Thin Air [Dom]

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Somehow we always seem to make these trips difficult for ourselves. Too much Guinness in Ireland, not enough food in Morocco, too much food in India and here, well not enough air. We spent a few days laid up in La Paz, in part due to our inability to follow the no alcohol advice as we acclimatised. I was more perturbed at my inability to climb a flight of stairs which didn´t bode well for the forthcoming mountains. Fortunately, we were reliably informed that once out of La Paz it was (give or take) downhill to Lima. In my head I dissmissed this as optimistic rubbish but my legs and heart still believed - rude awakening was obviously to come.

In the meantime however we were generously looked after in La Paz by Jac´s mysterious familiy connections. I have a vague family tree in my head by now but it still remains a little foggy. We were fattened up for the journey, shown around town, promised prayers, emergency phonecalls, and of course an enthusuastic tour of the local nightlife Thank you to all branches of the family for such fantastic hospitality.

In an attempt to gain some Bolivian support for the first part of the journey I bought myself the local football shirt. The Tigres of La Paz nicknamed The Strongest could hardly have been more inappropriate but enthusiastic cries from the side of the road were enough to overcome any initial stiffness as we made the climb out of the valley where La Paz is situated to the airport at over 4000m for the road to Titicaca.

Despite the lack of air there was unsuprisingly still wind which despite the choice of destination being based largely on the prevailing wind, still never seems to blowing the right direction and wheezing and gasping across the Altiplano towards Lake Titicaca. Once there we fed on the local trout and beer before arriving in Copacabana for a little backpacker R&R. Jac has already outlined some first night antics, walking around town in a daze the next day, various smirks and laughs and friends we didn´t know we´d made confirmed that we´d made ourselves known around town.

Two days there was plenty as a reminder of why we put ourselves through all this. Setting off again this morning for the Peruvian border I would have been harping on about the "wind in my hair" had I not cut it all of the previous day. Anyway the sun was shining and I can´t wait for more.

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