With a couple more days of high altitude hiking, duel-carb meals, fresh air and breathtaking views we are feeling pretty fortunate and satisfied with ourselves. Cut off from the modern comforts of internet and abundant electricity, Isla del Sol was the perfect place to just be and take in the unbelievably beautiful scenery.

Our boat ride over from Copacabana was as hassle free as the border crossing. South Americans definitely seem to have a little more self pride than the officials in other parts of the world we've visited, although they did cram us into the boat like sardines. Still, compared to some of the boats in the Philippines it was a luxury. We were able to breath for most of the trip. There was only one burst of diesel exhaust that entered the cabin and only one kid that sang badly for money on board!

Arriving on the Island was another story, with local kids running and tugging at us from all directions to try to convince us to stay in their hotel. Thankful for our high altitude hiking practice on the Salkantay Trek we powered up the old Inca stone steps and managed to break free from the tourist touts to roam the islands southern ridge on our own. We found a simple but beautiful room in a local casa, threw our packs from our aching, sweating shoulders and set off to enjoy the island.

It is no wonder Isla del Sol is such a popular tourist destination. It is one of the most beautiful, intriguing places on earth. We had to keep reminding ourselves that the seemingly never-ending ocean surrounding us was not the ocean but a glacier fed alpine lake. Resting at 3808 metres and covering 8400 sq km, Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake and the largest in South America. Isla del Sol was the most important to the Inca's of all the islands, with every possible inch cultivated, stunning beaches and pre-Inca ruins scattered throughout. It was the heart of the ancient Inca civilization, believed to be the birth place of Viracocha, an important Inca God. It was Viracocha who created the sun, the moon and the first humans, Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo (the equivalent of our Adam and Eve). Giving them a gold staff, Viracocha told Capac and Ocllo to walk until the staff stayed fixed in the ground, which meant they had reached the Promised Land. Fulfilling this promise, they walked until their staff finally sunk into the ground in an area now known as Cusco. So according to this folk law, our bus journey from Cusco to Copacabana is possibly the oldest Inca Trail!

Being low season there seemed to be more restaurants and hotels than tourists, and our principle of eating only at busy places was made redundant. The plus side was that the whole island was incredibly quiet and peaceful and as we hiked from the south to the north and back we barely passed a soul. The evenings reminded us of why it was the low season, as the thick storm clouds rolled over like clockwork. On our last night we experienced a raging tormenta. The lighting and thunder seemed to be competing directly above us, constantly shaking and illuminating our bedroom windows. One too many times we saw a perfect bolt of lightning mere metres from our room! To top it off, the locals started letting off fireworks, which we were explained the next day was to ward off hail. It didn't work, and we spent a couple of sleepless hours wishing the storm away. As usual the sun came out the following morning and there was barely a trace of last night's thunderstorm. Oh, the wet season!

Despite the islands natural beauty, there was a funny island vibe creating a very obvious separation between the locals and the tourists. This was accentuated as most of the facilities were built simply to cater for tourists and not at all used by any locals. Some of the more farming-focused locals almost seemed to resent the constant stream of tourists invading their island daily. It was definitely a better place to visit for scenery than for a taste of local life, but at least we were contributing to their economy.

This separation was almost more defined in Copacabana, which had an almost hostile feel at times. It took a bit of getting used to the hoards of wandering bohemian South American travellers who seemed to have taken a liking to the area. They were constantly busking for money and directly competing with the locals for boutique business, which seemed a little strange. Content to simply enjoy this unique landscape for its beauty, and be as polite as possible to the locals, we still had a fantastic time. We seem to keep saying this, but honestly, our pictures say it all! Already in love with Bolivia, we are on our way to the dynamic capital city of La Paz, thankfully on a comparatively short bus ride!