Cold, wet but fun Lake Titicaca homestay

After leaving Cusco on the 1st, we headed to Puno the main port on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca. It was absolutely freezing, even when the sun was out and our hotel room only had one measly heater!

We were told to expect limosines to the port for our Lake Titicaca trip, but we weren¨t quite expecting these!

It certainly cheered up our early start though!

After reaching our boat we set off for the Uros islands, all made entirely of reeds from the Lake. It was very springy to walk on! We got shown a little demo on how they actually make the islands, and got to try on some of their clothes! We topped of the visit with a ride on one of the reed boats, which was very relaxing.

We then had a ridiculously long boast ride to Amantani island where we were having our homestay (I will bever not bring a book with me again!). When we arrived it had started raining and it was very cold. We met our homestay family, had a HUUUGE lunch with far too many carbs and met up at the main square for a very much needed hot chocolate.

We then returned back to our houses for more food, and a change of clothes, we were very happy about this because it meant we could wear more layers!! We then headed to the village hall for a bit of ´dancing´, basically just running round madly in circles...

We said bye to our families early the next day, then we visited another island for a great lunch of trout from the lake. We then had a long journey back to Puno for our last night in Peru.

24 hour challenge...

After Machu Picchu we attempted to stary up for 24 hours by having a night out in Cusco, which we did! Here are the less incriminating pics...

Jess, Steph and Miranda having a well deserved drink

Pisco Sours all round! Aussie Lisa, me, London Lisa and Emma

In the legendary (apparently) Paddy¨s pub. Jon, Steph, London Lisa, 

Charlotte, Miranda, Emma, Jess, Aussie Lisa and me

Steph and I with our AMAZING Daiquiris. Have no idea why Jon is pulling that face!

We made it! Slightly worse for wear and tired, Charlotte points to he clock to prove the 24hrs were up!

The one & only Machu Picchu

So here it is...not much needs to be said really, the pics speak for themselves. We got the 6.15am bus up the mountain from Aguas Caliente, and although we had to queue to get in and there seemed to be hoardes of people around, the wait was so worth it. It was hard to take a bad picture, from any angle the views were spectacular.

Our first glimpse before the sun rose

Sunrise - and Steph and I in nearly matching llama jumpers

The mist took a tantalisingly long time to clear

Steph & I in the classic photo spot. How long is my arm! (he hee...)

The mist cleared!

Silly picture

Meeting up with the Inca Trail trekkers. Their turn to look shattered!

I trekked up to the famous Sun Gate. Was knackering, but great views

Lares Trek - we survived (just)

As I´m writing this you may have realised we survived our Lares Trek which began on 25 June - the alternative Inca Trail - just Steph and I were doing this trek, the others in the group left for starting the Inca trail in Ollyantaytambo the day before. After leaving at 5.45am from Cuzco and up some very rocky and windy roads, we visited Ancasmarca an Incan site on the way to the start of the trek.

At Ancasmarca at 7 in the morning

 The start of the trek with Belarus and Ilhenio. Don´t really know why we have our arms in the air!

We then headed to Lares to pick up bread rolls as gifts for all of the local children we´d meet. Our guide Huilo then introduced us to our cook Belarus (well that´s what it sounded like) and porter Ilhenio (although we were also having 3 horses to carry all of our stuff too!).

On a mish uphill

The first few hours we a slight uphill, and waiting at the end was a 3 course lunch, soup, chicken and chips and banana and caramel sauce! So we were a bit stuffed! We only had an hour and a half to get to camp, but we had a steep climb to it, absolutely knackering as we were over 4000m above sea level. We met some local familes and saw their houses (including many (live) guinea pigs running around!)

Cute local children at the end of day 1. How knackered do we look.

GUINEA PIGS!!!

Camp was all set up when we arrived, it was already very cold so we put more layers on and awaited yet another 3 course meal for tea! We went to bed around 9 as it was so cold, dark and we had an early start.

We slept ok, we weren´t cold in the night (well we must have both had around 6 layers on each plus thermals!) but there was frost on the ground when we woke, but at least the sun was shining again! The first 2 hours were a fairly steep uphill to 4600m, the highest on the trek. Hulio apparently said we did it in a quick time, but we felt pretty pathetic! We were rewarded at the top with an incredible view of a lake, surrounded by snowy mountains, and all very serene and peaceful.

Frost at 4200m. It was -5 during the night. Mmm toasty.

We made it to the top! Stunning lake to boot :)

The next section of the trek was pretty flat, until we got to a steep downhill which took me ages to get down whilst Steph and Hulio sped down - my knees were killing me and my toes! Luckily we were rewarded with lunch at the bottom of the hill - yep you guessed it another 3 course-r! We had to rest for a while for it to digest! The rest of the day was a fairly easy, flat walk, past many local families and children to whom we gave bread and the prezzies I´d brought from home (cheers for the pens and pencils Mother!)

Glad to see my old pens and pencils getting good use in Peru

Camp on the second night was in the middle of a local village´s footy field, and even though lower than the previous night seemed colded as it was deep in the valley and the sun had already started setting. Again, we put more layers on and had a great last night dinner - including alphabetic noodles!

The Lares Trek in noodles (the mayo is the snow capped mountains!)

Our last night´s sleep on the trek was only disturbed by braying bulls at 1am - seriously infruriating and a bit scary! We woke to sunshine again, setting off from camp about 7.30am. After a fairly easy walk we climbed a big hill to get to Pumamarca, another Inca settlement. From then on it was a fairly easy walk, until a few steep downhills, I think Steph and I were coming to the end of our tethers, it was v hot by then and we were knackered!

We finally arrived at Ollantaytambo to catch out train to Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu. We could barely walk by then so after getting to the hotel, having a shower and a quick bite, we had an early night for the 6.30am bus to Machu Picchu....

Condors, Canyons, Cheesy Clothes, Cuzco, Curry and (sorry...) cooked Cuy :(

2 blog posts in a day?! This is a quick one as have to pack this eve for leaving Cuzco tomorrow.

After Arequipa we had an early start to get to Cruz del Condor in the Colca Canyon - I´d like to say it´s the deepest canyon in the world but it comes just short - to one the other side of the same mountain range. You may have guessed that Cruz del Condor is where you can spot condors if you´re lucky - and we were!

Waiting for the condors....L-R: Miranda, London Lisa, Carly, Aussie Lisa, me, Steph and tour leader Mark

 One appears!!

What. A. Goon. I bought it of course ;)

The amazing Colca Canyon with its many Incan terraces

En route to Cuzco - highest point on the trip! Check out the pin head on my shadow! (shadow not actual size...)

We had a long and VERY bumpy truck day to Cuzco after the Canyon, but to cheer us up we had a buffet curry on arrival, was amazing, and only about 3 quid all you can eat!

CUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRYYYYY!!!

The next day was the beginnings of summer/winter solstice celebrations in Cusco - we caught the Corpus Christie parades, it was so busy everywhere and we didn´t really understand what was going on!

 Corpus Christie parade -  banners galore

Celebratory cuy - a.k.a (shh whisper it...!) Guinea Pig

After making it through the crowds we managed to buy the things we needed for our respective Incan treks-the classic Inca Trail of course but in mine and Steph´s case the Lares Trek....but sorry everyone, you´ll have to wait till next time for pics of that and of course the one and only M.P.!!!! Bet you can hardly contain yourselves (!!)

Delay :( , Ballestas Islands, Nazca Lines, Puerto Inca + Arequipa

It´s been a while! After I signed off last time we found out the truck was still being fixed so we had another night in Lima, which meant a v eary start to get to the Ballestas Islands the next day. Our group was now full, with the additions being Steph, Jess and Jon and Miranda and Charlotte.

The Ballestas Islands are often called the poor man´s Galapagos Islands, there were many many birds, and a few seals!

We then headed to Nazca for an early flight over the Nazca Lines. After a looooong wait, we finally got up there in the smallest plane in the world, but you forgot about it as soon as you started seeing the Lines - AMAZING. How where they made?! By who?! And why?! No-one knows for definite so make your own conclusions! Afterwards we visited the Chauchilla cemetary - slightly spooky open graves seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

Slightly worrying that massages were being offered at Nazca airport

 Us and our plane! Not one of my finest fashion moments...!!

One of the most famous of the Lines - the hummingbird

Chauchilla Cemetary on the way to Puerto Inca

Camped for a few nights at the beach at Puerto Inca, there`s only a hotel there with its own beach so we set up camp nearby. There are also inca ruins all around, but not that spectacular so I won´t bore you with pics! It was also our group´s turn to cook one of the eves - beef skewers, BBQ lamb and risotto, seem to go down quite well! BTW, in comparison to the beach at Punta Sal, we were freeeezing at night, and it wasn´t even that warm in the day, so the tanning was not happening unfortunately :(

Miranda, me, London Lisa and Carly cooking our food!



We left Puerto Inca for Arequipa, Peru´s 2nd city. Arequipeñas consider themselves to be a bit different over other Peruvians...hmm reminded me of Mancunians! It was a very pretty city with lots to see - and buy! The best thing we saw was the Santa Catalina monastery - huge, but very peaceful considering it was in the centre of a city!

At the Santa Catalina monastery

Pretty people in Arequipa´s pretty Plaza. L-R: Steph, Miranda, Charlotte and Jess

Recent pics

Have been in Lima for 3 days and have 1 hour before we leave for Pisco so can´t write too much, so thought pics would be the way to go!

 Incapirca ruins in Ecuador, the best Incan ruins they have apparently

 At the Panama hat factory in Cuenca, Ecuador - or is it an art installation?!

Panama Hat factory shop! L-R: Emma, London Lisa, Aussie Lisa, Mark, Carly and me (and no, I didn´t buy mine!)

 Chilling with wine on the beach at Punta Sal, first time camping on the trip!

 I caught this stingray whilst we went fishing in Punta Sal on a v small boat! We put him back tho - not v edibile I don´t think!

 Cliched - but beautiful sunset at Punta Sal

 The pre-Incan Chan Chan ruins. V impressive

Weird bald dogs that can only be found at Chan Chan! Quite cute tho :)

 Hilarious translations on our Chinese menu on our 1st night in Lima, mmm wound of chicken!!

 At the Parque de la Reserva where they do light shows with fountains - better than it sounds!

 Looking out at the sea in Miraflores, the posh ´burb of Lima. V different to the old town where we´re staying

 Pre-Incan Duck!!

Groovy art near the Art Museum

Have to rush now! Off to Pisco, Nazca for the Nazca Lines and the beach again at Puerto Inca. Then Arequipa for the bext Guinea pig in Peru (sorry Luce!)