The high road from Cusco to Puno

The group I have been walking with split today as some were heading for the Amazon Rain Forest and some, including me, to Lake Titicaca. So I travelled by bus from Cusco to Puno...which is 360 miles. We broke the journey with numerous small stops and visited various Inca archaeological sites and small villages and towns. Yet again we were climbing higher, with altitude now going from 12000ft to 14000ft. We also went through an electrical storm high in the Andes....quite an experience in a small minibus!
This blip is of the highest accessible part of the Peruvian Andes by road. We got out to take photos as the hail had stopped. It was bitterly cold and that bright sun was moving very quickly across the mountain range....I thought this shot gave that impression! You'll have to look large to find the llama farmers shack in the bottom right hand corner!
We couldn't stay out long...not just because of the cold....but because there is 25-30% less oxygen than we are used to and boy could you feel it! The native people up here have evolved to have considerably larger lungs, a larger heart and about 10-20 cms more intestine as the pressure not only affects breathing but the ability to digest. As you can tell....our lovely knowledgeable walking guide has stayed with us on the bus! Arrived at Lake Titicaca in darkness, so cant wait to explore tomorrow.