The trip goes south

As a result of a series of setbacks and random events, we did not trek the Ausangate Circuit. We instead made our way south toward Bolivia and Lake Titicaca. After long bus rides, we arrived in Puno, Peru where we stayed the night and got our first glimpse of the grand lake of Qechua, Aymara, and Inca mythology. It wasn´t as blue as people say, but maybe it was just that particular viewpoint. After decent sleep and a shower, we made our way to the bus terminals. There we found a million people trying to get to Copacabana, Bolivia, which is where we were headed. We found out that there is a 15 day festival occurring in Copacabana and that most buses were full. There are several ways of getting there, though... so we tried our luck with the "combis", which are minivans acting as mini buses. We were stampeded by both child and grandmother alike and, as a result, could not get a seat. We went back to the bus terminal to see how long it would take before we could get a seat on the bus. On our way, we were asked by several cab drivers if we wanted a ride to the border. The price was significantly higher than the bus, but it wasn´t high at all by U.S. standards and we could leave right away. We thought for a while about it and then decided to take the taxi. Our taxi filled up with three other guys besides the driver and we headed off. It was only about three hours before we got to the border town of Yunguyo, where we were instructed by police to pull over and get a permit to cross the border. We all got out of the car and headed toward the official building. We all went together, but once we got there the other guys in the car split up and we did not know who to follow... so we followed the driver who went into the bathroom. We waited outside for a while and, when we did not see him we made our way back to the car. But the car was no longer there and our backpacks, which were in the trunk, were gone with it. We ran in circles around the plaza looking for the car or any of the guys we had rode with to no avail. We talked to the police officer in the plaza who instructed us to quickly catch a cab to the border. He said there was a long line and we could probably catch them there before they crossed if we hurried. We were afraid they might still come back to the plaza, so I waited there while kevin went to look for them at the border. Two hours and several cigarettes later, kevin came back without our backpacks and I told him that I had looked and looked and they did not return for us. We just got jacked... royally.
We still have our passports, our money, and our ATM cards. I had my camelback backpack with me, which had in it my iPod, two guidebooks, my reading book, a pencil, and some paper. That´s all we have now aside from the clothes on our backs. Shocked and angry, we made our way across the border and took a taxi into Copacabana where we got a place to stay for the night. Unfortunately, we were not in a very festive mood and the crazy festival went on loudly into the night and kept us awake. After about three hours of sleep, we made our way into the labrynthe of street stalls selling everything from underwear and jeans to miniature houses and confetti. There are a million people here, literally, and the town just can´t physically hold this many. It is horrendous to walk through the streets, but fortunately we don´t have to carry our big packs through the streets! haha... joking. It´s not funny yet. I hope I can laugh at it later, but I just can´t yet. I lost so many things that were either very important to me or were very useful. Either way, they were things I didn´t want to part with... and SO many things. This is a great lesson in letting go of material attachments. I hate this lesson, though! So this also means that I will not be able to post any more pictures since I am now without a camera. Sorry. I really want to post a picture of this crazy madhouse of a town!
We found out today that the trek we had planned on Isla del Sol is still possible since there are hostels on the island. We can´t do it the same way, of course, but we can still do it. We will probably spend three days on the island and then make our way to La Paz. I don´t want this to completely ruin the trip, but it will unless I can keep going and have a good time.
Lesson learned... the hard way.