30th October

Leaving Cusco behind us, we now travel south very close to the border with Bolivia, to a place called Puno on the shores of Lago Titicaca.

We have tried to use trains in South America wherever possible, but your choices are slim. In Ecuador, just two or three short routes that were nowhere near the destinations that we visited. In Peru, just two routes. The first from Cusco to Machu Picchu, which we took and turned out to be a great ride. The second from Cusco to Puno, which we haven’t. The reason why? The $334 price tag. The bus which we are sitting on, the ticket price just $8, and gets there more quickly than the train (7 hours). Hmm.

As we drift along down the highway the scenery started to change from that which we’ve seen before now. Best described as the American mid west I think, the countryside is expansive in every direction. Peppered with mountains that helped to frame the sky, the scenery is quite dramatic. Small cattle ranches dominate the landscape with buildings just dropped here and there in isolation. The feeling of freedom you get here is strong, you can imagine yourself running your own ranch in this burning sun, were it not for the fact that you know nothing at all about cattle.

Spotting a shop emblazoned with the Inca Kola artwork, it reminded me of a book I read a few weeks ago with the same title. Written about a journey of four friends to this same country, but back in the early 1990s. The book described a very different country to the one that I am in now. Back then, just twenty years ago, Peru was apparently a very different place and not yet geared up for tourism. Now however, the truth is that travelling around Peru is, for the most part, so very, very easy. The people of this country often complain about their government, with strikes and protests occurring often. You’ve got to give it to the Peruvian government though, in twenty years they have transformed this country into a prime tourist destination with a superb infrastructure to support it. You can still seek a more hardcore travel experience in Peru if that is what you want, simply by just visiting the less travelled destinations. If you want to travel in the back of a truck then you can do that just as easily as travelling in a first class bus.

Inca Kola incidentally, tastes much better than Coca Cola.

As we near Puno, and coming towards the end of the day, you can’t help but feel a bit mournful that tomorrow will be our last day in this country. We’ve spent over a month here, yet have had to miss so many things that this country has to offer from this trip. You could spend three months travelling Peru before you would get a real feel for this country. We have, to all intents and purposes, just skimmed the surface and yet the whole experience has been overwhelming. We have visited so many places that some days, many days recently, your head is left spinning with days tending to blur into one another. Writing a travelblog, is, in that respect, really helpful. It gives you a chance to reflect upon the day, to process your thoughts about it, and hopefully leave your mind open to take in new experiences ahead of you. It’s not always that easy though, as often, like today, I’m writing blogs days after they have actually happened purely out of practicality.

Puno is our last destination in Peru, with us taking a day trip out onto Lago Titicaca tomorrow as our last venture into this spectacular country. Arriving at Puno, we found what has to be the most homely "standard" hotel that we’ve stayed at so far (Phajsi Aruma). Family run, you really felt part of their family and, for a while, felt like you were at home. Unfortunately, we know we have next to no time here in Puno itself, just tonight and tomorrow night before leaving for Bolivia. Yet Puno, for me at least, has a really nice feel about it.

So to Luciano, Pedro and your sons, we thank you most heartfelt for making our last stay here in Peru such a happy one. I hope one day to come back here, to spend to some real time on these shores, and to share your home once again.

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Part of trip: South America 2009 - Ecuador, Peru & Bolivia

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