On my own...

South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department » Tupiza
May 18th 2006

Published: May 18th 2006

Yesty morning I left the warm embrace of Humahuaca and got a bus to La Quiaca which borders Bolivia. Opposite me on the bus was a young girl with her baby who proceeded to poo everywhere. It absolutely stank and there was no air conditioning and I couldn't open the windys. She sort of mopped up the excess and plonked the pagan pile (Podge & Rodge) on top of the place where you rest cups. I was appalled. I opened my bag and gave her some wetwipes which she took from me. I was really careful not to make skin contact. But then she still didn't move the stinky festering mound off the cup stand. I got over it in time, but there was no way I could complete my lunch of cheese and avocado sandwiches. Foul foul foul woman.

Upon arrival everything seemed pretty dead (siesta time) and so I thought I'd wander over to Bolivia. The customs people told me there was a bus strike and that I'd not be able to get anywhere. Fecking fantastic I thought, what a wonderful start to my independence. But then I was told that some buses were running egualmente. Villazon was full of people trying to sell me things or to just get me to give them money for nothing. Well not really, but I was walking through it to get to the bus terminal, carrying all my bags and so I have to consider myself a "victim" to the locals. Bolivia's an hour behind Argentina, making it 5 hours behind Ireland (I mean GMT)at the moment. I didn't realise this and rushed to the bus terminal thinking I'd be able to get a bus at 3pm. It was about 1.30pm in Bolivia rather than 2.30pm, dang and blast. Anyway when I went upstairs to find a loo, I found 2 snooker tables and a table tennis table. And people with whom to play. I beat a youth and his dad, ha ha! I was a bit worried about their egos not being able to take it and that they'd stab me, but they were really nice.

I got on the bus and it was full of English speakers. A pretty dusty and beat up bus. We set off and within a very short period of time we were stalled, just before a bridge. We were there just over 2 hours. From what I gather in my not so great Spanish recently the new president has put on some sort of long-distance tax on buses and lorries (trucks to you Yanks), and no one's all too impressed. There were supposed to be strikes today and tomorrow for all buses, trains, planes, etc (I THINK!), but apparently they ended this morning. But in anycase our delay was early- not very in line with what one would expect. I was talking to a guy who sells herbal medicine and he said the road block was due to bus companies not issuing tickets to Bolivians, they apparently only give them to foreigners, and in this way they pay less tax or something. Bolivians now want to get the ticket stubs and have a fixed price on all trips. If I understood right. Probably didn't. Maybe I should look it up. But if you know me, you'll know that I'm not that diligent- fleissig.

Hmm, so eventually we arrived about 7pm instead of at 5. It was dark and the road was gravel and the bus was hurtling through the countryside, making up for lost time. The Bolivian ladies next to me (who had all accepted my offer of oranges) kept laughing at my terror. There was an incredibly cute little girl behind me who'd never seen white skin before and she kept poking me in the face with her grimy fingers. Also she was dribbling apple down the seat on to my head. Luckily I was too distracted by the erratic driving to be too bothered. At one point we veered left and there was an awful banging about and lemons and nappies were being thrown from the storage compartments above our heads, and I saw the road to the right and thought we were crashing... but we'd actually turned without slowing down onto a smaller road. And then the driver didn't put his lights on for ages and I was terrified thinking that he didn't have any- everytime a car with lights on came towards us, the driver would beep the horn constantly until after we'd passed it. I'm not sure what the reason for not putting the lights on until we couldn't see anything at all was, but it did keep me on the edge of my seat- liiihhhheraallyy!

I met some people on the bus, 2 Swedes, 2 English, a Kiwi, a Swisser, and a Dutch guy and we went off looking for accommodation together. The Swedish couple went to a hotel and the rest of us went to find a hostel. Only I was the only girl left. The hostel we're in is nice, but the owners seem pretty pushy about selling us their tour packages. I got their backs up a bit by booking a 2 day horseriding trip with another company, ha ha. I had to pacify them with paying a deposit for a 4 day trip to some salt plains- the largest ones in the world. Salt lake Uyuni. So tomorrow morning I'm off to find the place where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid met their merry end back in 1908. It's 40kms from here so I hope my buttocks will be able to take the pace. When I booked it, there were only a few people booked on for a day trip and then I get my own guide for the rest! I'm looking forward to speaking lots of Spanish. The guys I was with last night (we also went out for dinner) are nice, but I don't want to be speaking English too much. And they're all off to the salt lakes tomorrow, I prefer to go with more Spanish speakers. Probably won't be any other Spanish speakers, but how and ever. And then on Tuesday afternoon they leave me in Uyuni where I can get a bus or train to Oruro or La Paz or wherever...

I'm finding it very strange being on my own. I keep expecting Justo to turn up. It's like the times when we've done our own things for a week or so. He might come and join me as he wants to do the Salt Lake tour. I've reserved a flexible date for the trip incase he does. I'm not sure that that's such a good thing for my independence, but it would be more fun and nicer for me, and hopefully for him!

There are tourists aplenty here and lots to do. Parents don't be ag worrial about me. I've not taken any photos yet, but will on my trip tomorrow....
Anway

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