Chile

Lake Titicaca was worth the trip, but the side from Puno, Peru is not the most beautiful and not open to the whole big part of the lake which is more or less divided into 3 sections. The people think the shape is like a puma, their sacred animal...I didn´t really see it, but sure. We went out to the floating islands of the Uros people which were created to escape the Spanish invading. They have continued to live on these islands built out of reads that literally float in the lake. Now they are anchored down but its pretty incredible how they continue to live. The material is really cushy and i just wanted to lay on the bed of reeds that is the island and sleep in the sun. It was a very ¨touristy¨ experience but worth it.

From Puno Ash and I got on an overnight bus to Tacna. We were in the front two seats and finally remembered to bundle up. Bus rides always start out a comfortable temperature but somehow end up freezing in the middle of the night. We brought my sleeping bag on board, layered up and snuggled through the night to keep warm. From Tacna we crossed the border into Chile where we have spent the last couple days enjoying the sunny warm weather, enormous sandwiches and huge plates of fries at a place called Roly´s and lounging on the beach.

Tonight we get on a bus to San Pedro de Atacama. There are cool natural things there like geysers and valle de la luna. We´ll see. Chloe Neely, my best friend from Grinnell, is going to be there this weekend with her dad who is visiting. Such luck! i get to see her a few days sooner than expected! Ash heads back to Lima on Sunday then to Quito to fly home. I have 2 months to the day left of traveling!