We had an uneventful border crossing from Brazil into Bolivia.  

We thought we were only to be passing through Puerto Suarez briefly on our way to the airport, then onto Santa Cruz, but after waiting around the airport for a couple of hours we discovered that our flight did not exist!

We passed the couple of hours by trying to work out why there was an unusual amount of military presence, and learned it was due to the Bolivian president, Evo Morales, landing there while we were waiting!

No other flights were arriving or departing that day and the airport was empty!

So once confirming with the airline that our flight didn't exist, we took the same cabs back into town (they must have known and waited for us the whole time!) to the basic accommodation our tour leader found us.  

The town reminded me a lot of those in Cambodia. Very basic with dusty dirt roads. Similar style houses with large tiled front porches where the local would sit drinking their beer, staring at us as we passed by.

Our hotel was VERY basic! Some of our group were lucky enough to get the rooms with air conditioning, showers and toilets. I managed to get a room to myself with none of these, but instead with a fan and shared facilities. Not so good when the weather was similar to Brisbane in mid summer ... Bloody hot & humid!

We went for a walk into town, and had some of the tastiest empanadas of my trip!  

We then found out the president was going to do a speech in the plaza, so went down there and joined the locals waiting for him to arrive.

There wasn't a hell of a lot of security about considering there was an assassination attempt on him in 2009, but was good that we could get so close to him.

I also thought the turn out was fairly small, maybe 500 tops? He arrived fashionably late, so we only stayed long enough to take photos.  

That night dinner was paid for by the airline, as apparently it was there fault as another city was still selling tickets to Friday flights when apparently there just isn't any!

The town was pretty sleepy so there wasn't a lot in the way of night life, so back at the hotel most of our tour group had drinks in one of the air conditioned rooms and bonded over games I'd never heard of before, like 'I have never' and 'Bunny'.  

The next morning my head wasn't so flash ... That's 2 sore head mornings in a row now and don't think I've had an alcohol free day since ... ummm ... maybe January?!

No wonder I still have my carnival cough & bonus chest infection!  I also now have terrible sinus pain and runny nose probably from how dusty the room and whole town is!!! Aaaahhh!

Time for antibiotics :-)

I met our group for our free lunch at the same restaurant we had dinner - pretty much same food on the buffet too! Then back to our hotel for our transfer.

Now this is too funny! Our free transfer, provided by the airline due to their error the previous day, turned out to be a 4 door ute which took 19 of us and our backpacks in 2 trips!

The first trip took our bags in the tray, the second trip took 11 of us in the tray and only 4 in the cab!  I'm sure we could have fit more in the cab
 but everyone wanted to ride in the back!

It was so fun! 

It was a fifteen minute ride to the airport,  where we arrived to find our plane was delayed ... More waiting!

I got chatting to the very friendly and excellent English Speaker, Gustavo. He had been there on business and was looking forward to getting home to Santa Cruz.  

We chatted about my travels , the leadership styles of the Brazillian b
Vs Bolivian presidents, the economy and the work he'd been doing in Puerto Suarez.  

He works in vocational training and had been meeting with a company (Jindal)  who had won the tender to undertake iron ore mining nearby.  The project will completely transform the community as will require 6000 workers, and in turn the company will be investing millions in the community.

Finally we board the plane and I need not have worried about packing away my mini leatherman and nail file as there was no pre flight security checks here! 

I probably should have kept them with me for my own safety!!!

We arrive in Santa Cruz safely, but not after I had a quiet little freak out on the plane due to the turbulence and my mis trust of airlines in poor countries!

We head to the hotel which is complete luxury after our previous hotel!  

Two double beds, air conditioning and bathroom with a spa bath!

Santa Cruz was a pretty city and the people seemed wealthier then I expected - maybe cause it's the cocaine capital of Bolivia?!

We went out for dinner and I managed to curb my alcoholic urges and refrain from drinking for the first night in I don't remember how long!

We had Italian and discovered the hard way that 'bolignesa' is actually a white sauce :-(

Went home early as now feeling quite sick and hoping my high doses of vitamin C and zinc will have me feeling better fast!

Checked the internet to discover Vodafone had billed me $125 for a 30 minute phone call that shows on my phone but I didn't physically make - grrr stupid iPhone! Following it up with Vodafone to see what they'll say ...

Relaxed in the morning then back to the airport for a flight to Sucre.

Approx. 4 hour delay - delays seem to be the norm for Bolivia!