...trying to get closer to Lake Titicaca...

first i want to thank Maria for posing my flight information.. it has been one chaotic day.. starting from the morning:

the train is suppose to leave at 8am, so i make my way to the train station at 7, i get there in 15 minutes. i only see people by the ticket counter and no passengers really.. odd i think.. i wait.. once the time hits 7:35 i ask where could i go to board the train as i don't see any activity of that sort.. and the answer i get is "there is no train today" -> whooot! ... so apparently because of the strike also the trains don't go... oh the fun. so i get in line to get to the ticket counter to find out what are my options. about an hour later i get my answer: i can either get a refund or rebook for Monday, it is not sure the strike is over by then though and the trains might not go then either. allright. buses are not an option .. i could try, but i'd be probably stuck on the road perhaps even for days.. so probably not a good idea. i get a refund at the ticket counter.

i head out of the train station with the goal to head out to the airport.. perhaps the flights are still going? outside one local man asks immediately if i'd like a taxi -> yes please, i need to get to the airport. after i tell him of my plan he announces that the plane ticket needs to be brought through a travel agency, there is no other way. i'm a bit sceptical about that, but oh well.. so he makes some calls and announces that the afternoon flight to Juliaca (there is no airport in Puno and Juliaca is the closest place to fly to) costs 65$... ouch.. well i guess i have to live with that if i wanna get out of here this week.

so i get a taxi ride to the airport.. or more precisely to the travel agency close to the airport. well what do you know.. now the price has tripled! gheesh. this is rediculous.. so i figure that i go and check the ticket counter/check-in at the aiport just in case as well. sure enough they do sell tickets at the counter too.. i knew it! BUT there are no tickets left to juliaca for today nor for tomorrow. earliest i could fly out would be on sunday. argh. so i have another chat with the dude from the travel agency. after some sign language i find out that they have a ticket for me for tonight with the triple price of course... now i'm very sceptical.. are they just gonna sell me some fake ticket or what.. the lady just said that the flight is full... well perhaps the travel agency has made some spare bookings? .. after some more sign language the travel agency dude tells me that i can do the check-in first and then pay.. well that sounds reasonable.. and i can also pay with VISA card, but then they have to charge another 8%... oh well, 8% won't kill me.. so i agree to it (thank god there are credit cards!!! wonderful life savers they are). after i gave my name and passport number via phone it took only 1,5 minutes to get the eletronic ticket for me.. wow. so we do the check-in as i try to find out the airline lady if everything is ok with my ticket.. do i have an actual seat or am i on a waiting line... she confirms that everything is ok and i'm booked for the flight. great i guess.. but i won't cheer before i'm actually on board.

so i go and pay the rediculous air fare at the travel agency and head back to the airport. i got 4,5 hours till boarding... flight is at 15:15 ... i try to find internet.. there is no internet connection today :( .. allright.. as i already went through the security i can't go back either .. i think. so i try to SMS to estonia about my plans and my flight number and time.. no luck.. i'm not sure if i'm entering the number correctly so i try many different options.. no luck... i bet the operator just won't allow international sms's ? allright.. so finally i SMS to maria and ask her to post the necessary information to one of the comments in my blog :D THANK YOU MARIA!