Road trip

Sunday, October 16, 2016
Puno, Peru
Another early start from Cusco. We left at 7am for a road trip to Puno, the town on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It was across the Andes with the high point of 4335 meters above sea level. The landscape was unbelievable. Also unbelievable was the road - it was a proper road rather than a bumpy pot holed nightmare that I had been expecting. We had a couple of stops - church, Inca stuff blah blah then stopped for lunch. Really lovely place - a river flowing by, great food and sunshine, just about perfect. Shortly afterwards the weather changed and it was pouring with rain and you could see massive lightening bolts across the mountains.

There was a short stop at the highest point, another short stop for a gorgeous cup of coffee and then pushing on to Puno . On the way we drove through a town called Juliaca. Blimey, this is the equivalent of the Wild West. Their entire economy is built on black market goods - either smuggled or counterfeit. They don't pay any tax but because they contribute to all the main political parties nothing gets done to change it. 

We got into Puno at about 5pm. I was in the bar a 6pm with Tina who I've met on the tour. After 2 large vodka and tonics we had dinner. I had alpaca - very tasty, a bit like version. Then I discovered that Peru does their own sparkling wine GET IN!! After that I had to have another vodka, well it would have been rude not to! The hotel is on the shore of Lake Titicaca - spectacular view of the lake from the dining room. I would have taken a picture but I got over excited when I saw Peruvian fizzy wine on the wine list.

Tomorrow there's a trip out on a boat which, if the weather is OK should be brilliant. The trouble is the weather can be fine 1 minute then horrible the next. I'm getting used to going out prepared for any type of weather so it should be fine.

I'm now 3800 meters above sea level. I feel OK but my nose is stuffed up and my ribs are aching a bit. I've been drinking tea made from cocoa leaves and sucking on cocoa leaf sweets. Today I got some essential oil if altitude sicknessa and it did give me a clear head which is always a bonus. 

It's trip out on to the lake tomorrow then time to explore Puno. It looks like a building site but you can never really tell. It's all part of the experience of being here.
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