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Published: June 27th 2007
After the carnage that was Cusco we made our way down to Puno in order to chill for a few days and visit the Lake! What with funds running a little low we decided to save a few pennies by taking the local bus rather than the tourist bus....About 7 hours into our 8 hour journey we're thinking "good choice this isn't bad at all" and then BANG BANG!!!! Oh Noooo our bus is driving directlty through the middle of a Police / Local riot in Arequipa!!!!! There was a railway line with poilce on one side and locals on the other....No lies, guns were being fired!!!! Sinking slowly into our seats we observed and prayed as police arrived by the coach load!!!! Possibly the longest 7 minutes of our lives but the driver just carried on as normal and we later found out that this is a regular occurance - DEAR LORD!!!!!!!!! haha, anyhow - we arrive in Puno without any war scars and go to get a taxi....by this I mean a motor bike towing a tent for us to sit in and a trailer for our bags!!! Our sides were splitting, one of the funniest experiences we
have had and it cost all of about 18 pence!!!! Quality - we have photos to prove it!
We arrived to out hostel "incas rest" and what a lovely place that was - highly recommend it! It was run by a husband and wife - Hilda and Alfredo and they looked after us as if we were their own! We had a room in a little cottage type thing with a communal living area and bathroom, they booked our bus tickets, our tours, they woke us in the morning with tea and coffee, took us to the shops to buy phone cards and generally just couldn't be more helpful and friendly if they tried!!! It was so nice to be looked after like that after 3 weeks intence partying and lack of sleep - arrrrrr!!!!!! We had lovely food and even enjoyed a few vino tinto's - steaming!!!! Sware it was the altitude!
We took an all day tour to Lake Titicaca on the Thursday and it was gorgeous!!! Imagine the calmest, deepest blue water covered in a sprinkling of silver glitter and you might come close to seeing what we did! Such a tranquil, relaxing place! We
visited the floating islands and they were 'wierd'really spoungey!! mad to imagine people live on floating reeds....then we took a boat (again made of reeds) across the lake to the other side of the floating town and then we took our real boat to the rock island.....amazing views and we had traditional peruvian food at some local place with the rest of out group - all in all a very pleasent day rounded off with yet a few more vino tintos! All good!
Feeling rested and refreshed the next day we make our way to LaPaz (which is where we are and STUCK at the moment but that's a story for another day......watch this space!)
x x x
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Marcus
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Great photos, late titicaca looks amazing, can you bring me one of those boats please...? By the way you two will never get employed as journalists!!! love you (lydia that is) xx