The one with the rest of Bolivia!

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Bolivia was like stepping back into Indian mentality... the cost of living, the traditions, the change in culture, countryside, the change in food.... the dreaded stomach cramps, no longer Delhi Belly but Boli Belly! I found myself wowed by the womens attire, the bowler hats, the plaits and colourful skirts.

I found myself trying to starve the bug out of my tummy after the salt flats and craving some good ole mummy t cooked food.... I have most certainly had enough of being ill! We took a gruelling bus journey to Sucre the day after... my stomach giving me jip the whole way and the journey itself long and tiring, but we were more prepared for this one. We had water and money! We finally made it to sucre late that night after a mix up with buses and tickets at Potosi... 4 gringos to one seat and no one wanted to back off, so Tessa and I had to get another bus, but made it to Sucre the same time as the other girls. Bed couldn't come soon enough and we fell into our bed bundles straight after dinner. We spent the next few days soaking up the colonial architecture, savouring the westernised food and generally chilling out... wandering around the colourful market, sitting in the plaza.... Sucre is a wash with dazzling white buildings, decorative archways, rooftop views of terrocotta. The rich colonial heritage is in full view. In 1991 the town was made a cultural heritage site... the cosy atmosphere, the bright flowers in the plaza. The Surenos are proud people and believe the heart of Bolivia lives here. The town gets it's ´sweet´name to honour the general who promoted the independence movement. We took a day to go see some dinosaur footprints at the Parque Cretacio... a sligth disappointment. The site left little to be educated about, the large wall a mile off which you could just make out some footprints was the main attraction... 5055 dinosaur tracks marked into the stone. The limestone wall 1500 meters long and 110 meters high was the cause of the tetonic plates moving. Our guide possibly the most enthusiastic guide in the world.... his body gestures, his over use of the word 'guys' and 'layers', his constant need to show us his magazine with dinosaur animations as a prop ¨The GREEN dinosaur, can you see the GREEN dinosaur?¨.... it had us in stitches. I even had to leave the room to control my fit of giggles.... it was like being back at school, trying to stifle the laughter but in fact making it worse. two Aussie boys who were in the group found it hilarious two and the 6 of us laughed about it all the way back, mimicking the guide. Oh to be childish again. The week also had a reunion for me... I met back up with a friend I met in Queenstown, all those months back in New Zealand... Thanks to the wonders of Facebook we were able to see that we were both in the same place and the same timem and so us girlies met with him, his brother and good friend and spent several nights toasting to how small the travelling world is!

An overnight bus to Bolivia's Capital.. La Paz and we spent the next week partying it up, socialising and shopping! What more could a girl want. Home to 1.5 million, this city is full of diversity. The colourful and somewhat manic markets that keep to the pace of the many indigenious cultures. Ar 3660m above sea level this city is dizzying in many respects. As we entered on the bus at 7am the flat plains of the sprawling El Alto came into view, the sensational views of the valley and the basin in which the city sits in was breath taking. Buildings cling to the side of the canyon and flow all the way down. We were lucky enough to have a clear morning so got a glimpse of Mt. Illamami in the background standing proud at 6402m. Posh areas fill the suburbs, colonial, modern and eye catching. Founded in 1548 by Alonso de Mendoza after the discovery of gold in Rio Choque Yapu it became the location for the main silver route from Potosi to the Pacific. Whilst La Paz remains the Governmental capital Sucre still claims to hold the Jucidal capital title. We shopped our little purses empty in the various markets, our favourite being the Mercado De Hechiceria... The Witches Market, where you could get your hands on all the Bolivian delights, bags, hats, jumpers, bracelets... to potions, and trinkets, good luck charms and dried Llama fetuses (apparently if you bury one of these shrivelled little things under your house you will receive good luck and fortune for the family), the other market- Mercado Negro... The Black Market, sold bulk buys, a amze of streets and stalls, all selling the same thing... one alley dedicated entirely to wool! Our other past time was eating, drinking a tipple or two and having a dance... it felt good to go out once more and let the feet get some rhythmic exercise. The added bonus of the week was to see Anna once more!! Her and her boyfriend Eddie had decided Brasil was too expensive and so scooted over to Bolivia where we got to spend a dazzling 48hours together, chatting and dancing to the small hours.... a little bit of Bristol love in Bolivia! I decided to extend my stay in La Paz in order to do and see more, and to stay surrounded by good people.... what's the point of going off on my own when you're having so much fun in the place you're at, with the people you're with! the plan was to do some activities and have one final last big night out with the brilliant group of people we had met.... but my body had other plans. On Thursday we booked onto a group to go see the ruined inca temple of Tiahuanaco (Tiwanaku), Bolvias most significant archaelogical site... little is known about who created this ceremonial center on lake Titicacas southern shore but archaelogists believe the civilisation spawned in 600BC and the site went under construction around AD700, but after AD 1200 the group faded into obscurity. There are a number of Megaliths (up to 175tons in weight) strewn around the site, including a ruined pyrimid and remains of a ritual platform. The site when we were there was under construction once more but this time to preserve and to discover more about it. I couldn't fully absorb the information the guide gave me due to my stomach cramping up and generally feeling pretty low.... on the bus home I deteriorated and on the Thursday night I was struck down with stomach cramps, upset tummy, sickness and a high fever. I lay in bed shaking I was so cold, yet my face bright red with a raging temperature. Thankfully i had the girls to look after me... they wrapped me up in blankets as well as their love, kept my head cool with a flannel and comforted me when the cramps took over. I can't praise their nursing and love enough!

We'd booked on to do a bike ride on the Friday.... not just any bike ride, but the Death Road! Apparently the worlds most dangerous roads, 3.2m wide with 600m cliffs, no safety barrier and traffic going up and down! The road is 64km long and at one point the cliff has a sheer drop of 3600m.... the tag line ¨free wheel your life away¨which is what many a folk have done! On average one person falls off every year... and the friday we arrived a poor girl did just that! But it's not as bad as it seems... the groups you go down are indredibly safety conscious, the two way traffic is minimal now as another road has been built.... and you do have to be either very cocky or very silly and unfortunate to fall off! But I was up for the challenge... until the alarm went off at 6am... I attempted a shower, attempted to get ready... but I could barely walk let alone ride a bike down the death road! I said a tearful goodbye to the girls, wished them luck and went back to bed where I slept until they returned that evening hyped on adrenaline! It was obviously not meant to be for me... and bless them they still bought me back the tshirt saying I'd survived, as technically I did! We saved the big night out for the saturday when I was finally feeling better.... then came the jaded Sunday, time to leave my ladies, my security blanket.... my friends! Thankfully a couple of English lads we'd met were heading the same way as me and so I wasn't completely on my own.... a tearfully surreal goodbye to the girls who have become such good friends and I was off on a bus to Copacabana to see the wonderful Lake Titicaca!

The bus was easy going with a small boat ride to spilt it up.... the scenery idyllic and calm, rolling hills, lakes and boats.... even our bus went on a raft to get it across the river! We sat watching it bob up and down from our little boat praying it made the otherside with our bags on board! We had a chilled evening with good food and a film on the tv from our private room.... bed by 9pm, it felt good! It was also really lovely to be in the company of a male, to have some male banter and company, a change is always good! We woke late on the tuesday and made our way over to Isla del Sol ("Island of the sun")which sits majestically in the middle of Lake Titicaca.

Lake Titicaca is located on the border of Peru and Bolivia. It sits 3812 m above sea level, making it one of the ´highest commercially navigable lakes in the world´.By volume of water, it is also the largest lake in South America. It's fed by rainfall and meltwater from glaciers on the sierras. Five major river systems feed into Lake Titicaca - Ramis, Coata, Ilave, Huancané, and Suchez. More than 20 other smaller streams empty into Titicaca, and the lake has 41 islands, some of which are densely populated.
Isla del sol is situated on the Bolivian side of the lake with regular boat links to the Bolivian town of Copacabana,. There are over 180 ruins on the island. Most of these date to the Inca period circa the 15th century AD. We arrived on the island and went straight up, feeling the altitude tug at our lungs.... we wandered the path round to the temple of the sun, more a ruined cottage that was sure to catch the sunrise every day then a temple, but pretty all the same. For me the boat journey home was what made it.... the vast water laying steady in this basin, the sky a watercolour painting, the sun setting gracefully down, giving off the last of it's warmth to hug our faces, we sat in admiration of the view and of the wonderful moment. A beautiful way to end a wonderfully beautiful time in a country rich with landscape culture and atmosphere! I can't praise the scenery in Bolivia enough, breath taking, dynamic and different.... the memories of my experiences and of the people I met will always hold a place deep within me.

Big Love to everyone at home.

Lessons Learnt:
-No matter what country this girl is in... if there's a parasite or food poisoning to be had, she'll get it!
-The world is a dynamic and mind blowing place... we can never under estimate it's power to change, we can never try and predict it's movements... and thats what makes it such a wonderful place to live!
- Don't try and stifle a laugh, it will only get worse!
- You can be in the most beautiful parts of the world, but good company, great friendships and laughter make the experience just that be better!

Just want to express the love and thanks to the three girls I've been travelling with... Tessa, Steph and Natalie... 3 beautiful ladies who have made me laugh till I cry, nursed me through sickness, lended an ear and made Bolivia oh so much better. I was pretty scared to travel through on my own, but with their company it wasn't scary at all, but one of the most enjoyable months. I look forward to seeing you three back in England for more adventures! Big love x

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