Denouement Diaries - Week 12

Essentially the ramblings of two adults that probably require adult supervision.

As usual, follow along at:

And...here. Anyway let's get into it:

27/4/23 - Day 78: Cusco --> Puno

0610 pickup
After breakfast opened at 0600...
Into car, nil communication from driver and other dude, Casey asked in Spanish what the plan was, plan was bus and 5 stops arriving at Puno at about 1730
Actually 10 minutes later arrived at a coach station with 30 other people and proceeded to board a tour bus
Stopped at a big church of “incalculable” value - was cool but same story (Spanish built as soon as arrived etc) got coffees and wandered after short look
Then to an old sort of pre Incan site with lots of cool masonry
The weird Swiss tourists on our bus took themselves off to the side and performed some sort of smoke cleansing ceremony on their own
So weird
Little stop at a high pass before descending into Puno
Last stop was at a museum and coffee house where our insane little lady guide just spoke continuously about chakras
Instead of showing us anything else inside the museum
Casey and I slipped out the back and got a coffee and waited for her rant to finish
Casey watched some chickens feeding
Driving through juliaca, where we would stay tomorrow night, it loooed like an absolute shit hole
In to Puno
And someone from the tour company picked us up
And told us all about what the lunch menu tomorrow would be
Also did not look happy that we were staying in Juliaca after the tour
When we checked in, the guide who was actually taking us tomorrow called us and told us again what the lunch menu would be…
We quickly checked on Juliaca - turns out it is a bonafide shit hole
Cancelled the reservation there immediately
And went downstairs to book una noche mas where we were already staying
The reception was for some reason unable to do this and had to call the tour company
So we were handed the phone for some reason to talk to our guide for tomorrow again
We were literally just trying to book a night in a hotel after the tour had finished
We had no idea why we were having to ask ‘permission’ for this
Anyway we booked it
Went up to the attached hotel restaurant and had dinner and pondered what the hell was going on

28/4/23 - Day 79: Lake Titicaca

Still a reasonably early start at 0600 for 0630 breakfast and then 0715 pickup
Got picked up by our guide Henry
Short walk down to a van
Van to the docks
And on to Lake Titicaca
Had to wait while the boat filled
And some fella sang songs at us
Am I the asshole for not giving a tip to a performer that I didn’t choose to listen to?
Set off on the boat
Over to Uros - One of the floating islands
Our guide actually explained that the traditional islands were, at this point, essentially just moveiworld-style sets - the locals don't live in the traditional reed huts, they live in tin buildings across the way on other islands or just on the shore in town
The floating islands are for tourists, and the families that run them have to share the tourists that come visit so they can all be paid...
Weird
Met some cool girls from Lithuania though who gave us some Europe tips
Then to Taquile, where we had lunch
Again, more sort of film-set-museum for the benefit of tourists vibe - started to weird me out a bit
Then the boat back to Puno
We got a van back to our hotel
The transfer to Juliaca airport for tomorrow we had booked had not confirmed, so Henry sorted us a transfer for the morning
Dinner at the hotel
Watched the Top Gear Bolivia special
Bed

29/4/23 - Day 80: Puno --> Juliaca --> Lima

We were awoken by the reception at 0800 telling us that our driver was here
We went downstairs and confirmed that we had booked for 0900
Then went and had some breakfast
Back down, into a car, and easy drive to Juliaca airport
Which had only opened 3 days ago, which had been news to us (the tour company never told us this even a week ago, even though it was our exit point from the tour...)
Through security
The airport was surrounded by military
About 17 people had been killed in protests at the airport back in February I think - something about politics being worth risking your life over...
Waited at the airport
Eventually able to check in
Waited around and evenually boarded
Easy flight
Some locals taking the flight were finding it very difficult to buckle their seat belts
In to Lima
We actually didn't leave the airport immediately
Got some maccas for lunch
Then walked over the road to the airport hotel and checked in
Short turnaround - Casey had found a pole gym to train at this evening
So we ubered in to the suburbs and found the place
I went and chilled with a coffee in the interim
Picked her up and sorted the weird payment - somehow they had decided that we were staying in Lima for a month
Uber back to the hotel
Room service dinner and 'Parks and Rec'

30/4/23 - Day 81: Lima --> Quito

Up at around 0630 ish
And over at the airport by 0700
South American check in lines
Then we grabbed a coffee before going through security
The international departures lounge is way nicer than domestic at Lima - so had more coffees
Flight with a weird mix of South American playing music from phones out loud and 'I have my sleep routine, neck pillow and blanket princess' for a 2.5 hour flight in the middle of the day
Landed and didn't rush off
We actually just diverted to a cafe and had a nice Ecuadorian late breakfast at Quito
Huge luxury we realised is that you dont have to rush off
We literally sat for an hour or two just catching up until we could check in
Saves carrying bags around Quito
Got an Uber into the Centro
Bit of hassle checking in - security knew we were coming, but there was no one else to meet us
Eventually just did it all via whatsapp
Our place is great - loft, two stories, two bedrooms, biggest place yet
Threw the bags down and actually went and did some shopping near the central park
Pharmacy stuff, couple of new clothes items and some groceries
Home and spaghetti for dinner
Parks and Rec

1/5/23 - Day 82: Quito + The Middle of the World

Big old sleep in
Bacon and eggs for breakfast
Was very good
Then just wandered up the park
Publix holiday today in Ecuador so lots of families out and about
Went for some coffees along the way
Watched as an Ecuadorian couple tried to patch up some weird relationship snaffu - a legit model chick and a dweeb
Then up towards the top of the park
Really nice area
Wandered the shops as all the locals were doing on their day off
Another coffee
Grabbed an Uber to the north of the city where the Middle of the World City monument was
Saw the Equator line
Not really much else there - which seems obvious in retrospect...
Uber back to the Centro
Had some amazing food at PF Changs
Then Ubered the length of the park home
And watched 'Get the Gringo'
Very chill day

2/5/23 - Day 83: Quito

Big sleep in
Bacon and eggs
Coffees at an awesome place near our apartment got us to about midday
Uber up the hill to the Teleferico
Wandered around the top
Went to the lookouts
Looked…out
Casey did the Instagram swing thing they had set up
And got some photos with some llamas
Had a coffee and cake at the cafe on the top that had an amazing view out over Quito
Then back down in the cable car
Cab back to the shopping centre near us
Did some binoculars shopping for the Amazon
Casey was going to get her nails did but time was a bit tight before her pole studio hire
Quickly home
Then a walk to the pole studio
I dropped Casey off and made sure she was sweet then went looking for a cafe
Found one two doors up
Fantastic little bakery as well
Sat there for an hour
Then we got an Uber back to the apartment when Casey was done
Keen for a chilled night
We Rappi’d some food and watched ‘Jungle Cruise’

3/5/23 - Day 84: Quito Old Town

Woke up at Susanne (930am according to Casey’s stupid autocorrected alarm label)
Went over to lovely coffee house again
Excellent coffees well crafted again by lovely owner
Cab to old town - traffic horrendous here (think 30 minutes for 3km at 11am on a Wednesday)
Went to 3x incredible but redonk ostentatious churches built by Spanish (same story - on arrival in Quito, every temple = church and before hospitals and schools etc)
2nd church could pay more and go on Pan’s labyrinth walk through offices to the top of the church and inside the upper dome
Pretended we were Robert Langdon obviously
Lunch in another square at a nice little restaurant
Spam ham on Casey’s pasta
Then jumped into a cab to get back up to near us
Better traffic on the way back - slightly
Chilled in our apartment for a bit
Then in the afternoon walked to Casey’s pole studio
I sat in the nice cafe
And Casey joined me there after her session and we had coffee and pastry
Got an Uber from the cafe
By then traffic in Quito was insane
Took us about 45 minutes to move 2km
We were trying to make it to some cinemas to see Guardians 3
Eventually got out and walked
Made it just in time but the English language film was sold out
All because we couldn’t buy the tickets online ahead of time because of Ecuadors insane ID requirements for literally any purchase
Gave up on the movies
Walked over to the big nice shopping centre to find a restaurant
Had some alright pizza and pasta
Then a lovely cabbie drove us home and giggled as we paid in all our small change
Booked an Uber for the morning to take us to the airport

Stay tuned...