Yes, I know its been a while since I updated my journal. The week has passed in a haze of drunken nights and sleeping days! About time I let my hair down and Cuzco is definitely the place to do it!!

Recap from before Cuzco. Went from La Paz to Copacobana which is sweet little town on the edge of Lake Titicaca. The weather was beautiful and the Lake sparkled and looked very inviting but at 3,800m, it would have been a tad chilly! Its the world´s highest navigable lake and straddles the Bolivia-Peru border. After dumping my big bag in a hostel, I went straight off on a recommended 17km trek to Yamputata on my own which was great. The uphill bits were really hard work at altitude of course but the scenery was spectacular and my photos don´t really do it justice! Took a boat over to Isla Del Sol where i stayed the night in complete silence and darkness apart from the occasionally donkey braying! A beautiful island which unfortunately I didn´t have the time to explore. Took the first ferry back to Copacobana in time to catch the bus into Peru and to Puno. Arrived in Puno at about 3.30pm and went straight off on a tour of the Floating Islands for a couple of hours. Amazing how these people live but it was that typical zoo like feeling which I hate when travelling. Anyway, all very interesting so good to do. Stayed the night in Puno and then took the bus north to Cuzco, arriving mid afternoon at the infamous Loki Hostel.

What a hostel!! The best i´ve stayed in. The beds are big and warm, the showers are amazing, they feed you with sunday roasts, lasagne, curry etc plus endless toasties, free tea and coffee, bar with a tab (very dangerous!!) and best of all, breakfast included until 1pm!!! Really there is no need to leave the hostel at all! Anyway, met loads of people, mainly brits for some reason and have had some pretty hardcore nights, only getting home at 7am, in time for breakfast fry up before bed for a few hours to recover! Lots of fun! The aussie boys from Rurrenbaque turned up 2 days ago so it was great to see them and go out with them again.

I thought that I should probably do some sightseeing so on Tuesday did a tour of the Sacred Valley. Went to 3 separate Inca ruins, all building up to the biggie, Machu Picchu which i´ll be seeing on Monday. I´ve booked onto the Lares Trek which is 4 days and 3 nights culminating in Machu Picchu and I leave tomorrow. So will be back in time for the Halloweén party at the hostel on Tuesday before leaving for Arequipa on 1st November. Only 3 weeks left - better get a move on!!

xxx