Cuzco - Puno. 469 kms.
Total Distance So Far: 12,885 kms (11,115 kms by Land, 1,770 kms by Sea)
It was a fantastic ride south-west from Cuzco today. Meandering through the valleys, with small villages and high mountain sides was just very relaxing and picturesque. We covered the distance to Puno on the western shore of Lake Titicaca in no time at all.
At 3,800m the lake is supposed to be the highest lake in the world. I say supposed as I found one at 4,600m in Bolivia a couple of days after writing this. (Perhaps I found a pond!). After dumping our gear in the hotel we took a boat out to the famous floating reed islands. We went to a cluster of islands called The Uros Islands. These islands had supported the Uros people who had been living on the islands for centuries, perhaps up to 1,500 years. It is not known exactly how long, as their history is only passed on verbally and there is nothing written down. We were shown how the people make a new island, and how the tether it to the lake bed. The islanders do not use currency or money, instead they weave, collect reeds, make reed handicrafts and fish and then barter these goods for medical supplies, meat and other essentials at the local Puno market. It was a great experience but I just can not imagine how these people can exist on an island, without electricity (although some have solar power and batteries), no bigger than 15 meters by 30 meters.
It was a great day, then during supper at 10pm…….. Amex called me……... Aparently they had been trying all day to reach me. “Mr O’Neill we are sorry but Miss Suntrarak DOES need a visa to enter Bolivia”. Now, Amex are normally excellent, but this time they came up very short. They were very sorry but the wrong information had been given for some reason. They asked if I was near the Bolivian consulate in Cuzco, to which I replied no and I was over 400 kms south in Puno. I asked what information was required to get the visa as I knew they would want documents which Lidy did not have whilst traveling. “you need bank statements, employers reference, yellow fever inoculation, proof of address/utility bill, onward flight and travel reservations…..”. I interrupted and told her to stop, telling her we have none of these. I said Lidy has her passport, cash, credit card, and Amex could supply the onwards flight and travel details – that’s it. We spent the next 4 hours, with Amex in touch with the Bolivian embassy in Australia (the only one that was open). The Bolivian embassy in Australia understood the predicament we were in and agreed to loosen the rules regarding work reference, bank statements etc. They said they would fax a letter to a consular office they had in Puno and if we go there at 8am they would expedite a visa. They told us to take enough cash $100 a day for each day in Bolivia, hotel confirmations, flight details, and passport.
The inside of one of the 7 or 8 houses that were on each reed island. Conditions are very basic.
The bustling town of Puno on the western shore of Lake Titicaca.
I snapped this bird. It looks like some type of Kingfisher? It was perched on the keep net of the island and the islanders shushed it away when they saw it.
Coming back through the reed channels and into the bay of Puno on the front of the boat was a great end to the day. (A shame about the Amex phone call!)
No comments:
Post a Comment