No work for 6 months!

We were now both better so we booked a taxi/guide to take us to some of the sites surrounding Cusco. About an hours drive from Cusco we headed of the main road, down a dirt track towards the area of Maras and the Salt Farm. Not really sure what to expect we arrived at the top of the valley overlooking the farm.

It is difficult from the picture to appreciate the size of the salt lakes (there is a building in the top left hand corner of the picture which stores all the salt).

The Salt farm is composed from over 3000 small lakes (6ft x 6ft).
These are supplied with warm salt water through various channels which stem from one stream from the mountain. Approximately 20 people work on the farm collecting the dried out salt ready for dispatch.

The guide walked us through some of the salt lakes. We were shocked by the sheer size of the farm and by the amazing formations created by the salt. Wicked!

Next stop Moray - The Inca used this site to test which crops would grow at different altitudes. Each ring was supposed to simulate a 50m height change in altitude starting at 1500m a the bottom. Having been to the bottom and walking up the various rings we are not totally convinced of this, but who are we to question the Inca´s!

Well we arrived in Cusco over a week ago, very excited about seeing Macchu Picchu and looking around the gorgeous city. Our plans to date in Cusco havent really gone as we have hoped.

We have been able to get off the tourist trail at last - a trip to a peruvian hospital!! Great! Well firstly I got sick for a couple of days and then Rob decided to go one better and get Salmonella poisoning! We have been so carefull with what we have eaten in Bolivia and Peru and even stayed away from the tempting roasted guinea pig (much to my disaapointment). Somehow Rob managed to pick up Salmonella poisoning, probably from Bolivia! Therefore 24 hours on a drip in "Clinica Pardo" was where we ended up. Thankgod for insurance!

Thankfully Rob is on recovery and our antibiotics are working a treat. We are very much looking forward to feeling normal again and enjoying food, cant wait to cook our own food and not worry about getting any more nasty bugs!

Due to the amount of time spent in the hostal room (San Blas Hostal) we had to amuse our selves by watching .....hmmmmmmmm.... Dawsons Creek, Changing Rooms, The OC and best of all ET! This also gave me the oppotunity to cut Robs hair! Yes you did read it right, Rob let his girlfriend cut his hair. As you know Rob has quite the buffro so it was quite a challenge for my first hair cutting exerience!

Cucso itself is a gorgeous city, far too many toursits, but amazing buidlings, cobbled streets, coffee shops, restaurant after restaurant, shops all selling the same peruvian hats, ponchos, gloves (all made from alpacha) and many more daewoo mini taxis.

We wont be sad to leave Cusco as over a week has been spent here, but it has been an experience (not a great one though).

Part 2 of Cusco will include at last Macchu Picchu (not the Inka Trail though as Salmonella got the best of Rob)!

Not much time was spent here in Puno (Peru side of the lake). The town was horrible (hence pooooono!!) and within 1 hour of arriving in the town we headed off to the floating villages for the afternoon.

When we got to the islands we realised it was very touristy! The village people survive on selling products/crafts to tourists. The floating villages have all amenities required, primary and secondary schools, a mini-market, a phone booth and boats to cross to the other islands (no McDonalds sail through yet!!!!!)

We then sailed to the next island on a reed boat, which was surprisingly stable.

Ended the day with a great sunset.

That was it for Poooono and the next morning headed to Cusco!

We left the big city for some chill out time at the highest lake in the world, Lake Titicaca. The lake spans across Bolivia and Peru.
On the way we had to cross the lake, while we got a small boat across, our bus got an even smaller one!!!

We stayed in a lovely hostal with amazing views of the lake and spent a couple of days there taking in the scenery and tasting the local trout.

Many hippies fill the town selling there jewerly and all the locals sell their huge popcorn (no joke, some of it is bigger than your hand)!!!

There was not much to see here in Copacabana so we headed to Puno (Peru side of the lake) to check out the famous floating islands.

After a very long and very bumpy (even by Bolivian standards)bus ride we arrived at the Bolivian capital of La Paz. The first impressions were what an amazing position the city is in, flanked by hills on all sides and with amazing views of snow capped mountains.

Heading down to La Paz we passed through the rather poor suburbs, everywhere a toilet! Not sure what to expect we booked into the Hotel Turino, a beautifull old house with courtyard. Rooms not great, little cold, not the best views from the window,

but it was very very cheap! And with interesting showers!!!!

We spent the afternoon exploring and soon realised what a great city La Paz was. Loads of stuff going on, street sellers selling everything from loo roll to mobile phones, crazy drivers, loads of shoe shiners, and interesting food stalls.

Spent longer in La Paz than planned as we felt quite jadded after the salt flat tour but not a problem considering they make the best hot chocolate in the world! We did treat ourselves by going to the best restaurant in town (where the ministers have dined), still only cost 17 pounds including a very very good reserve wine!!! yum yum. This backpacking lark is easy!!!