Day 11 20th November 2006 Altitude Sickness - Coporaque to Puno (Altitude 3,855m)

The up and journey through the mountains played havoc with my system again, after nearly 5 hours by bus we arrived in Puno, which is on the edge of lake Titicaca. The highest navigable lake in the world at 3,800m.

On arriving in Puno a few of the group including Shelley were feeling exceptionally rough with the altitude, luckily the doctor was on hand within minutes with the hotels oxygen tank. The prescribed drugs arriving 20 mins later by moped.

My expectation of Peru was that it would be very disorganised and chaotic but it seems quite the opposite. The hotels, the public transport, the restaurants are all very well run and organised. There appears to be very little bureaucracy which is very refressing, with people willing to work for just a few sol. Even the laundry is great 5kg of clothes washed and ironed within the same day for a few sols. A Sol is the equivalant to about 20p in UK money.

Highlights: Cheap laundry