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Mission Impossible ? <br />To travel the world and give you all a run down of adventures, experiences, things to see and the best bars in town! I may even stop here and there and earn a few bob... but after this who would have me...<br />

South America, part II: Bolivia

Richard Rosss
2006-04-03 12:30:09

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iof today will be chilling, packing, drinking and eating. We leave on the 12 hr bus ride to La Paz (the highest capital in the world) - I hear its even more scary than the other nite! yikes!

Potosi is the biggest town at altitude in the world. The streets are so narrow that traffic jams are common. People just walk about and chat here on the streets. There is so many school kids here, as the miners have about 6 kids each! They get paid more than lawyers here, bizarre ( 100 Uk a month VS 40). The only traffic lights I have seen here, is a piece of rope slong across the road, and raised or lowered when needed. So, I will speak to all from La Paz, where we pick up some more people but we are still without the truck!

So we caught the really comfy bus (with reclining seats) to La Paz. Interesting as some locals came abroad stinking of booze and fish. We dropped them and their fish off just b4 La Paz and they set up an impromtu market there by the road. Thousands of women swarmed over them and were buying. Fish is a rarity here, as Bolivia is a landlocked country.

17th Finally end up in the slammer...

La Paz is set in a valley with mountians on all sides. It is pretty built up and there is some of the town all the way up the hills. The richer folk live near the bottom as the air is thicker! Its around 3700m here and you certainly feel the difference in oxygen levels here as opposed to Potosi! It looks quite colonial in places and has the usual permanent traffic jams and narrow streets I have grown to love here. The buses are small people carriers with a guy sticking his head thru the window shouting the bus route. People can stop it anywhere.

I may as well fill you in on my new S America wardrobe - well, I have Llama jacket and hat. A new pair of trousars that double for shorts and the ultimate gringo trail item, a Che Guuvera tshirt. (not forgetting the blue ...