Pleasantly Bored

I finally feel like I am on vacation. It only took two months to adjust. Europe was crazy, like running around in circles trying to see as much as possible in the six weeks I had. Now, I have stepped back and have slowed to the South American way of travel. The last few days have been spent resting in hammocks and strolling through plazas, drinking cervezas and doing pretty much whatever I feel like at any particular moment.

Puno was tough for me. I felt like I was getting beaten down with each new step I tried to make. I hit those phases a couple of times in Europe as well, where you just don't feel like things are going your way. You don't meet people like you want to, you don't necesarily feel social, you're just generally uncomfortable in the place where you are...and that was Lake Titicaca for me.

After my soiree at the Bolivian border, I went back to the lake to see what I could do next. I ended up getting a bed at the hostel after a late night cancellation, so that was good at least. I booked the tour of the floating reed islands for the next day. For anyone reading this that ever wants to go, I say skip it...unless it's a stopover to avoid a long bus ride to La Paz. The lake is incredibly polluted and the smell is not so nice. I took a half hour boat ride to the reed islands to see some of the locals and it felt like I was in a zoo. They showed us how the islands are made, which is actually kind of cool. They're just islands made of reeds. As the ones on the bottom deteriorate, they place new ones on top. These islands are actually floating, as they have to anchor them down to keep from sailing off to Bolivia. The people on them sleep in reed huts and basically live off of the tourists that visit. They tried to dress us in their traditional garb (I politely refused), sell us things and then sang us Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in the language of each person on the tour. I know that they would not survive without the money they receive from tourists, but it was just really uncomfortable and made me feel kind of bad. I was pretty happy when we were back on the boat to the mainland.

After the tour, I quickly went to the bus station to see when the next bus to Arequipa was. I was in luck, as there was one leaving in a couple of hours. I made haste back to the hostel, packed my bags, and said goodbye to Puno....but not before buying the one of those alpaca ponchos I've been eyeing. I have no idea when I'll wear it...but it's soft and blue...and was all of $10, so what the hell, I'm glad I have it.

I had my first experience with Cruz del Sur, the fancy bus company that runs through Peru. It was more expensive, but to get movies and food....I'll take it! The seats lay almost flat and are soft and spacious. To top it all off, my bus was close to empty, so I got to spread out and sleep for a while on the six hour trek to canyon country.

I got to Arequipa and have checked into my third Point Hostel. There are a bunch of chain hostels in South America, the Point being one of them. You get these wristbands that just scream 'gringa' as you walk the streets, but they get you a free drink at the next hostel you stay in...bonus! The hostel is great, comfortable beds, clean, hot showers, a decent kitchen and hammocks in the backyard...luxurious by backpacking standards. I've been very cozy here all week.

This town I'm in is awesome! I do not feel like I'm in South America at all. More like Arizona. There is a beautiful, landscaped plaza, stucco houses, actual stop lights and street crossings and fantastic restaurants and bars everywhere. My first day, I met a couple of girls with similar travel plans (I think they're on the flight just before me to Colombia...and also taking a boat to Central America...their research has been incredibly helpful) and we walked around and checked everything out. I went to this 500 year old covent that was just opened to the public in the 60's. I was fantastic; a city within a city. Once the nuns joined the convent, they were never allowed to leave, so they built this complex over three acres full of rooms and kitchens and gardens and chapels. It was all gorgeously decorated in this deep red and bright blue and built out of rock from the snow capped volcano that towers over the city, El Misti. We spent a couple of hours in there wandering the streets and getting lost in the houses. Apparently there are still nuns that live there...but of course, they're hidden away from the tourists...bummer!

Other than that, I can't say I've done much here. I have been pleasantly bored for the last three days. Each day I get up, drink my tea (yes, I am a tea drinker now...who knew it could be so good!) go out for a few hours, and then come back to relax and read a book. Yesterday I put an end to that as I booked a three day hike through Colca Canyon about three hours from here. My haggling skills are getting good and my Spanish even better as I got the guy down to less than $65 (all inclusive for three days) and let him explain the trek to me without using English. I leave at 3am tomorrow morning and can expect about four hours of hiking each day, glimpses of condors flying above, and hot springs to soak in at the end of it all. The biggest challenge is going to be getting three days worth of supplies into the tiny day pack that I bought in Cusco. That is my mission for today.