Day 21: 21/07/12
Had a big long shower this morning- really savoured it after being filthy in the jungle! Checked out of the hotel and went to the airport. I checked in my bag and then myself n Muir went for breakfast. After we went to the book shop and bought something to read for the plane. I had some Peruvian soles left and Muir had some dollars do we did a bit of wheeling and dealing and swapped!
Then it was time for me to go to the departure gate. Poor Muir had to spend the day at the airport. I'm sure age made good use of the last few soles! Safe journey Muir- will be updating you regularly!
When I went to the departure gates it was already about 9:20. My flight wasn't until 10:20 but the boarding time was 9:20. The other flights we'd gone on had boarding times an hour before the flight aswell but they didn't actually board until about 20mins before the flight, so I wasn't bothered. There was a big massive queue for security and I was afraid I'd be held up there but that moved swiftly. What I forgot however was that I was leaving the country and I had to go through immigration. There was a humongous queue for that. I could see that other people near me had boarding times around the same time as me though. By 10 I still wasn't at the top of the queue so I asked the last six or seven people if I could go in front of them and showed them my boarding card- none of them had a problem when they saw my time! Went through immigration no bother.
My gate was 28 so I started stepping it out fairly quickly as I had only about 10mins to get there but luckily they were numbered in a circle and 28 was near enough to me! There were other people rushing behind me aswell. When I got there they were still queuing so I was sound thank god! We actually had to get a bus out to the plane which took a while. It was about 11:15 when we took off, after all my rushing!!
The flight was down to stop over in Santa Cruz and I wasn't sure if I had to get off the plane or not. I had asked when checking in but that girl didn't understand me! When we landed I'm Santa Cruz they announced that anyone flying to La Paz had to stay on the plane. That was grand. A load of people got off, then the back of the plane opened and some cleAners came on and started sweeping up and down the aisle- it was very strange!! Then a man came on checking passports, presumable checking that the right people had stayed on! The flight to La Paz was only short then. Both stages of the flight were bumpy enough though for some reason- the pilot must have been shook or something!!
Had to go through more immigration and baggage declaration and stuff. They give ya the forms to fill in on the plane, but the English isn't very clear on them so there were a few things I wasn't sure about. But, they barely looked at them!
The arrivals area seemed quite small. There were only a few sitting around with signs! I found a man with my name- he was to transfer me to the hotel. I went with him to the car and he seemed grand. When he sat in he turned around to me and said "you are very beautiful woman". I thought Oh Lord, what have I let myself in for!! Two minutes later, he turned round to me while driving and hAnded me a little purse and said it was for me, the Bolivian colours. I felt I had to accept it to be polite, but I was wondering what the hell he was playing at. He was on a walkin-talkie thing to an office or something a lot of the time so that made me feel he was a legitimate taxi! Sure enough, twenty minutes later be had me parked at the hotel!! I'm sure he was only trying to be friendly but the fact that I'd no Spanish and he'd very little English, didnt help the situation!
The hotel is nice- there's a security man at the door and it has a lift so very posh altogether! I have a double room allot myself tonight. The g adventures group will be meeting here tomorrow then.
I got the wifi up and running and skyped home. Sure with technology these days they know more about my trip than I do!! They knew I had landed and everything!!
Went downstairs then to see I'd they knew what time the group meets tomorrow but he didn't know what I was talking about. I did figure out that Im the only one here do far, everyone else arrives tomorrow and I'll be able to stay in the same room tomorrow night- so well have to figure out a bit more tomorrow!!
Tried to get some money out then as I have no bolivianos. Theres an ATM outside the door but of course it wasn't working. It was dark at this stage so I decided to just see of the restaurant in the hotel would take dollars and they did. So will have to get money tomorrow. From what I can see I'm owe to the centre, but would prefer to explore in daylight!
So had dinner, caught up with facebook and now heading to bed reading. I can feel the altitude again do a good nights sleep should do the trick!