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Published: June 24th 2016
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Dragging myself from the oxygen deprived city of La Paz, I booked myself yet another bus headed North to Copacabana, Bolivia (no, I could not stop the song in my head) which was to be my jumping point into Peru. As a bonus Copacabana is right on the shores of Lake Titicaca, try not to laugh, which sits at a dizzying 12,500ft and according to Inca legend is the birthplace of the sun. This seemed like a good segue into Peru so I decided to stop and spend the night on the island and enjoy a sun filled day of hiking and get a first glimpse of Inca lore. After a good night's sleep in Copacabana I set out the next morning and caught the first boat bound for the two hour journey to Isla del Sol.
On the advice of the guy selling the tickets for the boat (never the best policy) I embarked to the North side of the island to the tiny underdeveloped town of Challapampa. Here I was able to score my cheapest guesthouse accommodation to date at a paltry 20 Bolivianos which is just under $3 USD. After settling in I decided I would hike
the entire length of the island to the southern more developed town of Yumani, a walk that would take me three and a half hours. So far so good.
The hike on the island was no easy feet. The hills and valleys rose and fell more than the Dow in 2008. It was exhausting. I was also surprised at how many day trippers there were on this island that has a mere 1,200 permanent inhabitants. The trails were full of us tourists walking up and down the paths wandering at our own paces. The amount of people here were for good reason. The sweeping landscapes surrounding this mound of earth emerging from the deep blue waters of the lake were amazing. Snow capped mountains also complemented the backdrop quite well.
After the arduous journey I had arrived into Yumani and the error of my ways struck me. The north side of the island really has nothing. It is a few shops and a few guesthouses. It is very isolated and deserted, which is nice if that is what you are looking for but I wanted a nice meal and maybe some company which was prevalent here
on the south side of the island. With my bags already at my guesthouse three hours away I decided to just cut my losses, have lunch, and get a ferry back to the north side. The view could not be beaten for my meal.
Following lunch I descended to the docks on the shores of Yumani only to be told that no, there would be no ferry back to the north side of the island. Completely exhausted from the previous three and a half hours and facing another 800ft. ascent from the docks I was totally up a creek (or lake as it were) without a paddle. I had no choice but to turn around and make my way back to the north another three and a half hours away. With darkness looming I had to get a move on. As much as I did not want to do this, looking back it was actually the most enjoyable time on the island for me. All of the day trippers had gone back to the mainland and I had the trails and island to myself - apart from the local population. Isla del Sol is very much a traditional sustenance
farming community and I doubt much has changed here in the last several centuries.
Whilst on my journey back to the north amongst the sounds of the birds and the distant flute of a local it dawned on me how awesome it was to be walking my own path in life and how much I enjoyed being captivated by the different cultures and changing landscapes I've traversed in my time so far. I'm very fortunate. Another 200 steps or so it then dawned on me how tragic it is that these experiences are mine and mine alone. I've no one to share the beauty with and I became very emotional. Thoughts like this creep in from time to time and I never really get used to them. I just try to do what I can and push onward.
Isla del Sol was a really special place and when my "plan" went to pot and I was left with no choice but to turn around and face hardship; the beauty of the island was then revealed to me. I wouldn't change a thing even though with the knowledge I have now about the logistics of the place the journey
could be much easier and take a lot less time. In the end I arrived back to the north just before sunset. Exhausted and even with a blister or two on my feet I collapsed into bed and into a tranquil sleep with the sound of waves from the lake lapping just outside my door.
The next day proved to be a bit of a brutal travel day. It went like this;
Up at 7:30am for the 2.5 hour ferry back to Copacabana.
Arrive in Copacabana 10am. Buy ticket for 4 hour bus to Puno, Peru which departs at 1:30pm. Wait around in Copacabana for 3.5 hours
Arrive in Puno 5:30pm. Buy ticket for 7 hour bus journey to Cusco, Peru that leaves immediately. Arrive in Cusco 12:30am. Walk from terminal, find really dodgy guesthouse next to bus station (good value though at 25 Soles - $10USD) by 1am. Have only eaten Ritz crackers all day. In bed some 18 hours after I left but finally in Cusco and excited about the promise that lies ahead.
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