also been involved in Footprint's Handbooks, and many of these titles he has collaborated with his wife and Footprint Caribbean expert, Sarah Cameron.

Having a doctorate in Spanish and Portuguese studies from London University, Ben maintains a strong interest in Latin American literature. In the British summer he plays cricket for his local village side and year round he attempts to achieve some level of self-sufficiency in fruit and veg in a rather unruly country garden in Suffolk.