Before leaving Peru last week it was time to check out other Incan ruins around the Cusco area. My fellow travellers (Barb & Emz) and I go for a guided tour again. We've found it's the best way to understand exactly what you are looking at when it comes to ruins. We visit 5 places. First up;

Coricancha (prounounced cory-can-cha). It translates to 'gold enclosure' and was the most important temple in the Incan empire. It was known as the Temple of the Sun and was dedicated to Inti, the sun god. The walls of the temple were covered in gold and it was built to align with winter and summer solstice as well as to identify days and months using the shadow of the sun. I close my eyes and imagine what a spectacle it must have been in its day. Grand and powerful. But, as usual, the Spanish arrived, melted down the walls and destroyed what they could of the solid building. Today, only the foundations remain, and the Spanish built the Santa Domingo church and convent on top of it.

Sacsayhuaman (basically pronounced sexy women - I kid you not!) This place dates back to 900 CE and was thought to be a fortress by the Spanish when they destroyed most of it. Archaeologists and historians have since discovered that it was more likely used as a ceremonial and religious site with a strong connection to the stars. The construction is amazingly accurate, which huge stones set in place so accurately that you couldn't get a piece of paper in-between them. The largest block is estimated to weigh in at 200 tonnes. I said to Emma as we were standing there admiring the construction "this is great for my OCD! I'm feeling very calm and at peace right now". Unsurprisingly, she rolled her eyes at me.

Qengo (pronounced ken-ko) Its believed this site is where the Incans sacrificed and mummified their dead. We wander into an underground cave, complete with a sacrificial altar and places for preparing bodies for burial.

Tambomachay (pronounced tam-bo-ma-chai) It's unclear exactly what this site was used for, but it consists of a series of aqueducts, canals and waterfalls running through terraced rocks. It may have been a resting point for travellers on the Inca Trail or it could have been a spa resort for the political elite, or both.

Puka Pukara (pronounced poo-ka poo-car-a) The name comes from the red colour of the rocks at dusk and was likely used as a military checkpoint, stopping those who looked suspicious from travelling any further into the empire. My guess is they would have stopped Emz and Barb …. they look highly suspicious.

We head back to Cusco and it's time to get on a bus and travel through the night to Puno, on the edges of Lake Titcaca. This place is famous for the floating reed islands of Uros.

Arriving at 6am and after grabbing some breakfast, we jump on a boat out to the islands. We are now at an altitude of 3800 meters above sea level - it's awfully nice not to have to hike out there!

The people living on these floating reeds welcome us with open arms and passionately show us their unique life. Its an unreal feeling to step off the boat and onto layers and layers of reeds just above the waterline. The islands don't move as much as I had expected, they are quite stable. The roots of the totora reeds interweave naturally and form a layer about 2 meters thick. They are anchored with sticks and a naturally made rope to the lake floor. New reeds are added to the top of this constantly as the reeds at the bottom rot away. Each time someone steps on the island it sinks about 2-4" so it's a lot of work for the locals to maintain their home, especially now with tourism becoming more and more popular. Their life is simple and uncomplicated. Basic bedroom huts, a shared hut for a kitchen and no taxes. We get our passports stamped here and head back to the bus.

It's time to leave the country that I have called home for the last 6 months.

About 3 hours later and we are crossing the border into Bolivia. It was bittersweet. I'm glad to be moving on as it feels like the right time, but sad to be leaving such a beautiful country and the amazing people I've met since being there.

The guard at the border examines my passport closely and there is a moment where I hold my breath for some time. I am crossing over the day before my visa expires - there should be no problems, but there is always that moment …. Finally, after staring at the computer and my passport for what felt like ages, he stamps it and I let out the air trapped in my lungs.

We lug our heavy bags up the hill and through the archway into Bolivian territory. Serious looking guards are standing at the entrance as we make our way into the immigration office. Apparently, the Bolivian borders are notorious for bribery and corruption, so it is reassuring to have our bus guide helping us across. All goes smoothly, and we jump onto a new bus and off to the lakeside town of Copacobana.

Our accommodation is perfect, high up on the hill overlooking the lake, hammocks to rest my weary bones and 3 Llamas who love popcorn to keep me entertained.

The next day and we are woken up with some serious music coming from the town. Its Saturday morning and I expected it was a morning parade of some sort. Still recovering, I decide to have a lazy day and rest in the hammocks. By lunchtime the music is still playing and we figure something must be going on. So lazy day on hold, Barb and I head into the town to see what all the fuss is about … boy are we surprised, we timed Copacobana perfectly! Once a year, people from all over the world come here to celebrate the Festival of the Virgin of Candelaria. The dancing, music and costumes were insane. The festival is religious and lasts for 3 days. Thank god we're leaving tonight!

About 11pm we arrive in La Paz, the highest capital city in the world. It has a population of about 2.3 million and is damn cold. As we have climbed in altitude, since leaving Arequipa, the temperatures have dropped. I'm super grateful for my 100% baby llama scarf (before you panic …. 100% baby llama just means it the first shearing a llama has in its life, it's super soft first coat makes the best scarves and jerseys)

As I get more and more used to this whole touristy thing, it's time for another guided tour ….. and as strange as it sounds this one is all about La Paz public transport system. Boring! I hear you say. Ahhh, but the difference here is La Paz has a cable car system called 'mi teleferico' for their public transport and it is an excellent way to see the city. It consists of 20 stations along 6 lines and under construction right now is 5 more lines. They are all colour coded and simple to use. The system was built by an Austrian company because La Paz has over 300 rives and waterways running under the city, so an underground train system was not possible. This solution was practical, environmentally friendly and has low noise pollution. The red, yellow and green lines alone transport between 80,000 - 90,000 passengers every day.

Its such a relaxing way to get a full view of this vast city. Its also fabulous to look into people backyards!! It always makes me smile too, that in the cities I've been to so far in South America, the rich live in the heart and the poor live on the outskirts …. except that 'living on the outskirts' means they are on hillsides and they have the most stunning million-dollar views! I love that!

The tour takes us up to an altitude of 4,100 where we wander around the 'real' witches market - not the touristy one located in the city centre. These natural healers and doctors practice their craft silently and away from the crowds. Many were killed when the Spanish invaded Bolivia in the 1500's, burning them at the stake for being pagan, so they are still shy and reserved about their chosen careers. They do not like their pictures taken but will allow us to take photos of their ingredients and craft.

Other than healings, the main ritual they conduct nowadays is when someone buys or builds a new house. People will come to the witch who uses the foetus of a baby llama to complete a ritual for good luck. Apparently mummy Llamas are not particularly caring, they give birth on the go and if the baby doesn't get up and start moving straight away, they just walk away from it. So, these poor babies die but to the Incan people, the Llama is highly regarded, so their death is not in vain. They are used by the witches in these rituals and the ashes of the llama foetus is buried underground in the new house - returned to mother earth. It is confronting, as an animal lover myself, to see these little ones hanging up in the witches' stalls. However, as our guide explains, it is a natural death and there is no animal cruelty going on here.

Today we headed out to Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon). Its 10km from La Paz and is an amazing site. Rain and wind has worn away the majority of the mainly clay based mountain, leaving these super cool spires. Minerals in the clay create different colours and I was lucky enough to see a couple of Viscacha jumping about between the rocks in the early morning sun.

After a stunning few days in La Paz we are now heading off to the Amazon. So, just in case I get eaten by an anaconda or piranhas' in the next few days …. First of all; it was Emma's fault. And secondly; I love you all and it's been a pleasure knowing you xx