Happy New Year!

I hope you all had wicked fun last night. My night was a bit crap and unexciting but I´ll come onto that. First I have to write about my most crazy experience to date..... this afternoon´s visit to San Pedro Prison!

Fiona at work had recomended reading the book Marching Powder about San Pedro prison. It´s the true story of a british drugs trafficker who ended up there and the ridiculous corruption involved. It is possible to visit the prison by paying/bribing the prison officers. I went along with the 3 NZ and 1 British guy from my group. We arrived at the front of the prison, which is in the centre of town, and loitered for a minute or two. A prison officer soon approached to ask if we´d like a tour. We were taken into a small room and had to pay 250 Bolivianas, about 25GBP each direct to the guard. I was soooo nervous and the guys definitly were to. The guide said no cameras, so we all gave our cameras to 2 friends waiting outside. I regretted that so much as the picture oppurtunites were amazing and no one checked.

After writing our names on a list and having a number written on our wrists, presumably to check to make sure we make it out, we were taken inside the gates. A mob of people were waiting inside but didn´t really pay us much attention. Soon a guy came up to us to offer to be our guide. He is a prisoner from La Paz called Manuel and speaks good english. He introduced us to our 2 ´body guards´also prisoners. Straight away manuel asked if we had cameras..... soo annoying!

The prison is split into about 6 different areas. There are about 1500 male prisoners but they can also have wives and children living with them so there are tonnes of kids about. The prison guards only enter to do a role call each morning, which Manuel said is just them shouting out names and a friend could easily shout for you. Prisoners pay fro their accomodation and food and the locks are on the inside of the rooms. The prison officers have no say in this world. All of the rooms seemed to have colour tv and there are phones everywhere. Each area has a spokesperson and a list of rules for the section. It is like a town within a town with shops, hairdressers, a kindergarten oh.... and a cocaine factory.

As it is new years day everyone we saw seemed off of their faces, including our guide. He held it togeter though and gave us an excellent tour. The cocaine factory produces so much of the stuff. People were walking round holding large plastic bags full of the stuff. I lost count of how many times we were offered cocaine. A lot of the inmates are addicted to base, which is the most addicitive and cheapest form. There are even ´crack cats´which are cats addicted to having the smoke blown in their faces.

Our guide took us into a room belonging to a young guy... he looked about 18 years old. He makes bracelets to sell to the tourists Manual informed us he is in prison for murder. He had tools and saws all round his room but seemed pretty tranquile. We toured the kitchen and a load of other living areas. Each section also has a ´swimming pool´, or a concrete hole in the ground. Kids were playing all round them. But on the awful gruesome side this is also where paedophiles are drowned by the other inmates.

We also met another prisoner who makes amazing toy cars out of metal cans... they were stunning. The guide showed us where the drugs are smuggled out at night and where 2 of his friends escaped a couple of weeks ago.

At the end we were taken to sit down in one of the body guards rooms to continue chatting. Again we were offered cocaine, it was so cheap but I can´t think of anything more stupid to do... taking very strong drugs in a Bolivian prison... ahhhh!

The place is crazy. It was the strangest thing I have ever done. I can´t really do the explanation justice so I really recommend that you read the book if you´re interested!

My head is still reeling from it all. It´s like a different world and the most corruption I´ve faced. I´m not going to forget this experience ever.

Tomorrow we´re off to the salt flats. Catherine flew home this morning so time to make some new friends. I feel pretty lonely without her........

Dinner now. I can´t be bothered to write about my NY eve, it was boring.