26/01/2012 - Australia day

It was another early morning start to get back to the mainland to catch our bus to la Paz. Unfortunately w

e only got to see the south part of the island and i only saw very little because i felt so shitty. We were hoping to get an early boat back but we had to hang around until the boat filled up before it departed leaving us waiting for a couple of hours, those few extra hours of sleep would have done me well.  Arriving back in Capacabana I finally put some food in my stomach eating some sandwiches and then just hung around town until our bus left.  Now, I'm never really grumpy but after the shitshow of organization getting people onto the bus I was pissed off, really pissed off, the annoying Argentinians who filled the majority of the buses headed to La Paz did not have any common sense when loading their luggage, they pushed in front along with the buses being over booked it was a nightmare.  Finally after all the shit we got moving towards La Paz where I slept my frustration away.  Arriving in La Paz we immediately headed for one of the main party hostels, an irish run place with over 100 beds, it wasnt the cheapest place about town but seeing as it was australia day I wanted to celebrate and have a good time – and It was the bar was rammed and I ran into many people who I met in Cuzco and around Peru.

25/01/2012

Last night was fun but having to get up early for a boat over to Isla Del Sol that we had organized yesterday was a little painful.
The views of Lake Titicaca and the surrounding mountain scenery were great especially when the group of us including a Romanian guy named Rads who joined us on the hike to one of the peaks of Isla del Sol.
Here, despite the weather being overcast I got quite sunburnt and suffered for the rest of the day having a mix between sunstroke and altitude sickness.
I spent all afternoon and most of the night wrapped up in blankets trying to keep warm and sipping water to keep my fluid levels up. I was incapacitated unable to eat for the longest time.

Around Isla del Sol

24/01/2012

Yesterday when walking around the streets of Copacabana I looked into getting a bus to La Paz as I would need to return this direction to cross back over the border to Peru to catch my flight meaning I could see the sights around the area including the main island when I returned.
So today when I was about to board a bus I ran into Fiona and Nicole who I hung out with for a day in Cuzco, both cool girls who were travelling with the most stereotypical American guy I had met in a while named daniel. Because I bumped into them I decided to stay another night and check out the festival that they told me about that I would have missed out on if I had left.
After the four of us tried the trout on the lake shore which wasn't the best ive eaten we went to the festival where the stands sold miniature versions of everything from tiny cars to small houses and miniaturized money; the way this works is that when you purchase the small items and some flower petals you then get blessed by... um, some guy who throws vinager and these petals over you, blows smoke around your body thus giving you hope and luck towards the bigger and real things of the little things purchased.
It was a cool experience where I got some great shots of the people getting blessed.
After a late afternoon nap we went for a meal in a interestingly decorated restaurant with a bunch of people who had met Nicole and Fiona over the last couple of days.
It was a cold and rainy night out ending up in a small bar where I smuggled in a small bottle of coffee cognac that I bought for cheap at an outside liquor store

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23/01/2012 How many countries have I been to now?

That's a question I am always asked and i really have no idea how many countries I have step foot in, I suppose I should make a list - later though.
Anyways after saying goodbye to the family who ran the backpacking place in Puno I hopped on a mini bus to the boarder town of Yunguago. Here I was crossing the border over to Bolivia, this being the last country I'll be hitting up in south America before heading back to Canada in 5 weeks.
There wasn't much to do in the towns either side of the boarder other get the stamps and so when I got that done I boarded another cramped minibus and went to Copacabana - a tourist town located on the edge of Titikaca lake and also an essential stop to go the lake island named isla del sol.
Arriving here you can see how unbelievably touristy it is with tourists flyering for bars and clubs with restaurants lining the main street selling western food at western prices.
I found a cheap place to eat where I had a chili-off competition with a local kid where I managed to score more food by drinking a cup full of chili sauce, was it worth it? I'll tell you tomorrow when I have to use the toilet but I'm sure my digestive system will be able to deal with it.
I walked around town for a short while looking for a somewhat touristy hostel where I could meet some other Westerners to mingle with but only could find hostals (opposed to 'hostels' that cater for backpackers and out of country travellers) offering single and double rooms, I did find a hotel right on the lake front for 25 bolivianos ($3.50) for a single room where for pretty much the entire afternoon hid away from talking to anyone, doing this hoping to save my energy for the nightlife.
Getting ready to go out it started raining at which point I just gave up and went back to bed eating cookies and oranges for dinner. Actually when I said "getting ready to go out" I didn't even attempt it, I just wanted to be lazy for another night.

22/01/2012

Arriving in Puno I was so exhausted I decided to stay a night, I got a taxi from the bus station to a hotel that was fully booked so I walked around the town center looking for a place to stay, I found a place called titikaca backpackers which hosted to mostly people who were not backpacking. It was a small place with only a few rooms and the family that ran the place were super friendly. I chatted with them for quite a while throughout the day and because the father spoke very limited but useful English I was able to get a free Spanish lesson from him.
A loud street festival was held outside in the main square just a stone throws away that I went to check out, it was very colorful and well Choreographed but the spectators who lined the streets made it difficult to take decent photos.
After checking my mail and chatting to Chantal who right now is keeping me awake at night thinking of our situation I sat in my room watching films on my laptop, I did this to the late hours of the evening then went to bed.
Not the most exciting of evenings but it was good getting off my feet for a long time as they were still quite painful from hiking around Cuzco.

Street Parade in Puno

21/01/2012

Second day in Arequipa, despite drinkin too much last night I still felt the full effects of a huge night out.
My advice to anyone who feels this way is to drink more. Andrew, an Aussie I met last night decided to get on it too and the both of us just bantered till the early hours of the afternoon, playing pool on the more than difficult snooker table and table tennis. He was a good laugh but later he left to stay in another hostel.
A Dutch girl (Michelle) who I met earlier in the morning was hungry so we headed to the market and to check out some of the town, it was great wandering the streets tipsy, just being ridiculous trying to embarrass her but we both had a fun time.
We bought some groceries at the market to make a potato salad for dinner to contribute to the meal that Amanda and her family were making.
Adin, Amanda's 9 year old boy was very keen on learning another magic trick so I taught him all I knew and after practicing with all the passing through backpackers he is ready to show off to his friends.
Amanda was more than grateful for the time and effort I spent with her son to teach him all the tricks and as such they gave me their contact details for if I pass through Calgary in Canada where they are from.
Having only met Michelle for a couple of hours we hit it off a little but as I had to leave back to Puno I couldn't spend the night, I hope to see her again in Bolivia when she arrives there in a week off so.
I said farewell to everyone in the hostel and flagged down a taxi to the bus terminal. Still hungover I fell right to sleep.

20/01/2012

I slept so well in the bus last night thanks to the sleeping pill I took when boarding the bus but when the bus arrived in Puno I was so incredibly disorientated i booked a ticket to Arequipa. This was a silly move because I was going to be headed back through this city when I have to return to Lima for my flight back to Canada to see Chantal. This was even a stupider mistake because as of yesterday i found out that Chantal who I was seeing for a couple of weeks in Canada before leaving for his trip is now back with her ex boyfriend who cheated on her a dozen times (I know! WTF), I thought I had something special with this girl but apparently not, I'll be just having to keep a smile, thats all I can do.
Because of this girl I now have two months in Canada to kill before I start work. Thanks bitch!
Anyways I hopped on the 6 hour bus to Arequipa without looking at a map but hoping there was another border crossing into Bolivia from there but unfortunately there was not.
This meant had to book another bus ticket to Puno and cross over from there. Errrrgggg.
Arriving in Arequipa I made my way to the most highly rated backpackers hostel and checked in, this hostel was fantastic, kitchen for use, hammocks outside, small enough that everyone gets to know one another and had a good sense of security; staff were friendly too.
When I arrived I met two American guys who I went around town with and to also buy some groceries for food for the evening, it's really great having a kitchen as everyone gets involved cooking and sharing their food and this is always a good time around the table.
After teaching Adin, the 9 yo who was traveling with his folks from Canada some magic tricks I went out with the American guys and 2 Canadian girls I met, it was a chilled evening, just having a few drinks at a quiet bar sharing stories and was in bed by 1.30. Candace, one of the Canadians and I had a bit of a chat outside the room and I slipped in a quick kiss before going to bed, nothing could come of this as her and her friend were leaving at 3am to go on a trek that I might do when I head back this way in a month or so's time. Well, I suppose I could have made the most of it but it just didn't happen.

Adin and some of the food we cooked up