Well being up at altitude seems to mean that I have to be in the wars! More of that as we go along though. We arrived in La Paz early Saturday morning, and I for one was feeling seriously narky due to a distinct lack of sleep - all I wanted was a hot shower and a bed to curl up in. La Paz is the worlds highest capital, set in the middle of a huge canyon at 3660m above sea level, and so walking downhill is fine, but walking uphill is an absolute nightmare due to the thin air. Having a 17 kilo backpack on hardly helps matters, and as we set off from the bus station I was feeling a bit fed up to be honest. But as luck would have it, at just after 7 in the morning, we somehow bumped into the Aussie lads that we have also been travelling with ever since Montevideo, and who we last saw in Bariloche! It was the little pick me up that we both needed I think, and we chatted to them quickly as they were off doing a day trip, and went and checked in at the hotel where they were staying. Saturday was then a busy day spent doing lots of little jobs - most importantly taking my entire backpack to the laudrette seen as everything was absolutely minging! Then we had a walk around the markets and took advantage of how cheap things are and bought a few things - like a small rucksack for 2 quid and a wooly hat for 60p! After a few hours of walking round though, the hustle and bussle had got too much and so we headed back for a much needed siesta, but only after we had found Zoe in her hostel - it was great to meet up with her again! After a weeks detox we had decided that a big Saturday night out in La Paz was in order, and so myself, Karl, Zoe, the Aussie lads and Sam & Jules (two girls who we had met in Rio and again in Iguaçu, and who were in the room nextto the Aussie guys;such a small travellers world!) all had a good night out, ending at around 6:30am. Needless to say Sunday was a leisurely day spent doing unexciting things except have a really nice three course meal at a lovely little restaurant, all for less than 1 pound 50! I will now try to put into words what we did on Monday, I just hope I can do it justice! As the re-united "los tres amigos", we tackled the famed "World's Most Dangerous Road"; a descent on mountain bike from La Cumbre at 4700m to Coroico at 1750m! Given that after our little biking ride in Bariloche I had vowed never to sit on a bike again since I don't seem to be at all good at it, you can imagine my reservations about pelting it down a stoney dirt track with a 300ft drop to the side of me, with absolutely NO barriers! Being told by the guide on the way up that 10 buses a year fall off the edge hardly made me feel any better! As it turned out, it was an absolutely amazing experience and one of the best things we have done so far; a real adrenaline rush! It almost turned sour right at the end when, trying to look up and pose for the camera as we rode over a little stream, I lost my balance and went flying into the water. My only thought wasn't for the blood pouring from my elbow, but for my camera in my pocket since a) it was flippin expensive and b) it had loads of pictures that I hadn't uploaded yet! Whilst it didn't seem to get wet, it didn't work at all for at least the next 2 hours - leaving me feeling sick to the pit of my stomach, until somehow (I see it as karma for picking up the hitchhiker, paying for drinks and hostels when wqe could have got away with it etc....!) it started working again. At that point I didn't really care about my sore elbow, shoulder and side! A knackering but brilliant day! On our final day in La Paz we went to the valle de la lunar, a place of strange rock formations that we know neither why they are so called or how they were formed! Still, it was a good few hours. Then we did a little walking tour of La Paz before Zoe took me on a spending spree through Witches Market where, not content with finally buying a much needed coat, a bought two within 10 minutes! At about 7 pound 50 for both of them though, I hardly need to feel guilty at spending the money! My problem is going to be carrying them seen as my backpack is already bursting at the seems! Mum & Dad; expect a parcel arriving home soon!! My wars continued at our meal when a didn't quite see a low ledge (yes, I was sober!) and butted it, chipping two of my teeth ever so slightly. Despite that, my bad cold and cough, cut elbow and sore ankle, I am feeling on top of the world (no sarcasm intended!). We head for Copacabana (NOT the one in Rio) by Lake Titicaca in the morning, leaving behind the crazy taxi drivers of La Paz, but getting even higher into the clouds! Jonny