PERU THE FINAL DAY AND HEADING HOME

We managed to wedge in one more site visit, driving twenty km out of Puno; up over the hillsides of the city and down onto broad plains. The region of Puno is an important for agriculture and livestock area, home to llamas and alpacas, which graze on its immense plateaus. We arrived at Sillustani

THE GREAT CEMETARY 

From 200 BC through 400 AD Sillustani was a necropolis, used by several tribes and peoples as a burial ground and stone circles indicate its significance as an astrological centre.  There were few people about this morning and soft breezes drifted up from the nearby lake.

Then it was down to the serious business of the run home.  From Sillustani it was forty-minute drive to the town of Julieta, and their ‘international’ airport. 

We caught a short flight back to Lima.  Immediately we were airborne my altitude sickness evaporated and spirits lifted. The latter were soon crushed given the five hours hanging around at Lima airport with its noise and crowds. 

AIR TRAVEL

The horrors of air travel, on this occasion, culminated in the flight being forty-five minutes late for take off. This was because the crew was late getting to the airport. Before we eventually took off we were given a simpering, almost apologetic excuse from the crew’s first officer about the heavy traffic. British Airways, typical.