Boliva!!
Hey all. Another blog comes your way.
When I first thought about travelling around south america Bolivia was never a country which struck me as a place to go. I always thought a quick dash from the top of chile to La PAz then on to Peru. I am so glad that this travelling has taken me around Boliva. It is more of the South America I imagined than Peru. One word to describe Boliva is contrast. I will now try to highlight this in this blog.

Having spent two weeks in Bolivia I have seen such diversity and change. The La Paz I saw is a massive crowded city resembling any other ·third world· major city. Large market streets selling weird objects such as the llama foetus or dried frogs for gifts to Pacha Mama (mother earth) rub shoulders with little cafes which the next morning make you thank god you´re alive after surviving the previous days lunch. The La Paz I didn´t see were the large gated mansions up in the hills where there are boutique shops and fancy restaurants. Contrast point one.

Moving out of La Paz we take a cross country bus to Cochabamba. This city has a massive American influence with locals in labelled trainers and t shirts, malls, pool bars etc, A major contrast to the poorer boliva we will see. This is a city in the middle of nowhere which has no apparent trade but is very rich. We spend our time (ashamedly) bowling (which i lose), going to the cinema and going out drinking. A little bit of civilisation for those who have been travelling longer, and it gives us a chance to bond with the newer members of the group on more familiar ground. We also visit the tallest Jesus Christ statue in the world (a few inches taller than Rio, but a bit less impressive apparently), which stands prominently overlooking this valley city.

Leaving cochabamba by bus (just). Some people taxied it to the bus stationa and on arrival had their bags put on the wrong bus and we had no idea where those people were. Our bus started its engine and wanted to leave. We stalled him by slowly putting our bags on then explaining our tour guide (barbara) had the tickets then waiting around a bit and acting stupid (which came easy). Luckily we all managed to get on the bus but did take a b******ing from other passengers and the driver. The ride was 12 hours and we stopped twice for toilet breaks, there being no toilet on the bus, though saying that there was no toilet off of the bus either. Leaving the bowl of La Paz we travelled through some amazing mountain passes, on dirt roads the width of the bus, stunningly illuminated by the full moon. We arived early the next morning (some more awake than others) in Sucre, the administrative capital.

For a Capital city it is fairly small, all centered around the main square and university buildings, but there are many activities to part take in. Some mountain bike, some hike. I take the more leisurely option of horse riding. Obviously i got the worse behaved horse. He was supposed to be the lead horse but the guide weas using another so as he was no longer up front he through a strop, bucking at anyone hwo tried to over take and went on a go slow. I changed and had a better, if more boring ride. We went out over the hills around Sucre seeing the farmers and their land. Ending in a small town called Yolata we took Chicha at some old ladies house before returnign to Sucre.
The next day we go to visit the Dinosaur footprints in the nearby hills, discovered by a cement facotry whilst quarrying. They sound more impressive than they are. They´re supposedly genuine but all you see is a few dinosaur shaped feet marks in the side of a cliff. (The dinosaurs didnt walk vertically but this is due to tectonic plate movements). The best part was the homemade double decker bus which took us there. It was a melded mix of steel bars, metal sheet and desk chairs. It strugggled to get up the hills and missed the overhead electricity cables by milimetres.
We spent the afternoon visiting projects out in the periphery of the city. Here woman learn to make clothes. We spend our time playing with the children, who spend their time in a small room next door with a few crayons, and take gifts of paper, pens, sweets, milk and footballs. This is an awesome experience, especially after the more touristic places in Peru, this felt like we werre actually seeing and bonding the people themselves.
We had a couple of good nights out here dancing in a local bar. With 3L towers of beer for a fiver you´d struggle to prevent yourself from dancing. One evening was perfected with the attendance of a few 50 year old university professors who insisted on buying endless rounds of beer and jagermeister. This evening ended with me performing the YMCA on top of the bar (i´m sure the video will work its way onto the interent at some point courtesy of James and Kerry) which provided amusement not only that night but for the journey to Potosi the next day.
Today most people feel slightly delicate. We take a bus to Potosi the worlds highest city at around 4080 metres. Most spend the afternoon sleeping. I go out with Barbara to buy cake and decorations for Emily´s birthday celebrations the next day. We go out to eat and return back to bed. The following day we visit the mines in the hills around Potosi. The small dark poorly paid mines are the main industry of Potosi. We see the men at work and chat with them and witness the dynamtie explosions (dynamite can be bought at a couple of pounds a stick with amonia nitrate and detonator). We unfortunatley arent given as free rein as we wished on expldoing the dynamite :( Tonight we go out for Emilys birthday and end up in a karaoke bar after days of my insisting. I sing a few songs, empty the bar and head home around 2am.
Now we head to Uyuni and the Salt flats. We arrive afternoon ish and head out for dinner. This town is a street in the middle of nowhere. A few bars, shops and restaurants and thats it. One bar is extreme bar where there is the extreme challenge which costs twenty quid and you have to drink 2 dirty pints and 8 large mixed shots. If you break the record time its free. That time is 48 seconds. I am volountered for the challenge (after failing a three pint challenge the night before, i blame the altitutde making the beer fizzier), but kindly decline the offer. Photo shows the menu.
Now we head out into the salt flats after visiting the train cemetary. The salt flats and desert highlight contrast all by themselves. Clear blue skies, clear white expanses of salt. A million stars and the milky way by night. 40 degree days minus 20 degree nights. calm days and days of 70mph winds. Out of the desolate desert appear these coloured lagoons of red, blue and green with flamingos. We drive for hours in jeeps with some awesome driving anthems and then get out to peace and quiet. We take photos as all do on the flats, not all work as well as they should :( We visit the lagoons, dalis desert, the stone tree. Nights are spent trying to keep warm and playing cards.

Yesterday we crossed the border to Chile and we are in San Pedro De Atacama where restaurants are out of food, the cash machine is broken and few places change and few dollars. Going sandboarding in 30 mins, watching the sunset over moon valley and mountain biking tomorrow.

All has been and is still amazing. The new group has properly bonded.

If you ever come to South America you MUST MUST MUST visit Bolivia it is a truly awesome, amazing, beautiful, stunning, weird place!!

Love to all.
May blog again when I reach Santiago. Take Care xxxx