La Paz

La Paz.

As I jumped on the bus it was hard to miss the large quantity of liquid draining from the engine bay however with very little Bolivianos left and no cash machine for 150km off to La Paz it was. Less than 2 hrs later the possible lack of break fluid was far from the biggest concern as we had arrived at the ferry port.
This was by far the most generous use of the word ferry I've ever seen. Luckily however we were all told to get off the bus and meet it on the other side. The bus then proceeded to drive onto a wooden raft with some sort of outward strapped to the back and set off.
Unsure of our fate we joined the queue of people eagerly waiting to clamber abroad a vessel, most likely used for transporting immigrants across the boarder in a previous life, to meet our bus on the other side.

Isla De Sol

An island within the lake that is said to be the birth place of the incas was next up. A very traditional island is still visible, having to wait for goats, cows and sheep to move down the path before you can get anywhere was common place, whilst you were equally as likely to have to share the beach with a few donkeys and pigs.
We took the boat to the northern end of the island before walking to the southern end the next day. Expecting a 4hr walk when we arrived in just over 2hrs we were slightly concerned we weren't in the right place. However the boat arrived and we were back in copacabana ready to head to la Paz.

BOLIVIA

Bolivia
Time to leave Peru and head to Bolivia. This involved a slightly unorthodox border crossing where the bus drops you off at immigration on the Peruvian side afterwhich you must walk across the border to Bolivian immigration before you meet the bus again. 1/2 hr later and were chilling in Copacabana, Bolivia.

A small semi seaside resort still on the shores of Lake Titicaca, there's not a great deal there but its definitely a nice change from Puno.

Lake Titicaca

We'd opted for a guided tour of the lake and a few off the islands with in it so we joined our group and boarded or barely swarthy vessel and headed towards the floating Uros islands made entirely of reads. Each island holds a a few families although if there's any disputes they just cut the islands in half and go join someone else's.

We then jumped back on the boat to head to Amanti island to stay with

a local family. We arrived at our house to meet the family and were greater my Maria 1 of 7 children, the mother and father and then Grandpa who turned out to be 100 and spent most of his days sleeping in random places. All meals were cooked over an open fire and mainly consisted of a lot of potatoes. A fiesta had been organised for the evening so we donned are ponchos and parties away to the panpipe band.Another early start and more pancakes before heading to isla tranquille for an explore before heading back to Puno.

Puno

Another joyful night bus and we were on our way to Puno. Our group of 4 had grown to 6 with the addition of Rachel and Annie the Americans. Once everyone has boarded the bus they then walk the bus videoing everyone on board so if the bus does crash they're able to identify people.

Puno is an interesting town, situated on the shores of Lake Titicaca, definitely not your average seaside town though. So we headed off into the market for fresh fruit smoothies costing about 20p a glass.

Inca Trail to Machu Pichu

Inca trek.

A 5am start had our group of 9 trekkers 2 chefs 2 guides and 10th porters in a bus to oloyamtabo and the start of the Inca trek. All loaded we set off, 30 seconds later and the porters had disappeared in front of us. The path weaved through the valley and passed a variety of inca ruins until we arrived for lunch. The porters had set up the kitchen and dining tent complete with table and chairs for our 3 course lunch.
The path continued on mainly flat till our first campsite, were yet again the porters had set up the kitchen, dining room our tents and even laid our beds out.
Day 2 and we were woken up with tea and coffee in bed before a pancake breakfast. The trek took a slightly trickier route as it climbed to around 4200m before hundreds of steps back down. The penultimate day passed through more inca ruins before ending up at Winaywama a huge terraced inca settlement complete with a freezing waterfall that doubled up as a very quick shower.Day 4 and by 3.30am we were all queing at the check point waiting for it to open at 5.30 for the final trek to the sungate. The first point that Machu Pichu becomes visible. Due to our slightly early arrival at the check point we were first onto the trail which gave us a clear path ahead to make it to the gate Opjust as the sun was about to hit Machu Pichu. Barely 5 mins later the cloud completely covered it making the run to the top entirely worth it. A final hrs walk and we were inside the ancient city.

Jose our guide then took us round Machu Pichu before leaving us to our own devices.

Still having a bit of energy left I opted to Queue up for 1 of 400 tickets to climb huayana pichu. And luckily I got ticket 334 and was good to go.


*TEXT MISSING*

All that was left to do was grab the bus down into Aguas Calientas before the train back into Cusco, with a small break in the middle for a few beers with our guide.

Cusco

16 hrs off busses after leaving Cobanaconda and we'd made it to Cusco.

A quick rendeavous in loki and 4 days of death started. Broken up by a day trip to Pisaq during the 6hrs no one was dieing.
Luckily though the morning of the inca trek we were back in the game. Mainly due to the sketchy chemicals found in Peruvian Fanta.

Colca Canyon

After saying good bye to the Germans the remaining 4 El Misti team head east towards the infamous Colca Canyon.


The lodge at Llahaur was amazing. Consisting of bamboo cabins built into the side of the canyon just above a set of hot springs. Perfect after a days hiking.

Day 2 started with a small detour up to some ruins of an old village in the complete wrong direction, however whilst sat having lunch two huge condors suddenly flew up from the valley below and started circling around above us.

We finished the day in the "eden" lodge were during dinner a scorpion decided to walk across the table!!

El MISTI

El Misti an Active Volcano at 5822m

The trek started by loading all our gear into what appeared to be a 40 yr old Land Cruiser before driving out into the desert in the direction of EL Misti.
45 minutes later and we turned off the road heading along a dirt track towards the base.

Starting at 3400m Roy our guide for the trip led the procession of the 6 of us aiming for the summit. The track weaved through small valleys that 2000 yrs ago were created by lava up to our first camp 4hrs later at 4700m.
After a quick dinner an early night was in order as at 2am we were back up again. We left camp after a cup of Coca tea around 2.45am.
Unfortunately not long after this our group halved in size down to 3 as the altitude was taking its tole.

We continued on up in the dark, around 5 am the sun started to rise of Pichu Pichu a mountain range next to us and we could then see the path and how far of it that was left in front of us. The terrain had changed from a dirt track on day 1 to a much steeper route picked through the rocks.

The altitude was again taking its tole on the remaining group but about 6hrs later we had made it to the Crater at 5600m.
From here you could see for 100´s of miles across Peru. But the Summit was insight!

Roy and myself left the remaining two at the crater as by this time they were both suffering and headed to the summit. The final 200m were by far the easiest and hardest at the same time, and as I raced up the final few metres to beat roy to the cross the air was getting super thin with about 55% less oxygen. As soon as a hand was on the cross i was sat on the floor for a much needed rest!

An amazing view from the top was deffinately worth the 6.5hrs trek.
Once the obligatorie photos and a snack had been consumed it was time to head back down to the camp and re join the rest of the group. What took so long to get up only took 35 mins to get back to by running down one of the lava gullys.

We packed up camp and headed down the hill to meet the truck again.

Arequipa

Arequipa is a town based at 2335m surrounded by mountains. These mountains were particulary important for the Inca beliefs and were regularly used to sacrifice children at the summits so as to protect the people who live aorund them

One of these children was foudn in mummified form that had been perfectly frozen for over 500yrs. Juanita the ice princess as shes known is kept in a glass fridge in a musuem in town so off i went to see her!

A tour of everything else found with her came before the momment where they actually show you the mummy.

A young girl with all her skin, teeth and hair still intact is sat staring at you from her glass case. A very bizarre feeling and one that nightmares are definately made off!!

Lunch after the musuem was an equally intersting affair as Marius had finally found a restaruarnt that served Guinea pig and Matius went for an Alpaca steak!!

I however stuck with a much safer local dish of potatoes and spicy sauce!!

Paracas and the Islas Ballestas

Pictures from the sand dunes as i put them in the wrong place!!

An early start had us heading to Paracas for a boat trip to whats affectionately known as "the poor mans Galapagos" or the Islas Ballestas.

The islands are the home of thousands, if not millions of birds from Pelicans & Peruvian Boobies to Penguins and is an amazing yet smelly sight to see. Once every 5 years all the islands are cleared of Guano and its sold to people who are willing to pay 50c a kilo for this apparantly world renowned fertiliser.

Amongst the birds theres also a very large population of male sea lions, that during are visit were chilling on the beach, whilst all the females were perched on rocks around the islands. Our tour guide at this point wanted to make sure that we were aware of there sexuality; "The males are not gay....................they just like to hang out together"

I then headed off back to Ica to buy a bus ticket and feeling adventurous on my return I opted for a 3 wheeled taxi that when heading up the sand dune stopped!!! I offered to get out and help push but it started up again and we crawled to the top of the dune before he turned the engine off as we coasted all the way back into Huacachina!

PERU. Lima to Huacachina

Not quite Skiing but still.....................................

First stop in Peru was Pedro´s Family backpackers in Lima, an awesome hostel and after findign the supermarket for breakfast Pedro gave a 4 of us a crash course in Spanish.
Starting off with numbers and whats your name we moved onto the trickier stuff like when does the bus leave and ¿why is the beer so expensive? How to paint a lampost Peruvian Style!

Armed with the essentials our tri-nation group of travellers headed into central Lima in search of the ancient catacombs at The San Francisco Church. After a tour of the main church we headed underground into the main tombs, to be greated with open grave after open grave of bones. All laid out next to each other. Skulls were used to decorate the walls as well as in the patterns created by leg and arm bones. A particularly bizare experience to be wondering around the tombs of over 200 people but an interesting one none theless.

The plan for day 3 was to head down to the coast at Miraflores, however on arrival at the coast the beach was at the base off a large cliff and didnt look as appealing as first anticipated so it was back to the hostel to catch a bus south with the Germans, Markus & Matius and Emily the ozzi to Ica, followed by a taxi to Huacachina.

Sat in the taxi driving throught the desert we were all wondering how much further it was going to be we came over a sand dune to see a small town built around a natural oasis.

Dune Buggys were deffinately in order so the 4 of us piled into the back of a ¿buggy? mainly consisting of an engine and 5 seats attached to some wheels an flew off into the desert for a spot of sand boarding before heading to the highest dune to watch the Sunset.

Back in town it was happy hour so it would have been rude not to try the local beveridge, "Pisco Sours" made from Pisco brandy, lime sugar and whisked egg white. At a first glance it may not seem to appealing but the slide down very easily!!!