After the breath-taking (literally) and slightly traumatic 3 day trip in the Salar de Uyuni (see previous blog about my Bolivian doctor encounter), we had to take an overnight bus to La Paz. People warned us it would be a rough ride but you know how you always think people are exaggerating…well they weren't. Never experienced roads quite like it- we drove all night, in pitch black, through deep ditches, small rivers, and even passed by random fires. It wasn't actually proper roads so the driver couldn't see properly where to go at points and on two occasions the bus conductor had to get off and shine a torch to find the path…a few times the driver took the wrong path and had to reverse back through ditches etc…it was crazy, but somehow we made it to the high (3800m) city of La Paz as sun was rising around 6am!

La Paz is freezing cold and frenetic, total madness on the streets. It was pretty intimidating but really interesting. Loved seeing all the women in the traditional dress which involves long pigtails (regardless of age), a bowler hat, a colourful skirt worn over layers of underskirts which made it really hard to tell if Bolivian women have unusually large hips or just too many clothes on….did I mention it is really cold here?!

There's a lot of horrible smells in the crowded streets and the black exhaust fumes just made it even more difficult to breathe at the altitude. The city is also really hilly so Steven and I would literally walk about 10 steps and then have to stop to catch our breath- a very strange feeling when you feel you've run a mile but have only covered 10steps!!! Its also really difficult to talk or laugh cos you just have no spare breath.

We walked cautiously past San Pedro Prison taking some sneaky pics but didn't think it was wise to do one of the illegal tours…you have to read 'Marching Powder'- I read it in Bolivia (it's a true story about the prison) and you will not believe what goes on in there. Apparently the book is illegal in Bolivia so im glad I didn't get caught reading it! Brilliant book! 24hours after visiting the outside of the prison (its in the centre of the city in a pretty plaza), I was watching the news in a café and there were riots at the prison with gunshots at the front of the plaza where we had been 24hours earlier!

Whilst in La Paz, Steven decided to book the cycle on 'The World's Most Dangerous Road' or 'Death Road'. I chickened out! The whole day he was away, I was worried sick, especially when he was 3 hours late getting back and we had no way of contacting each other (no mobiles on our travels)! Eventually he turned up, with the BIGGEST smile on his face- he was buzzing on adrenalin and had the most amazing time.

xxx