Catching the train from Tupiza to Oruro was bliss - a real nice change from buses, although being in Executive class probably helped as we had more room, seats that reclined way back, videos with english subtitles (although the choice of films left something to be desired, have you ever seen Tom and Huck?) and we got dinner and a drink in the buffet car included in the price. Most people took blankets on with them, always a sign that its going to be really freezing, but until we stopped in Uyuni at midnight we had the opposite problem - we [View Full Entry]

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Cordillera Real, Bolivia After about two months since I was trekking around in Patagonia, I felt for getting out in the mountains again! At least for a couple of days. And Bolivia is a paradise for trekking and mountaineering. Compared to Himalaya, it's far from the same bureaucracy here and it makes the climbing much easier. Not to mention that a lot of the interesting mountains is just outside the capital!! Bolivia's Cordillera Real has more than 600 peaks above 5000 meter, and the range is situated just outside La Paz! Illimani and Huayna Potosi Huayna Potosi is the most popular [View Full Entry]

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As you all know by now, I can't seem to sit still for long periods of time. Perhaps its some form of ADHD, but I am frequently living with my head in the clouds, even while on vacation. After an action-packed 10 weeks in the hectic metropolis of La Paz, I decided it was finally time to move on to my originally intended destination in the jungle...but only after one last adrenaline fix. Challenged by the ascent of the last mountain, Huayna Potosi, but yawning over the lack of technical stimulation, I began seeking out peaks in the area that were [View Full Entry]

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It has now been over 2 months that I´ve been living and working here in the crazy city of La Paz. My spanish has improved immensely, my salsa moves are shakin´and I´ve learned and experienced a great deal from a part of the world vastly different from what I´ve known previously. And while adventures in the concrete jungle have been quite exciting, I have to run to the hills every so often to keep myself sane. Thus, I´ve found great ways to get my adrenaline fix in high places thoughout the Cordillera real, and have been happy to escape the smog [View Full Entry]

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Well, Rach pretty much summed it all up, but I will add some of my own thoughts. Many new experienes for me the day we went mountain biking: first time mountain biking, first time being groomed by a monkey and first time throwing up in a vehicle. Yes, my stomach did not handle well the Altitude, cold, and driving through windy mountain roads :). Pepto has been a dear friend these past 2 days. Overall, it was worth it. Rach and I both agree though that being sick makes you miss home much much more. Other random observations in Bolivia: The [View Full Entry]

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-- "Hello. Where are you from?" - "England." -- "Do you like Peru?" - "Yes, it's very nice." -- "What do you think of the foreign policy of your government?" - "Um, I haven't lived there for a while, I don't know much about it." Meanwhile, some other bloke on the other side of me, was trying to pickpocket the contents of my jeans pockets, namely a torn photocopied map of Lima, and a flyer for some discoteca. Needless to say the last question gave him away. It's a novel one at least. I had another brief stopover in Lima before [View Full Entry]

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Wow its been a long time since I let the world know what ive been doing and its a lot! Well to start with I am just going to let you all know that this weekend, for the first time ever i got my phone stolen! But that will all come later...Well last weekend and this weekend I went to Oruro for Carnaval! last weekend was the dress rehearsal and this weekend was the real thing. Both weekends we left on friday evening and arrived early saturday morning, the reason for this is that you have to fight against several thousand [View Full Entry]

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Karneval in Oruro 2. - 3. Februar 2008 [View Full Entry]

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The Carnaval in Oruro is the biggest in the country. The procession goes on for two days, all day long. It was interesting. It´s a custom to throw water balloons (gringos are preferred targets) and spray ¨fake snow¨ at each other. For a while it was fun but carnaval isn´t over yet and I´m still getting wet, even here in Cochabamba, where I´ve been since yesteday. The carnaval bands sound surprisingly similar to our ¨Guggemusige¨ in Switzerland, if with a bit less variety in their songs. At one point a guy fell off the grand-stand right above us. It was scary, [View Full Entry]

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We bought direct bus tickets to La Paz from Uyuni (where we finished our 4 day tour). Normally, it should be 6-7 hours journey. But unfortunatelly, our bus got stucked in the mud after the 1st hour. Everybody tried to help. We spent there an hour trying to get bus back on the road. 3 other buses came and tried to help. But the bus did not want to continue anymore. So we were split to the other buses (with some difficulties because the buses were already full) and had to travel to Oruro which is the town on the way. [View Full Entry]

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