Peru....Bolivia

Hello all,  sorry once again for the huge time lapse in writing.  But then if I wrote too much I wouldn´´t be off doing other things would I? So I won´t feel too bad :)

Well so much has happened since beginning of May.  Pete and I decided to go our seperate ways for the remainder of our trip which in many ways has worked out for the best (from my point of view at least).  So from now on this is only my thoughts and experiences. 

Where to start... One of my favourite places so far on this trip, Huaraz, in Northern Peru.  This small place, most think nothing special of it, is in the midst of stunning mountains that tower of the sandy coloured city.  Here we walked up into the Cordilleras Blancas for three nights and four days of difficult trekking at altitutude.  But surrounded by lakes and snowy mountains that glimmered silver in the moonlight you forgot the biting cold and could only marvel. 

After a brief drop-in to Lima we headed to Arequipa, the site of the largest canyon in the world.  Standing on the edge of this great chasm was another breath-taking experience, with condors flying over head. 

Next stop was Cusco and straight off on a four day jungle trip to Macchu Picchu, including mountain biking and zip-lining.  Bathing in hot-pools that were perched in a landslide that continued to slowly fall was unreal.  Macchu Picchu itself was simply magical.  Napping on the grass terraces and awakening to that view was a highlight. 

After spending a somewhat un-productive week in Cusco (due largely to the influence of Irish!) I headed to Bolivia with a Belgium lad.  We were very lucky to get through the border which had been on and off closed for a month or so.  But get through we did and then spent a few nights on Isla del Sol, Lake Titicaca.  Another absolutely magical place that makes one stop for want of words to describe the beauty.  The idyllic wee blue bays, the white sand, the Eucalyptus, the patchwork fields and stone walls, Inca ruins, the incredible rocks that rise up against the backdrop of the lake on all sides.  Renting a provate boat for next to nothing and floating about on the top of the world with musicians and magicians...

That brings me to now almost.  Having been in La Paz for several days, I have done little but try and shake off a nasty cold.  Yesterday, we took on the Death Road and survived! Descending 3000m on mountain bikes on this skinny wee road, once classified the most dangerous in the world, riding through waterfalls and trying to make some pretense of knowing what I was doing... a great experience.  Tomorrow, we climb Huayna Potosi and hopefully make that ever sought after 6000m summit!