Hippy Hippy Shake

Day 58-61: Lake Titicaca, Bolivia. On our travels we have often stayed at the birthplaces of famous people: Elvis, Lenin, Lincoln... The list goes on. But, if you believe the ancient Inca legends, Lake Titicaca was the birthplace of something far more exciting. For, from the twin islands of Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna in the middle of this vast inland ocean, the Sun and the Moon themselves were born and rose to the skies to take their place in the heavens for the rest of eternity.

Lake Titicaca is deservedly awash with gushing clichés. This incongruous splash of sapphire amid the stark plains of the Altiplano is one of the most beautiful sights in the region. The lake itself straddles both Bolivia and Peru and covers an area of more than 3,000 square miles, sitting at an altitude of 12,500 feet, Titicaca is the world’s largest high-altitude lake.

Copacabana, on the lake's south-western shore, attracts a diverse set of travellers and provided fabulous people watching opportunities for Karen and me during our time visiting the lake: The Aymará and Quechu people from all over Peru and Bolivia make their pilgrimages here. According to their own creation stories not only were the Sun and the Moon born from these islands, but the bearded, white god-king Viracocha and the first Incas, Manco Capac and his sister-wife Mama Ocllo, mystically appeared at the Isla del Sol under direct orders from the Sun. Then there's the Hippies: Whilst they may not have the same religious connections as the Aymará and Quechu people, the fact that this place is shrouded in mysticism provides a magnet for the Simon & Garfunkel guitar playing crowd who have made these lake-shores their spiritual home. The New Age Travellers: Attracted by Copacabana's chilled out life style, minuscule cost of living and the opportunity to flog the odd bracelet here and there to the steady trickle of international tourists. And finally there's the independent travellers like Karen and me who just want to immerse ourselves in the incredible beauty, spirituality and slow pace of life of this land where time has apparently stood still for the last couple of millennia.

Hiking the entire length of Isla del Sol was a rewarding but exhausting experience; trekking through traditional Aymará villages along the lake-shore, with the snow-topped peaks of the Cordillera Real in the background, providing a magical landscape. Whilst the island is only about 6 miles across, the combination of the 14,000 foot altitude, the intense burning tropical sun and the bone chilling Andean winds made for one of the most memorable days of our travelling experience. And in the solitude of these high peaks, desolate now but with the smattering of ancient ruins to remind us of the great Inca cities that once stood on this island, a time for reflection; nine weeks on the road and whilst our experiences have been amazing, we are really missing our home back in Steeple Morden: Friends and family, Huffkin & Chudleigh, home cooked meals, nights in by the fire, jogging to Abingdon Piggots, burning up the back lanes of South Cambridgeshire on the motorbikes, Friday night tennis with Pete & Fliss, Sunday night at the Waggon with Dave & crew...

But reaching the Mil Gradas (thousand steps) of Yumani and all mind wandering has to stop. One thing I just don't understand about the Inca's – if they really were as clever as everybody says they were – why couldn't they build their cities on the flat bits? Why did they always have to build them at the top of a knackering stone stair-case?