Puno & Lake Titicaca
Trip Start
Sep 04, 2008
1
11
33
Trip End
Jan 11, 2009
Puno,
Peru
Saturday, October 11, 2008
As Cusco was so frickin wet I had to pack my stuff up in the morning, drag my still-drunken bones out of bed at 6am. Breakfast was short as I realised I was late and was on the Cruz del Sur bus to Puno by 8:30am. Once the rush was over the hangover kicked in. I was at the very front; the toilet (wees only please) was at the back. In the long run this was a good thing as it the long walk of shame down the bus to the toilet suppressed the urge to purge. The bus was really nice, reclining seats, just like a coach you used to have on school trips. However, they played films for the entire journey, at top volume. With the aid of my iPod I managed to get a little bit of shut eye.
I only have 500 songs on my iPod; to get the most out of my limited collection I have resolved not to press skip unless it is really necessary. It is interesting what songs fate throws up too. Not too far out of Cusco "Fit But You Know It" came up, made me laugh about the night before:
"I reckon youīre about an 8 or a 9,
Maybe even 9 and a half in four beers time,
That blue top youīve got on is nice,
Bit too much fake tan, but yeah you score high."
7 hours later I arrived in Puno. It is grim. Where Cusco seems to have embarrassed itīs position as launch pad to Machhu Pichu, Puno seems to really resent itīs role as launch pad to Lake Titicaca. Itīs gray, cold and there is nothing to do here. To compensate I booked myself into a hotel rather than a hostel. So after a bit of Internet and food, I went back to my single room with bathroom for a hot shower and cable TV. Hellboy was on, in English too, brilliant.
Today I took a day trip on the lake to the Uros Islands and Isla Tequile. The Uros are floating islands made out of reeds. It is claimed people live on them still but I heard that really they live in Puno and boat over for the tourists each morning. I have visited them and Isla Tequile before when I came to Peru in March, so I wasnīt put out when the tour was conducted in Spanish. As the sole English speaker in the group it didnīt make sense to do it in English just for me. Thank God for Spanish School, I think it was the best money I have spent so far. I could nearly keep up with everything that was said. Of course it helped that I vaguely knew what he was going to talk about.
Isla Tequile was another 3 hours on the boat. Again, was prepared and took a book (The Kite Runner). We arrived with a shed load of other tourists boats, all trekked up to the main square en masse. Hung around the square for a bit (more tat on offer) and then to a place for lunch. Lunch was the tried and trusted Trout with Rice and Egg - ahhh memories. Then it was a walk down to the other side to catch another 3 hour boat home. For me the trip highlights just how brilliant Explore holidays are - last time I was here it was timed to avoid the many tourist, it felt like we were the only ones on the island, good walks around the all the island not just the ports. This time felt like a total tourist trap. Hoards of people, no real activities other than an over-priced lunch and a walk back to the boat.
Having said that it was great to see the island again. Last time I bought one of those weaved bracelets from the kids on the island. On the plane back from Peru I promised myself I would not take it off again until I was back on Isla Tequile. Six months later here I am; the bracelet has now been removed, dirty stinky thing that it now is.
I am now going to dinner with some of the girls from the tour. There are more single girls travelling than I thought there would be. Actually no, thatīs not true: there are far fewer chaps travelling by themselves. It will be another night of bad Spanish and pigeon English; Iīm out with Marion, a German living in Malaga; Claudia, a French Canadian, and two Spanish women whoīs name I didnīt get. Tomorrow is another tourist bus to across the border to Copacobana, Bolivia.
