Copacabana (Bolivia) and Lake Titicaca

We flew back from Rurrenabaque with the military airline TAM, which was better for Sarah than the previous flight as the plane was slightly bigger, however I still don't think she was all that comfortable and pretty happy to be off the plane in La Paz.

We then caught a connection to Copacabana which took about 4 hours. We had to get off the bus to cross the Lake Titicaca. The passengers crossed in a pretty sturdy boat but on seeing the boat the bus had to go on we were worried that the boat might go down along with our big rucksacks. However this was not the case and the bus made it across the lake and we continued to Copacabana.

We found our hostel no problem and met Max and Jana there. By this time the open wound (on my foot) I had sustained (through itching a mosquito bite in the jungle, it was healing at one point but my foot went down a hole/drain and the scar came clean off!) was looking pretty infected! This had lead me to having to walk around in flips flops in the freezing cold with one leg of my jeans pulled up, certainly this lead to me getting some funny looks. I decided to ring my 24hr doctor (Shona) for advice. Shona has been amazing and I have realised how handy it is to have a doctor in the family. So step up Mavor/Woolman/Armstrong cousins!!!

We had come to Copacobana: 1) To see Lake Titicata (Largest lake by volume of water in South America and at a staggering 12,500ft) and Isla Del Sol, and 2) To cross to Peru. Isla del Sol is where the sun is meant to have been born and some people have described it as one of the most beautiful places on earth.

It must be said that neither Sarah and or Max and Jana shared this idyllic description. This is not to say the views are not nice or anything but I would not really recommend for people to visit there. It's just a tourist trap where you have to pay taxes, entry fees which have just been invented by some locals, 'the ruins' looked about 50 years old, just like crofters ruins in Scotland! We stayed one night unfortunately but were pretty glad to board the boat back to the mainland the next day!!

Back on the mainland with a 5 day trek immanent I decided to go to the doctors about my infected wound. We took a taxi (specifically asking if the hospital was open) when we got there it was bloody closed!! We got out and the driver sped off!! To add insult to injury Sarah had left her warm jacket (which is not just necessary but essential or you freeze to death) in the Taxi. We went back down to the main square where we had caught the cab from and he was nowhere to be seen. But were assured he would be back by some other drivers. We waited an hour or so with no luck. After going back to the plaza numerous times, 10 minutes before getting on the bus to Peru I thought I would give it one last try (despite Sarah saying not to bother). I got the jacket back which was just as well because we were in for a cold night on the bus!