The Missing Adventures Part 3: An Altiplano Adventure

High on the Altiplano the air is thin, thinner almost than anything else. Life exists here, if not in abundance then in vibrance. Muted landscapes now give way to colourful locals and the coin has been flipped from the Amazon in completeness.

There is nothing remarkable about Puno, or any other Spanish settlement along the immense Lake Titicaca. But that is not why we are here.

Across the venerable lake lie communities that exude modern Peruvian-ness. The Uros who inhabit the fascinating floating islands, and the people of Llonchon with whom we will stay the night.

The Uros people are unique amongst the Peruvians, both modern and ancient. A part of the Incan empire, and Aymaran to the person, they long ago shook off the constrictive binds of a land-based settlement to build their own islands and float free on the lake, settling on human-made reed islands. Theirs is a fascinating life. On one hand they float free from the world around them, waking up quite literally in a different location every day. On the other hand, they are now sop bound to the tourist dollar that they cannot float far from Puno for fear that they will be out of reach from the impatient tourist. Here is a false lifestyle, that is straining to retain its authenticity.

Across the lake lies the community of Llonchon. Here, authenticity abounds, if only because the tourists have no time for their placid lifestyle. There is little to see in subsistence farming, the daily volleyball to build the skills of one enthusiastic teenager or the daily sheep-drive ritual. Where there are only two cars - and no tourist mini-buss - how can you properly appreciate the culture?

The answer is simple. Spend time with the locals. Try to bridge the gaping language barrier with your broken Spanish/Cechua. Help out with food, gathered from the family's farming plot that afternoon, and then play volleyball. Get up close with you new Mama, Maria, and laugh at just how different we can be. Not only will you find that sport is a universal language, but that laughter can heal the divide that difference creates. Provided that we are not too proud, and that we retain some semblance of humility, it is amazing what two human beings can accomplish.