Oh no I've totally forgot to update my blog !! I've got a good excuse though.. I've been having a bloody awesome time . So where am I now ? Bolivia ! Just left Peru yesterday from Puno . Since my last blog entry I've completed the inca trail and been to lake titicaca . Now the inca trail was amazing and reaching Machu Picchu was such a great feeling. It took four days to hike the whole thing but that was slow with camping etc . I reckon someone die hard could rip it up and do it in two days. The food and our guides were great . We had 18 helpers that they call porters . Now these guys were machines. They had to pack up our camp every morning then carry our camp gear and some of our clothing and beat us to camp that night to set everything all up again. I really had respect for what they did. Some of them had to carry up to 20 kg on their backs and then quickly haul ass along the track. Some of them literally ran the whole trail. I have them a good tip that's for sure !
After returning back to cusco from Machu Picchu I spent the next day just totally chilling . I went to this amazing cafe called Jacks which has western food .. It kinda reminded me of typical Aussie cafe food which I was craving big time . I also managed to spend a solid three hours in Starbucks drinking coffee and hot chocolates while utilising the free wifi. People I had met from a hostel in Quito were also in cusco so we did a bit of sight seeing in cusco . Had a good night out with them on the last night. They were staying at a real hostel with a real cool bar so managed to spend a bit there .
Next morning we hopped on a bus to Puno. It was a seven hour ride and it wasn't too fun being hungover . Puno we used as a launch pad to visit lake titicaca . I had mixed feelings about lake titicaca . I mean it's a very large lake but I wouldn't say I had an amazing time . We basically hopped on a small boat visited some Islands ( one island called the floating Islands was kind of alright I was just in awe how the locals made these artificial Islands out of reeds and manage to live on them with not much else ... Apparently they don't pay tax so they like to live there ) and then we had a home stay at an island with a local family . I did enjoy playing soccer on a basketball court and testing out my current fitness at altitude and must say I was s*** . After our game we got to all try on traditional clothing that the locals wear . I looked like the biggest nob dressed up in like four layered skirts and a dorky full brim hat . I refuse to put photos of myself up on Facebook of this . The overnight stay if I had to sum up was ... Awkward . I mean the family i stayed with were ok ( the little three yr old boy was so cute ) but it didn't help we couldn't communicate very well. The next morning we were supposed to help with chores . They talked about milking cows and hearding sheep but me and my roommate got to sit in a cold kitchen and peel potatoes and beans. Happy days . We were done in like 20 minutes and decided it was to cold to hang around and returned back to our beds until lunch. Now that trip was a few days ago and let me just say I am still sick of rice and bloody potatoes. That's basically what we had for all our meals ! Too bad if your on a low carb diet you'd be able to eat nothing . Speaking of potatoes I think I told you there are over 3000 types of potatoes in Peru .. Anyone looking to bag out Idaho about potatoes well you got it all wrong because Peru is potato capital . Most meals here come with rice and / or potatoes. Even typing about rice and potatoes still makes me ill at the moment .
Anyways when we finally left that island back to Puno I had a small.. Maybe moderate sense of relief that it was over.
The next morning we took a bus to La Paz . We stopped for an hour at a small town called copacabana . It was a little bit of a hole so glad we didn't stay there much longer . Onto La Paz we went . In total it took seven hours to get to La Paz from Puno but it included a stop at the border and our stop at copacabana. Randomly we had to get on this dingy type boat to cross a canal . And I ran into this group of German girls .. I recognised one of the girls from the hostel in Quito . She was off her face that night so had no recollection of who or who my friends were. So funny all her mates were laughing at her. I am running into so many people I've met ( in la Paz I've got three people her at the same time from my Galapagos tour !) and thinking South America is such a small world when it comes to travellers .
So here I am in La Paz . We got in last night and had our last dinner with our current tour guide. We get a new one who takes us down through Bolivia and Brazil today . I'm currently sitting on a small day tour bus after competing the famous death road by bike . I was really worried i would s*** my pants and not be able to do it but turns out I've had the best day ever. I think I officially love mountain bike riding . The thrill of going down a rocky steep path and letting yourself go was such an amazing feeling . Some people on my tour group said they were glad it was over and they would never do it again.. I would definitely do it again just so I could see how fast I could go next time !
South America has really bought out the adventure side of me that I didn't really know existed . The sand dunes , inca trail, hiking volcanoes , white water rafting in Peru and now biking down a dangerous road . I cannot wait to do more !! I think paragliding might be my next big thing I hope !
Unfortunately we only have tonight in La Paz now . I would have loved more time here .. And if you ever come here I recommend a few nights in La Paz to be able to do the death road and also have time to see the city .. Especially the night life . I'm hitting the clubs / bars tonight and I've heard it's a good time but I'll update you on my next blog to say if that's true . Tomorrow we are getting an early bus and train to Uyuni which is the location to kick off our visit to the famous salt flats . If you have seen that salt desert where people look little compared to something in the background then that's the salt flats . I can't wait to get photos there . I've bought my little plastic figurine pokey and a little toy robot that my mum gave me as a gift before I left .. Random I know but she was like look Jess this if for you to take over to remind you of home / me . You wind up this robot and it does a funky dance .
Anyways about to get back to our hotel . Got to get myself ready for possibly a big night out ...