We arrived in La Paz approx. 7am only 30 minutes behind schedule.

We fortunately were able to check into the hotel immediately and then spent half the day sleeping!

At 3pm our guide took us on an orientation tour of our area which had us pass through the Witches Markets.

They weren't quite what I expected but had some fantastic potions, trinkets and offerings for sale which even included llama fetuses and baby llamas!  We were assured they all died of natural causes but now as I write this it seems like a line made up just to appease us tourists!!!

Most of us stocked up on trinkets that they assured us would help with health, wealth, love and prosperity etc ... Yes Mum I made sure I got my fair share!!!

On the way back to the hotel we passed their carnival parade - it's apparently delayed here as the correct time of year usually sees the city in heavy rain falls, that turn the steep streets into rivers and has been known to cause mudslides ending in fatalities.

The poor live in the highest part of the city, (approx. 3600 metre high) where as the rich live lower in the valley.

We went for dinner that night at a restaurant on the 4 corners, 'Sol Y Luna'. Another overpriced gringo pub that served food that tasted like back home and still super cheap compared to home prices ($45 Boliviano for meal - $7.50 AUD & $22 for a cocktail $3.50 AUD).

I've been told street meals are only $3.50 Boliviano ($0.50cents AUD) but then can't guarantee that you won't be on the toilet with a stomach bug for the next couple of days! And another thing is it's too damn cold to be sitting out on plastic chairs and tables when nights were as low as 5 degrees!!!

After dinner we headed to Olivers for s drink and chatted to a few other backpackers about their travels.  

I grew bored quickly as drink service was slow and the place lacked ambience so headed home.  

Bolivia is yet to outlaw smoking in pubs so we get to relive the good old days, going to bed with cigarette smelling hair and clothes - eww!

Had a nice relaxing next day.  Haven't found any besties on this tour group (miss Zoe lots since she departed!) so instead appreciated getting some serenity and headed out on my own.

Only problem with this was the Tucan warning to never leave the hotel alone (they said it was as you're more likely to be a target then) and another girls warning that she had a friend who was on the same tour previously, and got kidnapped for a couple of days, bank accounts drained, and dropped back to the hotel naked!

Super!  

So I left my bank cards at the hotel and headed out alone anyway!

First stop was the hairdressers to touch up my skanky black roots ... Being Sunday only the crappy ones were open so just got a manicure and pedicure instead.

Although still cheap for me at approx $15AUD equivalent, the lady named the price at $100 Bolivianos which seemed quite steep for here.

I didn't do myself any favours after that as while I had one doing my fingers (who I think was the salon owner) and the others doing my toes (a younger gal, apparently 17) I kept saying things that had be looking like a snooty rich westener!

It started off okay ... The salon owner was chatting to me in Spanish and asking me about myself  (to which more often then not I had to ask her to repeat things so I could understand!).

Was I traveling solo or in a group? Did I have a boyfriend? (I got brownie points here for saying no here as turns out as was also single and seemed to be a man hating feminist!)

They then led on to be a bit more targeted ... They liked the guanaco bone ring I bought in Patagonia and asked how much it was ... Foot in mouth I reply, 'No mucho, approx $60 Bolivianos'. 

This led to sighs and knowing glances between them ... It's approx $10 AUD! But maybe exxy to them?

They then asked me where I was going and where I'd been?  I told them and received more knowing looks & eye rolling ... 'Ooh tu muy rico!'.

Then it continued ... 'What do you do for work?' and 'How much did you get paid?'.

I was happy to answer the work question but refused to answer the money one!

I then started feeling really guilty that we earn so much more then them so had to try to find the right Spanish words out of my limited vocabulary to say something to justify it for me! So it ended out coming out something like 'In Australia it's easy to work to make dollars. Good economy in Australia. Bad economy in Bolivia.'

This seemed to placate her a little and fortunately she stopped with the chatter after that as my relaxing pamper session was leaving me feeling stressed and guilt ridden!

I tipped the young girl $10 Boliviano as she had been polite and had taken a lot more care then the salon owner.

I'd skipped brekky as was so sick of the same stuff ... Generally toast (or other wheat items that I'm mildly allergic to and shouldn't be eating!) and fruit (always paw paw, watermelon, banana and pineapple).

I had a set lunch at the Thai / Indian / Japanese restaurant - coconut soup, salad bar, naan and llama curry.  Not too bad for $30 Bolivianos!

I them spent the remainder of the afternoon shopping ... To date my only souvenirs had been tshirts and , so bought some brightly coloured placemats in a Bolivian weave, a cream suede handbag and a jumper that is 'supposed' to be Alpaca! 

With over 20kg of luggage prior to the purchases, I have to apologize and pre-warn you all that I wont be bringing back the usual souvenirs for you all as have no room!!! And besides it is all about me :-P

While I was shopping I got chatting to another gringa who turned out also to be from Brisbane.  Mary-Ann also liked the jumper I was looking for and had seen a shop the previous day with heaps of them at a good price so we headed off together looking for them.

About an hour later she bumped into her son, Wes, who turned out to have made friends with other people from my group and had spent the day with them! I hadn't realised she was also staying at my hotel! 

Ended up not going back with my group but stayed shopping with her a little longer! Also turns out her sister also works at ENERGEX ... Small world :-)

That night we went for dinner at a steak house but had a quiet night as needed to be up early to do 'The World's Most Dangerous Road', aka 'Death Road' Bolivia.

We did the day with the company 'Gravity'. At $102 USD that's quite expensive for Bolivia, but felt that it was worth it.

As we were such a large group we were picked up at our hotel & on our way at 7.30am. It was almost an hour drive to our departure point at 4800metes, and damn cold when we arrived!

We kitted up in our waterproof pants & jackets, helmet, gloves & goggles. And I nearly forgot ... the super sexy fluro orange worker style vest!!!

We also received some very groovy complimentary versatile head scarf thingies that were much needed to avoid sucking in dirt and cold air.

The bikes were amazing and the suspension so soft!  My crappy girly bike is getting replaced as soon as I get home!  

The 3 guides were also only too happy to set up the brakes to be on the side you need ... I chose rear brake on right as assumed I'd need my strongest hand as would be braking all day!!! Although turned out you don't need it as much as you would think...

Our gringo guide Phil was probably the best we've had all tour and made the safety briefing good fun.  I remember at one point he was comparing how to ride the bike is how to treat your lover ... I tell you that was damn hilarious and I'll leave that on to your imagination!

He also had other advice for the day (that he said are his life rules) that were quite cool and he explained each in detail and why it was important:

1. Have fun
2. Relax
3. Look cool!

I know there was more but have forgotten as always!!!

He also did a bit of a cute ceremony that involved an offering of alcohol to pachamama (mother earth) & to wet your lips for good luck (I swear it tasted like metho!!! How do I know what that tastes like you ask?).

The first part of the road was all bitumen (part of the new road). This gave us an opportunity to get used to our bikes ...

Despite advice to use both brakes to prepare for corners & use rear brake lightly when you go through it (same as motorbike), very quickly we found you could pretty much do it all with NO brakes!  

The heaviest and most aerodynamic went the fastest! Pedalling didn't help as there was no traction as the bike was not geared for this.

Despite any initial fears I had, I was happy to go as fast as I could ... I mean when else was I going to get an opportunity to ride a bike like this again?!

We also frequently stopped for photos & to check everyone & their bikes were ok.

We arrived at an uphill section, 'Heartbreak Hill', which I noted most tour operators put the bikes on top of the bus to bypass (the bus follows you the whole time). 

Phil gave us the option to do it & all but a few decided to give it a go ... 

I only made it to the 2nd rise & 2nd to opt out & hop back on the bus!  I felt weak but I tell you walking at altitude sucks let alone riding uphill in cold altitude air with my poor little asthmatic lungs heaving!!!

The remaining people did a fantastic job making it almost all the way up the mountain!

The next bit was where we hit the 'old road'.  The original 'Worlds Most Dangerous Road (you may have seen it in Top Gear's Bolivia Special).

The new road still has its fair share of accidents but it is bitumen and wider unlike the narrow old road that is dirt & rock, and in several spots has waterfalls spilling over the sides to add to the dangerous conditions!

Although in South America you drive on the right side of the road - we were instructed to keep left and where possible stay in the wheel track closest to the edge ... This still gave you about half a metre before a 600 metre plunge down the mountain!!!

It was necessary though. as although infrequent, cars still use the road and everyone needs to keep to the outer edge for the best visibility of oncoming cars.

One car didn't do so well the day we were there and plunged off the Cliff near the bottom. One of the girls on the bus saw it & watched as the driver scrambled back to the top of the road unharmed!

I wasn't sure how well I would go on this part of the road .... I'd never really ridden in dirt much, let alone riding to avoid rocks that Phil described as 'baby's heads' due to their size!

After our first section though I was feeling quite confident!  It was quite bumpy and the bike would skid out a bit now and then, but as long as you held on and didn't freak out then it was all good! And the faster you went the less you felt them ... It was just soooo fun!

You mostly only needed the brakes to take the tight corners and found it easier to keep to the front of the pack, where possible following the lead guides line on how to take corners ... (Although couldn't follow it to closely or I'd be doing jumps off the mounds on the side of the trail - which I was considering trying as was growing more confident & cocky every minute!).

We spent about 4 hours going down hill which sadly ended all too quickly ... I had so much fun doing it that will definitely be keen to do something similar back home some time! AND it has also has made me even more keen to get a motorbike when I get back (sorry Mum!).

The day ended at 1000 metres above sea level where we had lunch at La Senda Verde.

This was an animal refuge run by volunteers and had many animals ranging from cats & dogs to monkeys & toucans.

It was a fabulous way to finish off what had already been an awesome day! The monkeys were completely psycho and so funny to watch jumping about.

The bus ride back to La Paz was 3 hours via the new road, and was made a little quicker by bringing along a couple of cans of Ron & Cola, 'Cuba Libre', and playing more stupid games like guessing which band played that song ... It was actually lot of fun when ages ranged from 19 to 34, half Aussie half English, and with many varied musical tastes.

That night we were all buggared but a few of us went for one drink after dinner to the Hard Rock Cafe. It looked nothing like any other one I've been to and full of Israelis?!  I didn't get to bed til 5am ... Gotta love those quiet, 'we'll just go out for 1 drink' nights!

Went to 'Valley De La Luna' that morning for a walk around ... It was a half hour drive from our hotel so was good to see more of La Paz. The place was not too bad too with some interesting geographical formations to photograph.

Spent some time on super slow Internet uploading photos and then a nap.

We met in reception that evening to have a brief on our next part of the tour, and who should be there but my first tour leader, Anton.

He was picking up his next group the following day and was also headed for Quito!  He tells me we'll be staying in a lot of the same places at the same time so will probably cross paths a lot more over the next 6 weeks!  What a small continent South America can be!

That night we went for Indian. My favorite of chicken tikka masala & a garlic naan tasted nothing like home :-(

We did have good company though and were entertained with the story of 4 people from our group who had gone to the infamous 'San Pedro' prison that day.

Word has it, you can stand outside and bribe the guards to get a tour by the inmates.  This wasn't happening for them, but one of the prisoners spotted them and gave the guard a message to give them.

The message had a phone number on it and he wanted them to call him.

They rang and he told them that they could come visit him for $25 Bolivianos each ($4 AUD).

They did, and enjoyed seeing inside the visitors section and learning about the man.

He was Dutch and had been at the prison about 6 years after having been convicted of smuggling drugs to his country.

We were all very jealous that the 4 had got had this opportunity, and didn't try myself as had been advised that other people had been deported after being caught in the prison on an unofficial tour!

I joined the group for a couple of drinks to celebrate Andy's birthday then headed home late again but earlier than the others.

The next morning we caught a bus headed for Copacabana where we only stayed for an hour. This was a shame as seemed a nice place!

Then onward to the border crossing into Peru and Puno.