Another day of brilliant blue skies greeted us this morning while we sipped coffee and ate a lazy breakfast. The objective for the day was to take a meandering walk along the terraced ridges and slopes of Isla del Sol, gaining some additional acclimatization and taking in the cultural landscape of a society that has changed very little in the last few hundred years. The island doesn't have any roads, so the only traffic we had to contend with were braying donkeys, farmers moving from field to field and the occasional European tourist. For lunch we were treated to a traditional Andean feast, Apthapi. To make Apthapi, the locals dig a hole and line it with square rocks. They then light a fire and heat the rocks and surrounding ground. After removing the embers and ash, layers of potatoes, beans and meat are placed in the hole and covered with dirt. They cook for several hours and eventually produce an extremely tasty combination. Weary from four plus hours of walking, we returned to our Eco Lodge and spent the afternoon relaxing and taking in the view of distance mountains. The sunset this evening, like most here, was spectacular. Shimmering rays bounced up off the surface of the lake multiplying the colors, and making for a dramatic closing to the day. RMI Guide Eric Frank

Our time in La Paz was short, as we awoke to another beautiful day here in Bolivia and made the three-hour drive to Lake Titicaca to take in the scenery and get acclimated to the 13,000’ altitude. We walked amongst old Incan ruins and small farming villages surrounding the lake. The Bolivian Andes mountains on one side and Perú off in the distance across the lake to the north. Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. We took the opportunity to take a couple of ferry rides across the lake to different islands including driving through Copacabana. To get to our final destination for the night on Isla del Sol “Island of the Sun” we took a short boat shuttle to our eco lodge overlooking the lake and surrounding mountains. The views are incredible as we got to watch the sunset light up the mountains across the lake. As we head to bed the near full moon is glistening on the water. We look forward to another day tomorrow walking around the island and all that it has to offer. RMI Guide Andy Bond

The honking horns had subsided and the streets were nearly bare this morning at 5 am, when fellow guide And Bond and I got up to make the chilly trip up to El Alto Airport at 13,400' on the Bolivia Altiplano. Three out of our six climbers arrived on the same flight, and after clearing immigration had piled their duffel bags next to an airport coffee shop, awaiting our arrival. After a quick round of hand shakes and high fives, we grabbed a cup of coffee each and headed outside to hail taxis into the city. The soft beds at Hotel Ritz provided a few hours of rest before we had a late morning meeting to discuss the plan for the day. The point of today, along with the next few days, is to play tourist and allow our bodies time to acclimate. After leaving the hotel, we visited several neighborhoods by using the new citywide teleferiquo system, a series of gondola lines that crisscross the city. The views of Huayna Potosi and Illimani from the gondola cars were incredible. On the walk back to the hotel we were serenaded by loud music from a passing parade. This weekend is the Fiesta del Gran Poder (festival of the great power) which is one of the largest festivals in Bolivia. We watched thousands upon thousands of dancers, marching bands and people in traditional costumes stream by. Tomorrow morning we launch north toward Lake Titicaca and Isla de Sol. RMI Guides Eric Frank, Andy Bond & Team