Saturday, 2 February 2019
Puno, Peru
Like trying to sleep in a warzone last night with all the fireworks going off until the early hours. Flipping noisy.
7hr bus journey from La Paz to Puno. Try to avoid buses as I generally can’t fit. You may recall my 12hr bus journey from the North Cape to Rovaniemi on my Cape to Cape blog – found here https://touringtaurean.com/2018/07/24/where-is-washroom-rovaniemi-22-july-2013/. Consequently not looking forward to today.
Website and bus ticket say check in at 0700hrs for a 0730hrs departure. Arrive at La Paz bus station. Looks like a turn of the century railway station in Europe with a large ornate metal framed windowed front. Bright yellow façade cheers up the dull grey of the early morning rain. Even at this early hour, plenty of locals setting up market stalls buy the roadside in their brightly coloured cardigans and skirts.
Once inside the bus station there are lots of bus company kiosks selling trips all over the region with their representatives shouting out destinations here, there and everywhere. Eventually find the kiosk I need.
Check in on time to be told bus departs at 0800hrs. Flipping ‘eck, could’ve had another much needed half hour in bed. Now have 55mins to kill in La Paz bus station. For those that haven’t been, 5mins is too long to wait in La Paz station. Very cold and draughty and sit on a bench freezing for 10mins watching a hidden camera TV show on the large screens. Can’t stand the cold and draught so go for a wander and find a warmer café. One table is free. Soon realise why when I sit at it. The roof above is leaking and dripping over the area. Order an ‘expresso’ but it’s not very ‘expresso’ as it takes ages to arrive.
There’s only so much killing time I can do and after 40mins return to the bus company kiosk, to find a few other tourists congregating. At 0800hrs, what appears to be the driver shouts out, “OK, Cusco, Juliaca, let’s go.” But no Puno. My destination. Puno people wondering what we do. Quick enquiry with kiosk and she confirms, yes, this is the bus to Puno…so why not shout out Puno?
Bags loaded up and board bus. Oh my. This is not what I was expecting. Was expecting typical bus seats with no leg room. Nope. This is a Business Class Bus. Seats are in 2+1 configuration, convert into a bed, are wide and comfortable and have USB ports. Impressed. Even better view being on the top deck.
Eventually depart La Paz bus station at 0830hrs. An hour later than expected. Slow going driving out of La Paz, plenty of minibuses parked up touting for business to distribute locals hither and thither.
Police checkpoint on the outskirts of La Paz. They board and inspect passports and entry stamps. 2hr drive to the border at Desguadero. A 2.6km queue of lorries (many containing scrap metal and Chinese steel) to the border post line each side of the road. Bus drives down the middle. Takes 20mins to do the 2.6km given the jostling for position of various buses, lorries and taxis. Quite congested as we approach the border post. Bus pulls off and into a secure compound away from the lorries. This is the new combined Bolivia and Peru border post. Again, not what I was expecting. Had imagined a grotty street with loads of vendors flogging stuff and pestering you. You know, just like normal border posts. Nope. None of that. The last time I crossed from Bolivia into Peru, in 2001, was at the Copacabana crossing nearby. Then, our bags were taken on a trolley around the back of a small shack which served as immigration without being looked at.
Now, have to decant bus and take all our bags into the building. Bolivian and Peruvian immigration sit side by side. Passport stamped, bags are then given a cursory glance by customs official and that’s it. Back on bus. The whole thing takes about half an hour but another half hour wait for a bus in front of us. Was expecting much longer as Mr Oz (remember him from the Ocean Nova in Antarctica?) had emailed to say that it took them 2.5hrs to go through Chilean/Argentinian border formalities when they travelled on a bus a few weeks ago.
Another 2.5hr drive to Puno. Short taxi journey to Hotel Libertador (https://www.libertador.com.pe/en/hotel/libertador-lake-titicaca/), located on small island on the outskirts of Puno. Stayed here in 2001, so a repeat visit.
Meant to be decent hotel but heating is only available from 1600hrs through to 0700hrs, so have to wait for room to warm up, given how cold and windy it is now.
Fantastic views across Lake Titicaca though.
