Lake titicaka and home stay with the locals

---

HI guys!

So after a bit of a rubbish bus journey we reached the Bolvian side of lake titicaka. We had to cross on a small ferry separate from our bus as last war a few buses sank! We finally got to the boarder and we were told it could be up to a couple of hours and after arguing with the man in the resultresultant that my card does work I was not looking forward to standing around for 2 hours! Butttt it seems luck was on my side and I walked in they stamped - didn't even check my picturbrand walked straight back out - awwwww a big sigh of relief! We finally arrived in puno. From the outside it looked like uyuni - a crap hole, but after an even meal here seemed to be some hidden gemS of bars and restraUrants. Although there as no time for this as we had to be up early the next day for titicakA. In order to get to the port we had to get there on these tricical tut tuts! Very fun ! We then had to get on a boat! Meh 4 hours there and 4 hours backtoday on a boat! Arghhh! Anyway it was ok! We stopped off at the floating islands where they explained how they made the islands and showed us where they lived! We also got to try on some local clothes. After a stop at another island we sawas some traditional dancing that was to celebrate the island. We then headed to our local families On the next island. Our family had a little boy and girl, parents grand parents and a sister to the mother. The children were very shy but the little boy ran up and gave me a kiss on the cheek - awwwwwww! They cocked us food and we attempted to speak there local language - quchwa. We had soup and for main rice with potato and pasta stew! Soooo many carbs! We had an early night while the others partied but I slept 11 hours which is the most I have slept over here! Although we were told it was dolma day and the end of the world because it never rains in dry season and it tipped it down with hail too!

After surving the end of the world That morning we were woken about 7 by the grandma explaining she had brought us some water to splash on our faces. They cooked us pancakes for breakfast and then it was off to work! We had to help herd the sheep and pick up black pebbles so they could make a mosque floor. After agames of football with the locals was a quick lunch of more potatoes and potato soup :/ then a goodbye and a 3 hour boat back to puno city.

Overall it was lovely to spend the night with an authentic family and see the floating islands but boy was I pleased when I hog back to the hotel to have a shower! Yay!

Next stop was cuzco which we arrived in today, and then on the 2nd of the September is the dreaded Lara's trek to machu pitchu du du du!! which is harder than the inca trail! I have heard there is a star bucks in Cuzco so I will bribe myself that if I make it to the top - alive then I can have a star bucks - yay! As you can tell I tried to upload this a couple of days ago but wifi failed me ! I'm in CuzcO now and to make me feel better I had a McDonald's ! My first in about a year! Just had the meeting for the lares trek not looking forward to it but i guess it will be wortH it in the end. I can't upload any more pictures so if I get a chance to write a blog before matchu pitchu I will upload them then.

love to you all! Hope England's still sunny! Xxxxxxxx

---