So Long Bolivia

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Hi guys,

Its been a while since our last entry in Villizon. It feels like months.

We are now back in La Paz arriving yesterday after our 10 days with Gap on the Bolivia Discovery tour. We are absolutely shattered. It obviously has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that we all went out for our last night to a bar called Sol d Luna (Tara you´ll know what i´m talking about!) caipirinia´s were following.....then Rich did his usual and brought everyone a shot of some viscious concocktion of tequila and sambuca! I advise you never to try this it is horrible.

Anyway, what have we been up to?

Well the bus journey from Villizon to La Paz was a horrific experience and I advise any of you who are thinking of coming to Bolivia not to embark on that 18 hour bus journey. Roads, what roads! Toilets, you must be joking - who needs a toilet on an 18 hour bus journey? Dust mask, an absolute essential if you don´t want to choke to death and even with the sleeping pills Tara gave us we got practically no sleep. So be warned!

But we eventually arrived in La Paz feeling terrible but the hotel was good and we actually got bacon and eggs for breakfast, we were both in heaven. La Paz is a crazy city, its roughly 4000 meters high and there are just brick shacks littering the landscape all over the mountains. The roads are crazily steep and the altitude is a killer, everything has to be done very very slowly, even doing nothing your out of breath. But we didn´t spend long here and the next day met up with part of our tour and flew to Sucre, sans guide who would apparently meet us at the airport. Which fortunately he did with the rest of our group, we were 10 in total, 2 other brits from the Isle of Wight, 1 New Zealander, 2 Australians and 2 Swedish and the Venezwalian guide, Terry Gonzalez....

We had three days in Sucre, which is a really cool city, absolutely beautiful and nothing like La Paz which was just polluted and manic.

Anyway, we did a whole load of stuff in Bolivia. My favourite was definately paragliding in Sucre. Salt Flats were pretty amazing but the trip getting there was seriously hard work. Can´t chat too much now as want to go to the witches market in La Paz and its already 5pm. Only just recovered from hangovers then off out again tonight before we leave for Peru tomorrow.

Here are some photos to keep you going, will write again in Puno. Maybe even get Rich to write something if your lucky!

bye for now, loads of love Rich and Rachxxxxx

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Photos

Dinosaur Tracks
Entrance to the new Dinosaur park.

Rach at Rock Valley
Craxy in the middle of nowhere, these rocks just sprout out of the ground.

Indian Jones style bridge
We actually walked across this, you had to watch your step! Used to be the old boarder between Potasi and Sucre.

Rich taking off...
Paragliding - instructions are just run run run.....

Us at the Green Lake
Absolutely stunning.

This must be why I love him!
There were many questions after this as to whether I was just a front!

Rich at Quilmes
An old photo from our time in Argentina. But I just had to put it on!

Rach at the Geysers
Man this place stank!

The other guys in out jeep on the Salt Flats
From left to right - Martha, Beat, Pascal.

Rich being grumpy
By this time he had had enough of seeing white!

Ring my bell!
On the roof of the convent school in Sucre.

Drinking with the Paragliding guys
Right to Left, Rach, Cristian (paragliding instructor), Mike (trainee paraglider), One of Mike´s three girlfriends, likes to pout in photos!

Rich with some dynamite
On way to silver mines in Potasi.

Comments

[Giles]

Hello
Hi Rach and Rich Wow, Bolivia sounds like hard work! Roll on Peru! Take care both of you and will e-mail properly soon. Giles X

[Sarah]

Finally I'm doing it. Hope you're impressed. The pictures are great you two and I love being able to see what you're up to (up to a point!) why no picture of you paragliding Rachael. Really wanted to see that!Loads of love Mum

[chiara]

ehi guys, lovely to hear from you...and great pictures! my favourite one was Rich with some dynamite!!!ah aha ha! i miss you loads - chiara

[RachaelGriffiths]

Well done Mum!
See its not so hard to put a comment on. We only have one picture of me paragliding, I will try to find it and put on blog. Otherwise we have a movie of me paragliding which is on the DVD which I have sent home...should make entertaining viewing! More comments please and get Dad to put one on to, I know you will have to do it for him. Will update again in Cusco. Loads of love and big hug for Rosie, Rachxxxxx

[Lizzie]

Photorama!
Hey guys, Loving your blog esp. the photos - that Indiana Jones bridge looked terrifying (I hope there were no crocs beneath it)! Sounds like the travelling malarkey is lots of hard work but you are getting to see some amazing places. Can't wait to hear about the witches market ?! London is same same - it's getting colder and darker by the day as Autumn finally makes an appearance... Lots of love Lxx