The Uros Islands and Lake Titikaka

A stay as special as the people who live there.

Well I need to start this chapter by telling you about the ultimate nightmare of all travel nightmares! After casually mentioning that Poppy wasn't feeling her best towards the end of our time in The Sacred Valley, she decided to go all out with a seriously bad case of a tummy bug keeping her up all night. Exactly what you want before a big travel day!! I won't go into too much detail but please picture this: two flights, a bus ride, and a boat journey - stressful! 

Between our flights, we had 40 minutes to make the changeover. Turns out, that's barely enough time to even think about deboarding, let alone go through the agonisingly slow security process again and make it to the next flight on time. Imagine a chaotic Home Alone-style scene with all six of us sprinting through departures, somehow, a pure miracle, reaching the gate just as it is about to close. There we were, the last remaining passengers, doing the walk of shame down the aisle, slipping into our seats just as the doors close. Phew!

After arriving in Puno, thanks to the miracle of Google translate, we were able to communicate with the bus driver to make an emergency pit stop for some urgent supplies. Dan dashed into a pharmacy for all the immodium essentials, while I had my own mission to accomplish... let's just say finding the 'banos' in a foreign land was no walk in the park! 

We arrived at the dock in Puno, in the pitch black, ready to be transported to the floating islands of Uros, and we must have looked like an absolute bunch of frazzled chickens in a rainstorm. The overwhelm at this point was real. Our Airbnb host got us all onboard his boat and was trying to be all welcoming and cracking jokes, but it was like watching a comedy show with no laughs. The poor guy! 

Although the twinkling lights of Puno and stars above us were beautiful.

When we finally arrived at the island for our homestay, poor Phoebe just couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into tears. We all had to admit we were way out of our comfort zones and knowing that, similar to The Amazon, this stay beckoned us to fully embrace and immerse ourselves in this new culture... which we weren't entirely sure we had the capacity for at that point! And this is the problem. Dan and I are creatures of habit. We hit up the usual suspects every year - Cornwall, Charmouth and skiing - and love that feeling of turning up somewhere you know like your own village. This whole trip is basically like a boot camp for our comfort zones and these are the challenges that are going to push us to our limits... but hopefully it’s all in the name of growth and learning for all six of us.

After some big family hugs and lots of words of wisdom and positive vibes, we bravely step out of our floating huts and head towards the dining room. Our super lovely host whips up the perfect combo of omelette and rice (the ultimate tummy-friendly feast, thank goodness), even kindly concocting a magical potion for poor Poppy. We head back to our huts and all bury ourselves under the six layers of cosy duvets and blankets. Totally unexpected, Felix (known already as the kindest host in the world) swoops in with hot water bottles for everyone. Fingers crossed that after a night of deep slumber, slowly rocking on the reeds, we'll all wake up feeling brighter and ready to tackle whatever the new day throws our way!

And WOW! It’s hard to wake up here and not feel completely grateful! Once again, it's unlike anything we've seen before and we are all in complete awe - beautiful sunshine reflecting off the water and everything so peaceful, still and quiet. 

We've got a scrumptious breakfast waiting for us, courtesy, we now know, of Felix's wife. While we stuff our faces, Felix chats to us about the Uros way of life and lets us know that after breakfast he's gonna whisk us away on a tour of the island and give us the lowdown on how the Uros people live. 

We all just had our minds blown once more on this learning adventure. Can you believe that there's a whole tiny world out here, just doing its thing and living its best simple  life. A completely self-sufficient community with islands for food, islands for shopping, islands for education, and islands to practice religions.

Felix proudly presented his son's school, along with a second school and a separate kindergarten, the diverse religious churches on the islands, and even gave us a lesson on reed harvesting (including the the edible part too - apparently they're not just for building!) We explored an island museum where he enlightened us with all the details about their history and modern way of life. Next, after a stop at the floating shop for some water, was another island where the locals proudly paraded us through their homes, revealing their secret techniques for crafting their goods. And to wrap it up, we sailed back to the restaurant island aboard a traditional reed boat for some mandatory fried chicken and chips, paired with a refreshing cold Qusquena. Bon appétit, island style!

Returning to Felix's floating island, the only item on our agenda was to kick back, unwind, and soak up all the tranquility. The weather was spot on - beaming sunshine that allowed us to laze around and enjoy the serene surroundings while the kids engaged in intense Uno battles and we observed the world float by on the water.

Once again, Felix's amazing wife prepared a delicious dinner for us and as the sun sets behind the mountain, the temperature drops dramatically . It is so extreme! We bundle up in layers - thankful for those Machu Picchu ponchos!! With no TV/satellite/WiFi on the island, we find ourselves in our usual lively debate on sleeping arrangements before all hitting the hay/reeds, with our trusty hot water bottles, ready for another day.

The next morning Felix asks if we'd like to spend the night on an island in Lake Titikaka. We would set off in the late morning, enjoy a delicious lunch with a local family, go on a hike to a breathtaking viewpoint overlooking the entire lake, and return to the family's home to take part in traditional customs - getting dressed up in authentic attire for a festive dinner and dancing under the stars. After spending the night there, we would share breakfast in the morning, and then journey to a second island for lunch with another welcoming family. Dan and I thought this sounded like an amazing plan, but the rest of the crew were still feeling on the edge, plus everyone's stomachs were taking it in turns with the rebellion. (We hadn't quite appreciated that at over 3800m above sea level - compared to Machu Picchu, which we all thought was high at 2430m - the altitude would still be affecting us in different ways). So despite having to turn down this incredible offer, we managed to organise the second part for the following day, meeting in the middle and ensuring we still got a taste of life on the remote islands of Lake Titikaka.

Instead, we asked Felix to take us on a boat ride to the 'mainland' and set off to explore Puno. It turned out to be bigger than Urubamba, more like a bustling city than quiet town, filled with the same mix of eclectic shops and street vendors that we were starting to get used to in Peru. Making our way to the main square, we stumbled upon a parade featuring members of the Peruvian military. Stopping to watch for a while, we couldn't resist finally trying one of the random local delicacies of jelly being sold in pots.

After, we're casually strolling through the chaotic streets when, out of nowhere, we accidentally bump into a SUPERMARKET. I mean, seriously, a ginormous, fully-equipped SUPERMARKET! The excitement is real guys - I've missed this sort of thing!!

We're all prancing around like newborn puppies, amazed by every little thing as if we've just been released from house arrest for months. And then, as we venture upstairs (once more in search of the 'banos'), we stumble upon the holy grail - a local KFC. Suddenly, it's as if we've been magically teleported back to Guildford, with everyone gathered round, joyfully munching on chicken and chips (I'm mortified to admit the number of fast food detours we've made on this journey!!) It's such a contrast, strolling through the hectic Peruvian town and then walking into the supermarket is like a whole new dimension. It's like mixing oil and water - they just don't blend! We leave to dive back into the Peruvian madness and then we reunite with Felix at the dock, eager now to escape back to our little sanctuary on the reeds.

The rest of the afternoon and evening consists of lounging on the outdoor beds, observing the Uros world unfold until the sun decides to call it a day, followed by yet another mind-blowing homemade feast. A series of Uno games and an early bedtime were the highlights of the evening! Pure relaxed bliss!

As planned the day before, we head off to Taquile Island on Lake Titikaka, a remote island 45km away, inhabited by around 2000 people who all still talk in their own native language, Quechua. We all attempt to learn a bit of this language during the 1.5 hour boat ride to at least be able to greet the locals. An amazing sight we spot on the way - a flock of flying flamingoes! Such a treat. We arrive and dive headfirst into their unique culture, getting schooled on their ancient traditions (apparently their textiles are the Gucci of Peru) and marveling at their tourism model run by the community, keeping their ancient customs in tact.

The locals performed their traditional dance to us and, much to the horror of the little ones, Dan and I decided to give it a shot. After that embarrassment, we started our journey to hike to the island's peak at 4050m above sea level, granting us a bird's eye view of the majestic Lake Titikaka. We were then treated to a local feast at a cosy family eatery, where we shared the freshest trout imaginable, all washed down with another round of Qusquena. As we strolled back little did we know as an added bonus we had also burned off a near whopping 800 calories in that high-altitude!

Now back at our floating home, we decided it was time to check off the "swimming in Lake Titikaka" box on our travelling bucket list. Me, Dan and Pops were all in, while the other three were content to spectate from the safety of the reeds. Dan went first, followed by yours truly, and then Poppy went for it headfirst! Let me tell you, that icy dip was quite the shocker for our little water-lover. I have a feeling she won't be signing up for another cold plunge anytime soon!

Now that we're all dried up, it's time for our final round of relaxing, sipping on our coca-leaf tea, and soaking in our last sunset. We're feeling super blessed to have experienced life in this unique little corner of Peru.

As our island stay sadly draws to a close, we try to convey our gratitude at such an incredible learning experience to Felix. Then his wife pops up out of nowhere with these amazing reed necklaces she's made for each of us - such talent and generosity. We all hop onboard the boat for the last time and feel a wave of emotions as our journey comes to an end. With a heartfelt gesture, Felix encourages us all to share our tears together. He says, "your stay was so special because we, the communities of Uros, are". And we have to wholeheartedly echo his sentiment. Our experience here has been truly extraordinary.

So we end up having a night in Juliaca (thanks to a mix-up with dates and flights when planning this in the UK) and check in to a sketchy hotel that cost £30 for two rooms, not really surprising it was not in the best area! Juliaca is like Puno on steroids - absolute chaos. There were tuktuks, trucks, cars and buses swarming the streets - with Fin falling in the road and a tuktuk stopping inches away from him to add to the drama. People peddling their wares on every corner, kids playing on the train tracks running through town and the markets, merchandise spilling out of shops all over the pavements. It was the complete opposite of the chill island vibes. And let me tell you, we stuck out like a sore thumb - a situation we've never been in before. There was not a single soul that resembled a fellow tourist in sight. Everyone - from grannies to toddlers - were gawking at us like we were some rare species, one shop owner bringing out other staff members to come and get a good look at us. But it was a good lesson for us all to experience and understand being a minority!

We all miraculously manage to catch enough Z's ready to wake up at the ungodly hour of 5am ready for another full on day of travel. As we arrive at Lima airport, it suddenly dawns on us - we've passed through here three times before, but have never actually set foot in Lima!

And that's how I would sum up our time here - navigating through the country has been at best hard work and at times absolutely exhausting. The cultural and historical immersion has been incredible, although the kids have had their fair share of meltdowns here. Being real, I have to say, aside from our paradise pit stops in Urubamba, Machu Picchu and our homestay on the Uros Islands, we're waving goodbye to the rest of Peru with a certain level of relief, all ready to be back down to good old sea-level again.

Let's bring on some lazy pool days and immerse ourselves in the new "pura vida" culture of Costa Rica.