Bolivia

Hola,

Bolivia has really lucked me out - it's just been such an incredible last three weeks and I'm so happy I managed to have this experience. As I mentioned we were travelling with a bunch of people who we met in Cusco, well that number increased once we got to La Paz and we were a party of 12. 

Liam, Ella, Jim, Abhi, Craig and myself from Australia. Sydney, Evan and Sheldon from Canada. Jess and Alexis from the States and then Emil from Sweden.

Group photo: Liam, Ella, Abhi, Emil, Sheldon, Craig, Alexis, Jess, Evan, Sydney and I and David (an extra on the salt flat tour sitting down)

Our trip started out in Copacabana where a few of us spent two nights on Isle of the Sun. We got a private boat to the southern point of the island and spent the day walking back to the northern  section. That night a three section storm waved over and we spent the night watching. 

Making our way to La Paz on the day bus we arrived into the centre and booked ourselves into a hostel, which had breakfast included but no toilet paper. Go figure. After a remarkable walking tour - seriously could not recommend Red Caps enough we went to a Bolivian football (soccer) game which luckily the main team won 6-1 and we managed to join in the chants.  

Witch Markets, La Paz.

As we had so many of us, we managed to book death road just our group and for four hundred and something bolivianos. (300 = 45 USD kind of) with Baracuda, who gave us a CD of all photos taken and a free shirt - which I probably wear a little too much now. 

North Yungus Road is better know as Death Road and sees 25,000 riders annually- 40 miles long on gravel, sharp turns and running water it's understandable how an estimated 300 people lose their life. We had one person in the group stack, and luckily it was at the end of the road with severe cuts and scrapes along his back and thankfully he was wearing kneepads (actually the only one out of our group.) The ride itself is amazing for views, but you don't really want to distract yourself all that much. 

Our group was one of the fastest - passing majority of the other riders of that day. 

Everyone else made their way back to La Paz whileCraig, Jess, Sydney, Evan and myself staying in a small town called Corocio. Originally only going to stay for one night, with the tropical weather and pool at the hostal it was too good to pass up another night. We spent the time reading, swimming, drinking and playing cards to pass the time. 

The night we went back to La Paz, they had Sunday markerts, selling a range of goods from hats to watches to some passports too. After taking a ride on the gondola, we went to the markets for a cheap lunch (9 bolivianos) and then later went to Cholita Wrestling. It's very marketed at gringos but as a whole experience, plainly ridiculous. Obviously very fake we decided to make our own commentary. Towards the end, the Bolivians got a lil rowdy towards the "wrestlers" and were shaking up soda bottles which actually managed to spray me all down the back. Although worth it, probably wouldn't see it again.

Santa Cruz was a busy city, only stayed two nights in a hostel with amazing breakfast, pool, range of movies and all you can eat BBQ. After that we made our way to Samipata for a psytrance music festival. It honestly all sounded the same to me, but it was nice being with everyone. Ate amazing burgers at this one restaurant which I'm pretty sure was owned by an Australian. 

Had the bus ride from hell from Samipata to Sucre, honestly. It was fully booked out, one of us didn't have a seat so had to have one of the girls sit on his lap for 9 hours. There were people laying on the floor, who kept grabbing feet and then someone's jacket lightly dusting over my face for a while. I was just so thankful that we had some sleeping tablets that made the bus a little better because I managed to sleep for a few hours. 

The hostel in sucre was super cute, had a puppy, free breakfast and was close to the main square. The last day we were packing up- there was a scorpion in our room though. Honestly no idea how/why but pretty terrifying all the same. 

Sorry it was such a long post, it's just been amazing. Currently in San Pedro, Chile with Sydney and Evan, making my way up to Columbia. Just returned from the salt flats but that's going to be another post in the coming days (hopefully.)

I will try send out postcards/reply to emails but no promises. 

XXXX Sarah