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What an experience! We arrived at the airport in BA to find that it wasn´t listed on the depratures board. After questioning, we realised that the travel agent had booked the flight for 1st AUGUST!!! The next available flight to anywhere in Bolivia was the 5th - they were all booked up. We got another 45 min taxi to where we had just come from and after half an hour with the travel agent, decided to change our whole itinerary and fly to northern Argentina and travel overland into south Bolivia. Best decision we´ve made so far.
We spent an extra day and night in BA where we managed to see a Tango show and Mhairi finally managed to buy a glass of Sidra (bit sick of wine...). We got up at the crack of dawn for a 2nd day in a row and headed to the airport. We thought that it may take us a couple of days to get to the border between Argenina and Bolivia, but the availability and efficiency of the bus services are unbelievable! We got off a tiny plane in an airport in the middle of no-where, were ushered onto a bus into town and no sooner had we got off that one, we were on the next 5hr bus out to La Quiaca 100m from the border. The only problem with this fantastic service is that we were unable to eat or drink for 14hrs!!!
We arrived in the dark (pitch black), at an altitide of 3000m and as we walked to find a hotel, we felt the effects of the thinner air - we were absolutely gasping, but not for a drink this time! We were absolutely baltic as it dropped well into the minus temperatures. After wrapping up, we had steak and eggs and a bottle of vino tinto for a whole fiver.
Got up at 6am this morning, Mhairi had a freezing shower before Stephen worked out how to use it properly (he had a lovely warm one)! We crossed the border on foot. It was dark when we left argentina and light when we arrived in Bolivia (even though they are only separated by a 20m bridge). We turned our clocks back an hour and, with the bus services as efficient as ever, caught the 7am bus to Tupiza.
While Stephen managed to sleep on the bumpiest bus in the world (you think we´ve got bad potholes - at least we´ve got roads for them!), Mhairi watched 2 adorable kids keep themselves entertained for 3 hrs with nothing but each other. The views of the surrounding area were absolutely stunning - rock formations, mountains and wee villages - although we could not feel our feet due to mild hypothermia.
Arrived in Tupiza at around 10am, which is a launching pad for outdoor activities. We´re doing a ´triathlon´tomorrow - cycling, horse riding and a jeep tour of the local countryside. On Sat we leave for a 4 day adventure across the salt flats, lagoons and volcanic region. We´re a bit apprehensive because we´re doing it with 2 others, a cook and driver, all of us sharing a dorm for 3 nights - hope we get on! Night time temperatures get down to -25degC so we´ll be wearing all clothes we´ve brought with us at all times. Can´t wait - got butterflies thinking about it!!!
We´re now heading home to add 3 layers to our clothes and then out for some food and drinks.´ We´re also keeping a lookout for coca leaves which reduce the affects of altitude suppress appetite, makes you more alert and allows you to tolerate fluctuations in temperature better.
We will let you know how everything goes once we reach La Paz on Wednesday.
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LocoJhon
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You WILL have a great journey
With your great attitudes regarding your experiences and your willingness to deal with adversities with a cheerful outlook, I can almost guarantee that you will have a great adventure you will look back on with profound fondness for the rest of your lives. By now, you will have found coca to help with the altitude. Don't forget to buy some lejía or llicta to go with it to release more of the alkaloids with the action of your saliva. Be safe, and have a fantastic time in a great country with some of the most wonderful people on the planet. Regards,,,John