I return from two days of traipsing through nature. Just like the salt flats in Bolivia, Colca Canyon did not disappoint. The only thing that slightly marred the trip was the overly helpful tour guide, who insisted on speaking into the bus microphone for every possible minute, never allowing me a minute or two to absorb all the beauty and wonder that I was seeing. On day one the bus slowly climbed altitude until we reached Coyllama, the highest possible point...

I love Arequipa. I can't place my finger on it, but there is something magical about this place. I arrived to the hostel in the early evening and went out for a walk to the main plaza and cathedral. It was not quite dark, the square was lit up and it was gorgeous. I had originally gone out looking for vegetables to cook up a pasta sauce. Fruit I could find everywhere - on that note it is really exciting to see an abundance of fresh fruit, not just rubbish apples ...

I came to Puno on a whim. I hadn't read anything about it, heard of it or heard other travelers mention it. In Copacabana most of the buses were to La Paz, where I had already been or to Cuzco, which I don't want to go quite yet. I saw a sign for Peruvian destinations including Puno, only a 3 hour trip. Sold. Well Puno turned out to be a bit of a bust. It's not a terrible place or anything. If you don't want to visit the islands on Lake Titicaca, which I already...

In the past two days, I have taken: - a 14 hour bus trip from La Paz to Uyuni - a 15 hour bus trip back to La Paz from Uyuni - a 4 hour minibus ride from La Paz to Copacabana - a 1.5 ferry ride from Copacabana to Isla del Sol Not recommended. Don't ever do it. So tiring. Thankfully there was an overnight stop over in Copacabana. After two nights in a row on a bus, I slept like a baby. I wasn't even meant to be staying in Copacabana (Bolivia not Brazil) but...

I think I'm in hell. I'm sitting on my worst South American bus so far, headed to Salar de Uyuni. The actual bus isn't much to ring home about, especially after the comfort of Argentinian buses. And as Bolivia is less developed the roads are very bumpy. But these observations don't bother me too much. The actual problem is not being able to sleep, which is paramount on an overnight bus. As the bus ride began at 7pm, I didn't allow myself to go straight to sleep. ...