The Island of Sun

We wake early in he morning as we have to check out and get breakfast , go to the cashpoint (isla de sol has none) and make the boat for 830. Its a tight squeeze but we just about manage it an board the boat which will take 2 and a half hours to reach there. We get on the boat and quite a few people take the upper deck, but its far too cold for that. Im really hoping the island lives upto its name. 20 minutes into the crossing and everyone from upstairs is now below deck and to say its cramed would be an unertstatement, and im very aware there are only five lifejackets, at least theyre sat right next to me . it seems to take forever to reach there but eventually we land on Isla De Sol. As soon as we arrive , the tranquility of the place immediately hits me and im overcome with happiness. There are no roads on the island and luckily as we disembark the boat there is a guy waiting with a board with our hostels name on it. He takes us to the hostel which is literally 3mins walk and i have arrived in paradise . Bolivia is totally land encased and we have arrived to the shore f the highest lake in the world with a beautiful sandy beach. At this moment it is all ours and there is not another sole in sight , until we have a few visitors in the form of a huge pig and her 6 piglets . They are so cute i really cant complain, and we sit watching them while waiting for Freddy our landlord to return from his other collection at the port. We settle ourselves into our room and head out to find our bearings. As we walk back to the port there is Olivia and Sophie sitting on the harbour wall. We head over to chat to them and Olivia is still really not well. So while Mark waits with Olivia , me and Sher oie hea off to find them a hostel. I ask Freddy if he has any spare rooms and he books them in for less than half the price we have paid, but thats just the way it gos when your travelling. We walk back and carry the girls rucksacks for them, and get Olivia tucked up in bed with some cocoa tea. We go to the museum and buy a ticket to go and see the other points of interest on the Northern side of the island. We are told that this is about a 20 minute walk, but that is definitely Bolivian time, because after 20 minutes we are not even at our first point. On the island they actually charge you for entering into the little villages , and actually have tickets printed off which are checked along the way. The community here are the Challaps ampa and as we wind our way around the path the children sell various artisan wares. The view as we walk around the trek s really something to behld and is a good half hour again before we get to the Mesa de Sacrificio. This is the sacrifice table that the incas used all those years ago, and stands proudly on the cliff edge. Directly opposite is the Scared rock and a itttle further is a group of ruins that all he rooms lead into one another with doorways so small even i have tqo crouch through them. The place is spellbinding and we sit for well over half an hour before thinking about making the trek back. Along the way we share the track with donkeys sheep pigs and chickens it really is like being in a different time zone. We arrive back tired and hungry , and go to the only restaurant on the island that is open. The speciality here is trout as the lake houses a huge trout farm, and it really is so fresh, and tastes delicious. Back at the hostel we spend nearly an hour trying to get a fire going , but the wood is so damp here it is nion impossible , i also think it is something to do wth the altitude . Shortly after conceding it starts to rain so im really glad we didnt manage to get it going as i would have been really dissapointed having to leave it for the rain. With our lake view Mark and i sit for a short while watching the incredible lightning before getting ourselves cosy in bed.Read more