Bolivia & Peru

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Wow, we have just finished our 15 day tour with Gap Adventures which started in La Paz Bolivia and ended at our current position, Lima in Peru. Soon to head to the south to visit the Ballesta islands and then on to Porto Maldonado and the Brasil/Peru border. But first this....

We had a real struggle to get from Argentina to Bolivia in the end as farmers in Argentina started a month long fight against the Government for raising taxes and blocked all the roads. This meant instead of heading north via buses and getting across the border to our tour in Tupiza, Bolivia. We had to bust the budget flying to La Paz and then getting the bus back down to Salar de Uyuni. Luckily a great company called Tupiza Tours came to our aid and we were put up in a fantastic apartment in La Paz for $20 a night (three double bedrooms on the top floors, great views). We headed south to Uyuni for a three day tour covering the stunning Salt flats of Uyuni and numerous beautiful lakes. Our group consisted of three Polish (Jazuk, Isa and Ella), two Brits (Me and a producer called Jamie-with life-saving sorochi pills) and a French man (who could that be??) and it proved to be a really good mix. We stayed one night in a salt hotel which was great, second night in a dorm which was really cosy. Shame about the ice on the inside of the car on the third day as we headed into the early morning to visit the geysers.. if you´re heading out that way it´s definitely better to go via Tupiza as the tours are better and you get more time to be creative on the salt flats! But even with that, we have never seen such amazing scenery, well worth the visit.

A 12 hour overnight journey on bone shattering roads took us back to La Paz where we crashed once again in our enormous apartment. Next day was the first day of our Gap tour, so we went across town, booked into our new hotel and seeing as we had a free day, made our way to the highest 18 hole golf course in the World for a quick game. Returning with our best scores ever and flushed faces from the altitude we met up with our new family for the next 15 days, four other Brits (Jo & Ian, Lynda & Stuart), two Canadians (Ita & Dallas-yes we did sing him the theme tune, no points for originality), a German medical student (Christina) and an Ozzie (Derek). Our guide Ruben talked us through the tour and we all set out for supper at the lovely Rosario Hotel (to be recommended if you can get in).

The last couple of weeks have flown by, with so many amazing experiences, highlights have been, a home stay on the island of Amantani in the middle of Lake Titicaca with Mama Blanca and a football match with the locals, followed by a visit to the reed islands and an unforgettable night in Puno after the Man U/Roma match. Relaxed days in Cusco bartering with the local markets for hats and bags, before the key part of the tour, the Inca Trail and Machu Piccu. The trail itself was brilliant, 5 star camping arrangements with three course meals for lunch and supper, we think we put on weight...singing the Sound of Music as we struggled up Dead Woman´s Pass (did anyone see more than her boobie? We just couldn´t figure it out) and numerous shithead tournaments every night to keep us entertained, still can´t believe I achieved shithead status five times, just not my game...

Only one thing dampened our spirits, after quite a speedy trek at 4am on the last day, we arrived at the Sun Gate, only to find, Cloud. So much Cloud in fact, that when our guide happened to mention jovially it was the ´Cloud Gate´I took him most literally and spent a while trying to convince everyone we hadn´t got to the Sun Gate yet. Doh.

Lots of unhappy people decended on Machu Picchu to find some of the sell out train people were already there, didn´t do much to raise our spirits. It was only after 8am when the cloud started to lift and the magic of MP took over that we remembered why we had just spent 4 days killing ourselves to be there and we spent a happy few hours galavanting around taking pictures of one of the largest inca sights in the World. John and Ian were able to get out the Romeo and Juliet cigars and make various gay poses overlooking MP, John´s cowboy hat really set it off nicely. Should I be worried?? Then it was time to hop on the train and then bus back to Cusco to celebrate our achievement with a quick stopover to drink the local beverage made with corn juice (tasted a bit like very strong Hoegaarden).

Our last day in Cusco was spent on a brilliant horse trek (we finally made it onto some horses!) visiting the local ruins including the formidable Sacsaywaman which was amazing to visit as the sun went down. Then back into town for a farewell dinner with Derek who was not joining us to go to Lima.

We flew to Lima and spent the day eating delicious Ceviche and wandering about the town, before heading off for our last night as a group before everyone went their separate ways. Very sad to see everyone go and find ourselves back on the backpacking trail with no Ruben to book our bus tickets for us. Sniff sniff.

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Photos

Photo in Museo de Coca La Paz
Check out the blushing bride with the baby attached (quite literally!)