After the "volunteering" we wandered down the track to the village square. I can tell you we just had NO IDEA what was ahead of us. We were ready to go for a hike up the "Hill of the Gods" what we actually encountered was an explosion of music, colour and experience!

At least ten bands of a myriad of instruments all struck up music whenever the mood took them. What an array of instruments. Lots of brass.. serious looking men in suits, ties and hats grouped around a box of beer produced fantastic music.

We found Peru to be an abstemious place but at 4.00 in the afternoon here on Amantani many beers had been drunk and there was obviously many more to be sunk! The atmosphere was amazing. Within seconds I was dancing , laughing and enjoying the moment.

Reluctantly we left the amazing crowd, noise, costumes, bands and drunken cameraderie to climb the hill(s)!

Up, up was the motto and at altitude that was some attitude!

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!

Our landing on Uros Island was quite different to what I had expected. I guess I hadn't realised that these people construct their own islands from the reeds, decide who is going to live on each island (usually about 6 families) and how self sufficient they are.

We were greeted by a brightly dressed group of women, who quickly explained how they made and maintained the island. We ate the reeds and then they showed us their houses... within seconds it seemed we were in traditional dress and looking (and not buying their very expensive traditional weaving!)

Now that is the cynical view but I must admit to being intrigued as to how they lived. The solar power for lighting, TV etc, the focus on education - Primary & Secondary schools and many students going off for free University education, the general air of contentment but you know they lived on a tiny bit of handmade island in the middle of nowhere!

I guess if if the neighbours gave you grief you could just cut off a piece of the island and set them adrift .

My vague anxieties about where we were going to sleep that night were not allayed by the views of their reed beds in snake infested waters........beautiful but.......

So we caught a reed boat to the next island where they were preparing for the New Year's festival. The guys had been out shooting coots.... which were plucked and laid out on the ground to dry out... now how does that work? I must admit Roger and I have had some great meals but "gut rot " has been our shadow the whole trip!

Lake Titicaca

We headed to the docks area a bit unsure of what lay ahead of us. We clambered over half a dozen boats and were relieved to see a pretty new boat all set up for us. The first person we met on board was Jessie from Toronto. He seems pretty relaxed and tells us he has been volunteering in Chile but is now on his way to an orphanage in Cusco to volunteer there for a couple of months before returning to do more study. We get the distinct impression after the experience in Chile that teaching is not quite as easy as he thought it would be!

The next people to arrive are a group of 4 from Denver. Beth, Nancy and Barbara are all school principals and Mick a roofer, married to Nancy. They had taken the opportunity of the Christmas vacation to visit Peru and this was their last two days.

Our driver or should I say captain is a guy from Taquile who wears all the traditional clothing (as everyone here seems to). He quickly gave up his role and handed over to a woman - again in traditional dress and we are soon on our way down the channel.

What an incredible experience, we leave all the hustle of Puno behind and suddenly we are in a world of reeds, birds and strangely little pigs that forage on the tiny islands. Bliss! Our guide Edwin is fantastic , tells us what we need to know and then leaves us to enjoy the experience.

We finally get a sense of just how huge the lake is. We also keep having to pinch ourselves that we are really here at Titicaca.

On the horizon we see some small shapes ... as they come into view we realise they are the floating islands of Uros

Puno and Lake Titicaca

Woke to a bright sunny day. Yummie buffet breakfast of fruit, cheese, ham and scrambled eggs. Decided to try coca leaves, supposed to be really good for altitude sickness and tummy bugs - we are both suffering from both - tastes surprisingly good!

After skyping, emailing and blogging set off to explore Lima Street. A buzzy little road that is full of restaurants, street vendors and Peruvian life in all its forms.

Am constantly amazed by the efficiency here... no matter what you do it happens in a twinkle. Money from bank in small notes takes seconds it seems! As we leave the bank a tiny wizened woman in traditional dress approached us with arms full of alapaca sweaters "No! no! no!" we say - but then we look again, they are rather nice. We are off to Armanstani in the morning. It could be cold.... so five minutes later, our pockets lighter by $20 and we are the owners of two gorgeous sweaters!

The market was incredible. We strolled firstly through stalls selling clothing, hats, scarves, jumpers and Yellow underwear?!! Celebration for New Year or do all Peruvians wear yellow undies, now there is a thought! A little bikini number took my eye... scanty as ... with a picture of Jesus in the vital spot! I did resist!

Loved to see the women sitting serenely under their bowler hats with their colourful wide skirts billowing around them, spinning wool and using it on the spot to make clothing. Roger was mesmerised and soon found himself the owner of a warm hat. It is really hot here through the day but suddenly at 4.00pm the day cools and warm jackets are needed for the night.

We are starting to wonder what our stay on Armantani will be like, we have been told there is no running water and electricity. We stay with the family - a bit like we did in Vietnam. I imagine mud floors and lots of amimals. mmm we will see!

I wander through the market, a gory bullfight on TV has caught Roger's eye! Suddenly I too am surrounded by blood and gore. In among the yellow undies is a stall selling meat. Men run with huge pigs hung over their shoulders. They dump them on the stall and quick as a flash the pig is cut up and put on display. Women reach over pointing at different bits, the knife flashes and chunks of meat are haggled over vehemently. Its seems prices are high for New Year's eve and the meat passes backwards and forward between buyers and sellers before an agreement is reached.

Some sections of the pigs are quickly dispensed to other stalls and as I look to the right and see a row of pig's heads with tongues hanging out peer balefully at me with their blue eyes.

The meat stalls gave way to flower stalls where women put together small bunches: 1 rose with the petals carefully pulled back, Baby's Breath, a bullrush and a dahlia seemed to be the order for the day.

Great to walk down to Lake Titicaca and hear the bands practicing for the nights festivities – or it could be a festival in itself as there always seems to be one happening!

The edge of the lake is more like Butlins than I expected with paddle boats and a fun fair atmosphere. Water and Fritos Papas set us up for the walk back but the heat and altitude get to us and we succumb to taking a cyclo back.

As we drive back I am amazed at how there is always someone selling something they have made or found. We see people collecting bottles (later used without washing to hold the local wine or chi cha - beer); selling plastic bags, car parts; as well as colourful clothes, hats fruit, flowers – if you want it someone can get it for you!

After a chill out, I realise that I am jealous of Roger's hat! So back to the frenetic market and then Lima Street for dinner. Same lady approaches us with sweaters, we engage the services of a young guy to explain we already have sweaters only to discover somehow we have bought a small oil painting from him!

The small restaurant we chose looks so cosy ... a small pizza oven looks so cute. Within minutes we are peeling off clothing as the oven heats up and we are left gasping for air! Great meal though .. We tend to choose Menu Touristico, as it is economical but also gives you a chance to try local produce. Typically it has sopa, fish, or meat, plus desert for around $6. Here in Puno, trucha is my favourite - fresh trout from the lake. Yum!

Off to celebrate New Year's Eve. As we arrive at the main square we are greeted by the usual scene of police frantically blowing whistles with no one paying any attention!

A couple of hundred people line the square. To us just looking at the array of national dress is fascinating. Two really boring bands were playing, but we noticed behind them were some incredibly dressed dancers. Eventually they took centre stage. The first lot wore bright yellow sparkling- quite outrageous costumes. The women in short, short skirts and high, high heels while the guys wore michael jackson type jackets with huge flaring shoulders - glitz was definitely it! The dance itself was highly energetic interspersed with slow romanic sections which quickly dissolved into pure raunch!

The second group of dancers looked more traditional, the women wearing bright red skirts and white lace "kerchiefs" and tiny white veils. Surprise was in the air here too as the dance exploded onto the square with a general e shooting a young "terrorist" with a pistol. The general kicked the terrorist around the square which set up a keening from the rest of the dance group. The women linked armed and graciously swayed their way around the square. Balaclava clad men toting wooden machine guns leapt an energetic dance and then everyone whooped it out of the square, leaving us in total confusion. Totally awestruck at their energy - how do they do it - altitude gets us after climbing a few stairs!

Two guys then emerge from the crowd and carefully lay a line of gunpowder with fireworks strewn along. One guy runs out and lights the fuse and fireworks shoot into the air or the crowd causing great amusement or fear as the case may be! Every few seconds the gunpowder fizzles out and someone would run out and tentatively lit the fuse once - scurrying back to safety to the amusement of the crowd!

When we arrived in the square we had noticed a large bamboo structure which looked as if it had Catherine Wheels attached. From time to time groups of men had come and added another "storey" or more fireworks to it. It reminded us of fireworks in Mexico. Sure enough as soon as the dancing was finished, a guy emerges with a paper bull on his head. The fuse was lit and he roared off into the square with fireworks shooting out into the crowd. The band played blandly on until they too were showered with sparks and fireworks like everyone else!

Suddenly a police pick up arrived. We wonder what is happening, only to find that it is time for Hot chocolate and panatoni. The crowd eagerly accept the food and drinks which are dolled out by immaculately uniformed police.

Every couple of minutes more men adorned by bulls or goats scatter fireworks into the crowd. In the park opposite men let of sky rockets, most of which explode high in the sky but occasionally the rockets would lose direction and shoot into the crowd. One shot through the door of the church causing great consternation!

At ten o'clock it was time for the major event. The huge bamboo firework display was set alight. Flames shot up the side and Catherine Wheels span with great gusto initially and then faded. The same guy had to tentatively relight them or give them a poke with a long pole. This was repeated for each side of the structure until the final rocket shot from the top. Within seconds, the Hill people and locals had disappeared just leaving the tourists looking in wonder at what had been!

Back at the hotel we are excited to pack our daypack for the island trip. Will leave most of luggage here and just take one daypack with us. Tough to pack as we will need to take all water with us, plus clothing for heat and cold.... and we are bearing in mind all those hills we have to climb.

Just had a thought we now have luggage in Santa Monica, Puno, and of course confiscated boxes in Sydney!!!

Sol de Mayo

We are always guided by Lonely Planet but this time the writers sent us on a real wild goose chase. We went on a walk out of the city to what we thought was going to be a little country town but was in fact more city and more city. Found ourselves in a small plaza where a group of Peruvian women were in town from the farm.... they were so funny but smiles for the photograph... I don't think so!

A sheer delight though was a restaurant Sol de Mayo hdden behind high walls. The food was just incredible! HUGE HUGE servings though…The seafood – which for some reason we didn’t order was fantastic! The best part though was the waiters who ran everywhere – even with full trays.

And now the Aussie customs are after us!

Are you sure you want to know us? Our second calmly phrased email that sent adrenalin and panic through our veins was one from Fed EX. Your luggage has been confiscated by customs and will not be released until you can personally verify the contents. The subsequent storage charge is $100 per day.

As we were not returning to Australia for 15 days that was a pretty tough fee on an already horrendously expensive service. Thank goodness for skype we were able again to confirm that we had done all of the paperwork. Another $300 charge and we were on our way again. We now hear that the box was finally delivered on the wrong day, with no phone call to Caleb. Luckily our neighbour Julie was there along with a visitor Nancy from Colorado and they struggled to put the boxes into the house…Thanks Fat Ass whoops I mean Fed Ex.