Packing for Adventure

As amazing as our day on Lake Titicaca had already been, it wasn’t even over. Now we headed on the boat (not the Romantic Boat this time) along with the rest of the tour group to the Island of Taquile, yet another culturally unique group of people living on Lake Titicaca.

Taquile is known for its terraced farming, breathtaking Andean views, and Quechua-speaking weavers. The locals live a communal lifestyle, wearing traditional clothing and creating intricate textile art recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The first stop at the Island of Taquile was at the “Family Restaurant.” We had two dishes to pick from, either trout or an omelet. I normally steer away from fish, but we decided “when in Rome” and we both ordered the trout. It was fresh caught and delicious!

It was a young boy serving us. He didn’t speak English, and I’m pretty sure we were eating out of his home. Our meal was paid for ahead of time, but we paid extra to have a Coke and a Fanta. I asked our tour guide William if we were supposed to tip (since we weren’t supposed to tip at the Floating Islands of Uros). He said to go ahead. I paid 10 PEN for the drinks and an additional 10 PEN for the tip. I did not feel like I was being generous; since the meal was prepaid, I had no idea how much it cost. I was very impressed with the meal and the service. The 20 PEN for the drinks and tip was about $6 USD. The man who took the 20 PEN pulled out some change to give me, and William told him it was meant as a tip. He was so grateful! He had a hard time believing I didn’t want change. I will never forget that moment.

We asked William about it later. We had prepaid about $400 USD for the whole day’s tour of the Floating Islands of Uros and the Island of Taquile – or about 1250 PEN. Out of all that, it was broken up as follows:

• 8 PEN went to an entrance fee for the Floating Islands of Uros
• 8 PEN went to an entrance fee for the Island of Taquile
• ~80 PEN for the meal at the “Family Restaurant” on the Island of Taquile
• The rest went to the travel agencies and the speed boat company

In the end, less than 100 PEN (under $30 USD) actually reached the people we were visiting. William assured us the islanders are content and have what they need, but it made me think of Eliana, our host at the Uros Islands, and how grateful she was when we bought a small souvenir. And our restaurant host got a tip that cost more than our entrance fee to the island!

Moments like this remind me why international travel matters. I’m not a naturally generous person (just ask my kids how often I’m willing to share my dessert), but experiences like this highlight how blessed and comfortable my life is. Travel has a way of changing how you see the world – and yourself.

Next up, I’ll share more about our time exploring Taquile Island itself – from the hike through its terraced hills to the beautiful views over Lake Titicaca.

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