Blogs from Puno, Peru, South America - page 4

Today breakfast 730 leaving at 8. We still had our private bus so that was really good. The drive to Puno was 6-7 hours and we stopped every 2 - 2 1/2 hours for toilet and snack breaks. We did see some flamingoes on a lake however were on a bridge so unable to stop for photos. Andreas said there is usually more of them around. Most of Puno housing was pretty ugly but the plaza and shopping street seemed quite nice and it was big and felt safe. We dropped our bags at the hotel and headed for lunch. The room keys here were really cute. Little Spanish ladies stuffed dolls in dresses and you have to lift the dress to find your room number written underneath. My room was up 5 flights of stairs. ... read more

Gearing ourselves up for tonight's trip to the floating islands includes having a stockpile of coco leaf tea to help with this altitude sickness The colour is not the most enticing but the flavour is ok...... read more

Our guide picked us up near the harbour and took us a short journey around the lake to the most obscure little jetty I've ever seen; we drive over a very bumpy set of railway tracks and then down a rough concrete ramp. A small open boat was waiting for us and we gingerly clambered aboard. Our skipper pushed off into the reeds with his paddle and we soon emerged into a 12 foot channel that went this way and that way, like water roads. Ed and I knelt in the front and leant on the prow, as the spray blasted us, it really was a joint 'Yeehaa' moment. We looked behind us and Cas and Hat had huge beaming smiles. The reeds go on for as far as the eye can see. Despite being at ... read more

Right away when I got off my tour bus and into the lobby of the bus station, a man came right up and asked me if I needed a taxi. Usually I go past the first ranks to the less pushy guys, but I was exhausted. So I said ok: he didn't know where my hostel, Cozy Hostel, was located but I showed him on a map and agreed to the price. Then he asked if I wanted to set up a tour of the islands. Again, tired, but also want to get this taken care of before I go to bed. So, he actually had an office at the bus station and I felt much better about the whole set up. Plus, the price he gave me for the tour was the same I had ... read more

PERU...Lake Titicaca Homestays. I've been robbed of my money and passport when travelling, had numerous slips and falls, even rolled a car upside down in a creek, travelled with a necrotic leg, been locked up, nearly drowned countless times, been freaked out in the deepest dark caverns, hung onto various cliffs for dear life to avoid being blown off, had food poisoning, bites, stings, disappointments that would crush many men. But nothing...I mean nothing...comes close to suffering camera failure in Peru. Fair go. I'm a tough old rooster. But camera failure when the sun is smiling...no clouds in sight potentially crying...no dropsy or accident to explain it. There I was taking a portrait photo in Ollantaytambo and the camera wouldn't focus. Talk about a disaster. ****** Fortunately I have the world's most understanding dance partner. Fortunately ... read more