Oct 2005

Sorry, on the last entry I meant the boat back to Copacobana.

Anyway we got back about 1030 and had our bus booked to La Paz for 1.30. Checked in the office at five to one to be told the bus was leabing in 5 mins, rushed back to get Rach and we jumped on the bus just in time. Then in true South American style the bus stayed put, fully loaded until 1.45?

Three and a half hours of easy roads to La PAz, only one road block outside a petrol station on the way, which the driver successfully avoided by going the back way through the village round the petrol station.

However when we got to La Paz the driver kept on stopping in radom places and asking if anybody wanted to get off. Of course we all wanted to get off at the bus station, but oh no in the end he just drove us into the centre of town. We were proper lost until we saw a mate´s head apear in the bus window and we hammered on the glass to get his attention and get him to help us to a hostel.

Spent a couple of days here, nice city, great bars and food although we are still a bit wary of all the strangle-muggings we keep on hearing about (the grab you and strangle you till you pass out then nick everything}. One couple then said that they flagged down a taxi when they cam round who must have been in on the scam cos the same guys then jumped in and took them out of town to drop off. Bloody hell i´d have been a bit scared but it was their own fault a bit by walking throuhg the centre of town at 4am drunk - Rach and I only go home after dark if we are with at least another 2 people!

Nothing much else to say about here, saw a way over the top political rally and wandered around the town centre. It looks pretty western (There is a Ritz hotel, $60 per night for a suite, I asked) which was a nice surprise, although they do like their karaoke here, there is a bar next to our rubbish hostel where you can hear the crooning going through until the early hours

Took a bus accross the border to Bolivia. The boarder was no problem as we were with a tour company bus. First stop Copacabana which is not the hotest spont morth of havana.

Turned up in the rain and it looked dreary. Got a hostel which was so so cheap about 3 quid. However the rain cleared up and the place had loads of nice restaurants. However it was so so cold so we sat in a place al afternoon playing chess and scrabble. In the evening we had trout for dinner caught from the lake. It was the biggest and best fish meal we have ever tasted. Wow wow wow and cost 3 quid!

Next day we took a boat accross to the Isle Del Sol. We did it independently not with a tour company, so although the boat was full of tourists we got dropped off with about 2 others at the south end of the island whilst the boat went onto the north? No real problem but then it started to rain so we thought we were in for a rubbish day. However it cleared up and we walked the whole island. It was amazing, views over lake titicaca to die for, words cannöt do justice, only the photos. However it took us ages to walk to the north of the island (passing all the tourists walking south as they were being picked up at four to go back to the mainland whilst we were planning to stay the night) didn't want to be back after dark so with another couple we haggled and got a local to row us back half way for about 80 pence in his boat. Quite a laugh and we got back to the south of the island to get some beers and watch sunset from the top of a hill (about 4500m)

I have just had my head shaved to a grade one, so whilst we were sitting there on this rock drinking beer and watching sunset this old lady with sheep in tow literally stops by me sitting on a rock and starts to rub my head and laugh - weird. We did get a photo though.

Next this old lady, and by old I mean over 70 walks past us carying a bag of sticks on her back that must have weighed 30 kg. You don't grow old gracefully in Bolivia.

Had a nice evening on the island (although bloody cold) and got the bus back to copacabana next morning)

Got picked up from the hotel and went to the docks to get a boat out to the lake. It was a tourist boat with another 20 gringos. First stop the floating islands that are famous. To say they have been completely changed by tourism is an understatement. Although still fabulous I wouldn't be surprised if the local population is shipped out ther by boat in the morning and back in the evening when we have all gone. Great to see how they have built an island out of reeds etc, but it is really only there for tourists and the locals would have moved to dry land by now. Won't say much more, good to see but not really my cup of tea.

Went to another island in the lake to be met by a family and we stayed with them. Amazing to stay with an actual family. We ate with them etc and staying in their home. Food is good but basic, but to see the lady of the house cooking round a smoky fire was awsome. I haven't really got the words to describe this, Rach can do better. Best thing was the doors to the house, they only come up to my chest!

The evening was spent at a local dance where we dressed in the locals clothes. However the band was composed of bloody panpipes. I haven't really expressed my hatred of this instrument here, but believe me it gives me the willies so I didn't like that much. Did loads of boring dancing with our families 16 year old daughter and her friend, although it is really repetitive. I felt embarased and Rach thought it was hilarious (i made sure I held onto the camera all night sop she couldn't capture it)

Our guide for the trip was an idiot though. He made the locals demonstrate their farming techniques. This included showing us how they use a pick axe to plough the land! Big wow, hardly breaking news and it was embrassing to watch the locals having to demonstrate this just to get the tour companies to come to their village.

Next morning it was horrible weather and thwe boat to another island was rough. I made a joke about half way accross about how bad it would be if the engine died. I'm not kidding but 10 seconds later it did! The guide was down there with a screwdriver whilst the driver pured petrol neat into the carbouretter. I didn't make my knowledge of marine engines known and tried to sleep whilst all around us people were donning lifejackets. Thankfuly it started, but there was mild panic which was amuzing.

Got to the next island where we were planning to spend the night, but it was so wet and horrible we had a walk, a nice meal and went back to Puno but boat. Stayed one more night there and ate out with more locals specialities (including alpaca which tastes like a cross between lamb and beef)

We took a tourist bus this morning to the next town. Once onboard we were given a little tray of chocolates and a drink, just like on a plane. We then watched American movies, dubbed in Spanish, with subtiltles. Unfortunately we had to watch the first one for 15 minutesd with the directors comments as the subtltiles until someone worked out the Spanish to ask the driver to change the DVD

When movies finished we played bingo over the tannoy. Now my numbers in Spanish are bad enough, withoutn them being anounced over the PA with extras on the end like the SPanish version of "88 two fat ladies". Obviously one of the only 2 locals on the bus won, probably a crap prize. Got to Puno and was brave not booking a hotel ahead of time. There were touts at the station so we got the cheapest in my Spanglish with another couple and got a taxi there (with the tout lady squeezing herself in the boot to go with us). Puno is quite a nice place, though really a stop off for Lake Titicaca. Booked tickets for the tour out tomorrow and went for dinner. Unfortunately Rach suffered a bit of ALtitude sickness again so we had Pizza (Although tried one of the local specialties, food is good here). Also looks like the rainy season is coming because it absolutely blookdy poured. None of the buildings are very well constructed, in fact I think anyone can be a builder, and all the roofs leaked, including the restaurant. As there is no heating in the place they lit a burner of White Spirit near the table to keep us warm.

I'm finding it hard to make time to keep this diary up to date so am not going to write as much as last time, sorry, but hopefuly this will mean it gets updated more regularly.

We got ourselves a tour guide for a trip to the worlds deepest canyon. Fortunately this was less of an organised tour and more of a geezer who spoke spanish taking us around. He picked us up from the hostel in a taxi and then we had a bus journey on a locals bus for about 5 hours through the desert. Unfortunately the road stopped after 40 minutes so the rest of the way was over rough ground so we got shaken to death.

It took us 30 minutes to walk down the canyon by which time night was falling so we stayed in a local ladies house for the night.

Next norning we walked along the canyon bottom. Pretty amazing, think of the Grand Canyon in height but it is very narrow so the view is WOW. There is a waterfall some way along which the locals have channeled into a swimming pool, so we spent the afternon lazing around that. The only problem was the animals. Rach went to the loo and a great big Alpaca started to eat grass right outside the door trapping her in it. This thing is a cross between a Lama and a sheep, so looks like a massive sheep with a 2 foot neck. Not really dangerous (we think) but all the shooing I could manage wouldn't shift it and I was too scared to push it away. Thankfully it left on its own accord.

Got up the next morning to walk 3 hours in the dark back out of the canyon to see the Condors that circle the top at daybreak. Condors are massive massive birds and where we were they swooped down so low you could feel their wind. However it is hard to take good photos of this so they don't do it justice.

Next our guide got us on another local bus to Chivay and then haggled for cabs to take us to the hot srpring. When I think of hot springs I think of pools of water bubbling out of the ground surrounded by natural rocks etc like in Iceland. Not in Peru. The water comes out of the ground red hot from the volcano and smells of sulfer, but they have then built a 1960s butlins style resort round it. They channeld the water away into a concrete pool surrounded by changin cubicals. The pool is painted blue, but is all chipped so looks rubbish. However the water was very hot and relaxing after the walk.

Took a cab and bus back to Arequipa, tomorrow Puno and Lake Titicaca