From one side of lake Titicaca to the other and into a new country for another boat trip, this time to see the famous floating islands. The Uros, who live on these islands began there floating existence centuries ago to get away from the Collas and Inca who just kept fighting and killing people and have been floating ever since. The little islands are made up of layers and layers of reeds, anchored to the bottom of the lake by ropes and a few sticks. Apparently if one island falls out with a neighbour they just up sticks, literally, and float off somewhere else. We also visited Isla Traquila a beautiful little island where the size of a ladies pom poms tells you if she's single.

Then to Cuzco and Machu Picchu. Cuzco is a party town. Everyday we spent there, before and after our trek there was some sort of party, there were parades, music, costumes and a lot of fireworks! They also had cheese and branston pickle sandwiches.. woohoo!!!!!!

But our main reason for coming to Cuzco was to start our trek to Machu Picchu. It would take to long and more brain power than I am currently capable of to tell you all that happened to us during our trek. So here it is in brief....

The Super Ocho spent 5 marvellous and challenging days trekking to the famed city of the Incas. We trekked though the Salkantay mountain range up to an altitude of 4580m and down though high jungle. On our second day we trekked from cold mountain ranges to hot high jungle. Its a strange day when you start it in the cold wearing a woolly hat and end it the heat wearing a t-shirt. We had a top guide called Aldo and amazingly fit porters, one of which was in his 60's and would carry up to 25 kilos when walking the Inca trail! We also had the company of some lovely American who were a joy to trek with. Near death experiences for some, with very large rock trying to knock your block off (I don't think paddy will go near a relaxing hot spring again for awhile!) was all part of the trekking adventure.

Machu Picchu itself was awe inspiring. We started our climb up to the city at about 4am so that we could be there for sunrise and beat the crowds of tourists that had cheated and got the bus. Its a difficult thing to describe. Looking down on the city that early in the morning it seemed very quite and still with morning clouds rolling across it and sometime obliterating the view of the city entirely. It was truly something else. We spent the day wondering around the city from sun gate at one end to climbing up Waynapiccu at the other. Just looking at the place and wondering how the did it. Make a city on top of a mountain and keep it secret for so many years. It was just beautiful! And after making a sacrifice to the gods, (Gerald really didn't mind.. when your an orange dressed as a man being ceremonially kick off the top of a mountain is what your born to do!) off we trotted to the town of Arequipa.

Arequipa is home to one of the deepest canons in the world and also a girl, known as the ice princess who has been frozen on top of a mountain for 500 years. We have been faithfully informed that the Canon De Colca is indeed one of the deepest canons in the world, but when your standing at the top it is really very hard to tell!

And after a few days in Lima we said good bye to Ed and The Boy Jooles and ended our south American adventure. It was a blinding few months with people and places that I shall never forget till the end of my days!