Left Puno at a decent time at 8.30 with Bolivia hop. Again good service but not as good as Cruz del Sur. Lots of backpackers and we did feel rather old. Although they were all impressed with our 6 years of travel.
When we came to the border crossing we had to all get out, get passports stamped, mugshot done and then walk over no mans land over to Bolivia. Strange…
On the other side it was again passports stamped, fill in immigration cards and off we went again on the bus towards a little seaside town called Copacabana.
We got off there as we had to wait for the bus from La Paz to come over, a local one with no toilet and Bolivia hop went back to Puno.
Warm and sunny, how lovely did that feel. Grabbed lunch and chilled out. As you can see…
Carried on on the journey with beautiful landscapes and finally we were crossing from Peru to Bolivia on the narrowest point on lake Titicaca. This is were it got interesting.
We had to get out and take a small boat and the bus? Well it went on a barge of some kind….
Few more hours to go where we saw the newest jurassic world movie and popcorn. Impressed.
Got to La Paz about 10 pm and straight off to our Airbnb. Big roomy 3 bed flat with all important WiFi and good kitchen.
The next day we went to explore. It was rainy, cold and miserable.
But what La Paz has done is incredible. They have made cable cars criss crossing over the city and it’s the public transport. Super cheap, I think we paid for all of us to do the whole lot about $6. Works a treat, everybody can afford to use it and no hiked up tourist prices. And an amazing view.
I was a bit scared first as I don’t do heights…..( nor speed😬)
We went up to the highest point, called El Alto and man, it was freezing. Got off to look for some cafe near by but no, but we did pop in to the pharmacy to get painkillers as now Chris had fever. Looking back, this is the time everybody started to get sick, either, colds, puking, tummy upsets or fever. But not me! Made out of strong Finnish stock?
What we also realise that we can get in the pharmacy without any kind of prescriptions was, as usual antibiotics, suture kits, needles AND lidocaine. A local anaesthetic……can’t even get hold of it in UK. And here, Tada!
We stocked up like drug addicts feeling very pleased with it all.
Next day we went to a musical museum and walked the old colonial street.
And hung out with locals
The last day we did nothing as now James was puking. So did school with the other two.
In the evening Chris crashed and went to bed at 8pm…..
The next day it was our merry way back to Puno. At our stop in Copacabana I realised we could get a really cheap bus from Puno to Arequipa, an overnighter T $15/ p.p
Well pleased with myself we got to Puno and boarded the bus. Well…..let’s just say, you get what you pay for….
In Copacabana Charlie puked. At the border crossing, James puked…
Shit bus, shit journey. My seat didn’t recline, it was freezing, no blankets or pillows and where Chris sat the bottom of the window was loose. So every time the bus turned left the window would fly open and bang close again…jeez. I was not happy!
We arrived early morning to the coastal city of Arequipa. Tired but at least it was hot.
Welcome hot, sunny weather.
moodyfinn 