Homestay on Amantani Island

Leaving Uros Islands we watched people fishing in the traditional way... a group of boats shoo fish into nets which are dragged by one of the boats. The whole scene was incredibly peaceful. The journey took about two hours and was absolute bliss as we skimmed along the waters watching the wildlife. So good just to relax.

We were met at the harbour by a group of women in traditional dress and one really serious looking fellow in a wide brimmed hat. This was Mr Valerio - our host. Hey my good friend at school was called Margaret Valerio I explain in my crappy Spanish only to find that he spoke Quechu language! Check out Amantani

Edwin warned us to remember our hosts names because it was very easy to get lost! How right he was. We wandered off down a track where houses became more and more remote. Women in traditional dress were working in the fields or looking after animals. We noticed that the men on this island did not wear traditional clothes. We found out the reason. The men would go off for 6 - 8 months to work in Puno. In this time they would earn enough money to build their house and put a bit by for the future. Tourism helped to "top up" their finances. They were virtually self sufficient in food and could trade their knitting and weaving for any other goods.

We paid our family directly... $25 for our room, lunch, dinner and breakfast. A lot of the other tourist companies take a chunk of that in commission. The island had ten "provinces" each ruled by a president. Here and in other areas of Peru we frequently saw the presidents of the area spruced up and marching off to some ceremony or other.

The presidents make all major decisions - for example tourists are "rotated" through homestay accommodation. Families would have 1 homestay a fortnight in low season and maybe 2 a week in the high season.

2km later we arrive at the adobe house. Set among its fields which were bursting with crops and flowers, it overlooked the ocean. Our room (specially built) was large, clean and spartan.

Two twin beds with the heaviest blankets I have ever known. We immediately took 4 blankets off the bed... yes 4 and we were still left with at least 5!

Our room overlooked the family courtyard and living/ sleeping accommodation. Three generations lived there.... We rarely saw them except when they emerged from their communal living area.

Isabella and her daughter Isa looked after us... we ate in a tiny kitchen complete with an aga type stove as well as a gas stove. We had bought a gift of fruit in a tupperware container...( oh the angst of tourism should we be changing the culture by bringing in tupperware!!!)

BUT they just LOVED it!

We had a great meal of soup (veggie we think) and omelette. And within seconds of finishing it was time to go off and start our volunteering. We had loved the fact that this was part of our trip - every tourist spends time in the school teaching English BUT it was New Year's day and all the kids were celebrating and so we just worked with a group of very enthusiastic mum's.

Then off again to meet the locals in the square and to climb the hill of the gods!