Wow Bolivia! We spent roughly about 2 weeks in Bolivia and it was a real eye-opener in terms of our previous expectations of the country. Bolivia is probably the most under-developed country in South America but for what it lacks in development, it makes up in abundance with culture and scenery. This was probably one of the most fascinating places we've been to on our journey so far.

Our initial and final stop in Bolivia was in the capital, La Paz which is the highest capital in the world, sitting at an altitude of approximately 3600m. The altitude was certainly noticeable with Craig and I finding ourselves puffing after simply crossing the road or climbing a set of stairs in our hotel! Mind you, with my level of fitness that's not that different to normal but for now I'll blame it on the altitude! La Paz sits in a valley so as we approached the city on our bus, it was an incredible sight with lots of little houses scattered across the hills, leading to a heavier population of houses and building in the basin itself. The city centre itself is quite rough around the edges but after consideration we both agreed that to develop it further would ruin the rustic feel of the place.

One of the first things we did it La Paz was a daytrip cycling ´The World´s Most Dangerous Road' which was just outside the city centre. This is a road in Bolivia infamous due to the large number of deaths each year. The road runs along a cliff edge with a 600m drop and in certain places the road itself is only 3m wide. It's mainly all downhill but is gravelly and rocky so not the best idea to cycle at highs speeds. It was a fantastic day but I have to confess that I was petrified and a bit pathetic the whole time, with my hands aching at the end of the trip from squeezing my brakes constantly. I also had massive bruises on my knees from gripping my bike with my legs! My fear wasn't eased by the fact that we passed lots of little crosses on the road every 100m! In total we cycled 64km which was a great achievement on both our parts but I can't say I've suddenly become a thrill-seeker....slippers and cup of tea anyone?

We took a walking tour of La Paz on another day and really enjoyed submerging ourselves in the throng of locals at the little markets which line almost every street. The handicrafts sold here are so beautiful and colourful and the view of these goods on all the stalls in any given street is awesome. The locals mainly dress in traditional dress as well which makes you feel like you've time-travelled to some ancient civilisation overnight. Unlike Asia, you can wander through these markets unpestered and browse to your heart's delight. The strangest market was that which is known as the Witches Market which sells all sorts of strange potions and remedies to cure any sort of ailment imaginable. Also on sale are llama foetuses which is totally disturbing but amongst the local people, they are widely thought to bring good luck. I think I'll make my own luck thanks!

Although we didn't make a visit ourselves, worth a mention here is San Pedro prison off San Pedro Square in La Paz. This prison is unique in that tourists unofficially are given tours inside, guided by whatever inmate is available that day. Due to the ´community´ atmosphere inside, the prisoners wives and children are also allowed to live there with them for a tiny fee. The tourists however pay a collossal fee for their tour and are expected to buy beer and whatever else from the prisoners. The craziest thing is that the tourist is then expected to pay to leave again! I wonder why we gave the place a miss!? We did, however, climb onto the roof of a nearby hotel to get a good view over the prison. That was enough for us!

We spent Christmas day on the Bolivian Salt Flats, a 4 day trip which was definitely the highlight of our time in Bolivia. The salt flats span for miles and miles and the view across them is out of this world. Of course, being cheesy tourists, we insisted on getting photos of us sitting on a football, lying on a banana, sitting against a gigantic bottle of wine and whatever else came to mind. It's certainly a Christmas day I won't forget in a long time. The rest of the 4 days was spent driving across an expanse of desert and enjoying the sights at various lagoons which were absolutely stunning with an array of colours and flamingos grazing freely. This certainly wasn't the Bolivia I'd expected!

New Year was spent in Sucre and was totally riotous! We met up with the guys that we'd travelled through Peru with and brought in the New Year as a big group which was fantastic. Our Bolivian guide had told us about a Bolivian custom at New year which was to change your underwear after midnight to either red or yellow underwear, with red signifying that you wanted more love in the coming year and yellow, more money. Craig and I both bought yellow pants because we, of course, have enough love in our lives but nowhere near enough money! The rest of our group also invested in a pair of briefs of the colour of their choice and after midnight the photos being taken took a horrific turn! Needless to say, I hope that none of them ever see the light of day......

Sucre was a beautiful city which reminded me of Arequipa in Peru with it's bright white buildings and colonial feel to it. We enjoyed getting lost in the many cobbled streets and strolling through the main square which was lovely. The food was also incredible, although I can't pronounce any of the dishes to repeat them here but suffice to say the local fare was delicious and I would most certainly recommend it!

Whilst we were in Bolivia, fuel prices were increased by the Government and, as a result, protests and road blockages begun all over the country! Nightmare! This wasn't a problem though for our trusty tour guide who set about bribing bus and taxi drivers to take us from town to city. Much appreciated by the group for his effort but left us all out of pocket by about $40 which would have gone a long way in Bolivia! Oh well, when life deals you lemons......