Once again...apologies for not updating this regularly but with camper van life and the expense of Oz we havent invested the time to write it up on here! We have been jotting things down though so its our mission now we're in cheaper countries and slowing our pace of life into 'Asia time" to spend some time typing up and uploading some blog entries as and when.... So cast your minds back to September time...

Our flight touched down in Cusco in Peru and we spent about 4 days here literally doing nothing. This was our biggest down point of travelling so far and we were adjusting to the thought of not having Hannah with us. Unfortunately we checked into a cold and uncomfortable hostel and not even a Bridget Jones Movie could cheer us up into liking this hostel, so we moved into the Flying Dog and took their suite room for the first night. We holed ourselves up in this room, eating sweets & chocolate and watching cable TV, we emerged new people and were ready to start exploring again. As we were due to revisist Cusco again before the Inca Trail we decided to sight see the city on our return so we jumped on a bus to Puno to get some views of the infamous Lake Titicaca which we missed from the Bolivian side.

Puno itself is not a very pretty town but its home to the floating islands of Peru and we thought it would be rude to not partake in a little tour to them. So early the next morning we took a boat, along with a million other boats, and headed to the islands. Once our group landed on the straw island we walked across it, feet sinking in, with baited breath...it took us a while to trust that we werent about to sink. Once acustomed to the absurbitity that this island was actually home to a large family we were treated to a demonstration of how the island is made and maintained, we sampled some homemade bread, were shown what type of fish they catch to eat and even got into the spirit of things by fashioning the local attire! We looked a treat! Although the visit to the island is touristy we felt we had a lovely personal experience with the people on our island and they seemed genuinely happy to have us there. It was a great insight into how the people did live many years ago. Of course now it is completely sustained on tourism. The people living their make their money from allowing the tours to their islands and by making and selling the crafts, but despite this it is all genuine. They sit there making the crafts that you later can purchase (which we did - we ended up buying a lovely tapestry - one of our only purchases so far - there is so much to buy but we only have limited room in our backpacks!) They do live on these islands and this now has become their way of making money so they can send their children to school on the main island. I am sure they aren't poor like they used to be, and the reason they live there is because actually they may be better off than on the main land - the abundance of solar electricity panels (!!) for one is a pure sign that they do very well from the tourists!

After the floating islands we took a mammoth journey across the lake to a beautiful traditional island to have lunch. We sat at the top of the mountain (after a painful, exhuasting climb!) and had spectacular views across the lake whilst eating some beautiful traditional foods - quinoa soup, trout and coca tea! We were told stories about the people living on the island and their tales of courtship which involve the men flashing a mirror at the girls, if the girl flashs back (we're still talking about mirrors here!) then it means they can start dating. When the man proposes he has to show his knitted hat to signify he is single to her parents, if he has stitched well the parents grant them permission to live with one another for a year and if they still want to get married after that year they do and the man knits himself a hat to signify he is now taken! Sven is currently in the middle of knitting his hat...but i am not sure anyone would be too impressed with it... hahaha!

We spent another night in Puno and were treated, both nights, to street processions from the University who were celebrating end of term. There was lots of music and loads of dancing. We were especially taken with the "Paul Davison" dancing from a certain group of boys who seemed to have taken lessons in the dip one shoulder and swing your arm technique! Classic!

After an insight into Peruvian life we headed onto another city - Arequipa!