I seemed to have been a bit preoccupied during September and October and never finished the latest South America trip or started the Utah trip. Here goes...
After our amazing day we headed back down to Cusco. When our guide picked us up we told him how we wanted to go to Puno the next morning. He made a few phone calls and as it turns out, there was a bus strike starting the next day and there were no buses leaving Cusco. Great. So we spent the next day in Cusco waiting to hear from our guide about the possibility of the strike ending. While we waited, we ate guinea pig, a Peruvian delicacy.
It wasn't that great, but we had to try it. Anyway, a miracle happened and we were able to get on a night bus leaving for Puno, along the shores of Lake Titicaca. We got to Puno about 4am and sat down to discuss how we were going to get to the reed islands (the main reason we came to Puno). Some lady who works for a tour group was hovering over us and trying to get us to go with her group. We wanted to see the reed islands and get to La Paz that night. She assured us that if we took a day tour of the reed islands and some other island in Lake Titicaca we would be back to Puno by 5, she would have a taxi waiting to take us to Desguadaro (Peru border town), and we would make it across the border by 8 (when the border closes for the night). I didn't trust her but I was outnumbered. More on her lies later.So we got on a boat out to the reed islands. The reed islands are these floating reed islands out on Lake Titicaca. They were mentioned in a General Conference
address, and sounded cool. They were.
The night we left for Puno with our awesome guide Diego who found us a ride out of Cusco (he's in the Utah State sweatshirt)
Puno. We didn't see much of it. But there it is.
The beginning of the floating Uros Islands. So cool.
The cute little ladies waiting to greet us. And sell us stuff.
A model about how the islands were made. It kind of made sense. I remember they have to lay new reeds once a week. Seems like a lot of work.
These poor guinea pigs were most likely going to be dinner later
Everything on the island was made from the reeds.
After the Uros Islands, we took a 2 hour boat ride on Lake Titicaca to this little island where they were having a festival. I think it was a festival for the sun, but I don't remember. They had really colorful costumes.
Their colorful costumes
It was beautiful
I wanted to kidnap her
With some kids we had to pay when they jumped into our picture. I didn't want to kidnap them.
So that lady who I mentioned earlier that said she would have a car waiting to take us to the border...well, she lied. She got us a taxi to the street where you can get a taxi to the border and then spent 45 minutes arguing about prices. We all couldn't fit in one car, so we would split up. But then the drivers would only leave with a full load of passengers and there wasn't anyone else around looking to get to the border. In the end we were able to convince them to let Mike sit in the back with the luggage. Then our driver drove 90 miles an hour all the way there (even through towns with 30 mph signs). I prayed the entire way that we wouldn't die. I think everyone else did too. We were able to get to the Peruvian border in time, but the Bolivian side wouldn't stay open to let us come across and we were 5 minutes too late. We were stuck in Desaguadero, Peru (aka the butt hole of Peru) for the night. We soon found out that all the hostels were full or overpriced. So Mike asked a guy at the border if he knew of any cheap places to stay (we were cold, desperate and dark out). He led us for about five minutes down deserted streets (I got my mace ready) to some old building. There were only 4 beds left in the place so I chose wisely to sleep in the guys room. This is the pillow I found on my bed:
I had this same pillowcase in 1989. Thankfully I had my own pillow. Anyway, the building was kind of gross, and I was definitely grateful for the Freshette. We got up super early the next morning to be first in line at the border. That is when we found out that we had just stayed the night in a homeless shelter. While we waited the cold, we observed people carrying their loads back and forth:
Her load weighed more than she does. Way to help out, men.
While the men just stood outside in the sun.
I've never been so happy to see another country
Finally arriving in La Paz with all our gear. We didn't pack light.
