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Published: February 4th 2010
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Ok so my start to these blogs are getting rather repetitive but i dont really care, at least you can say i am consistant...
After an early morning start, this time at the un-earthly time of 6.30am. This gave us an hour to wash, eat and go (sound like a shampoo) to the bus station to catch our 7.30 bus to Copacabana, Bolivia. It was fair to say i didnt really properly wake up till 9.30 where at this time we had reached a small village called Kasani. This is a peruvian village right on the Bolivian border and when here we had to pass through immigration and get our peruvian visa´s stamped for leaving. At the time off us going through to immagration our bus had already crossed the border so this left us a short 300 meter walk uphill to cross the border and reach bolivia. Stragely enough this walk took us 1 hour and 5 minutes, but this was only because the time in Bolivia is an hour ahead of Peru. So thats one hour of the day we lost and it gives a good reason why the blog is going to be shorter today.
When
in Bolivia we also had to go through immigration to have our passports stamped and collect our new visa´s. All that was left when on the bus was a short 8km journey to the small town of Copacabana. We hadnt pre-booked a place to stay so our first port of call was to find some accommodation. When walking the streets near the Lake front we stumbled across a hotel called Chasqui de Sol. The best feature about this hotel was the fantastic panoramic view of the Lake Titicaca lake. We booked ourselves in the hotel for the next two nights.
With our hotel booked our next task was to get some Bolivian money (Boliviano´s). When we asked at reception about banks in the local area we were surprised to hear there was just the one, and that this bank was due to close for 48 hours in the next couple of hours so we had to get our skates on. When we arrived at the bank their was a couple of police men on the door saying that the bank had closed and we were not allowed in. This really made us panic as we didnt have any money
changed and were realying on an ATM. We did however notice that some locals were still being allowed in, so when Fiona enquired the police did lighten up and allow me in as the card holder. This was a scary moment as it was the first time i had not have my translator with me, but you will be pleased to know my spanish stood up even if i had to write the figure down i wanted on paper.
After we had our money Fiona thought it would be good to have a walk down Av 6 de Agosto which is the main touristy road in the town. Here we had more shops to contend with. It was around 3pm when we all decided to stop to eat. We ate a light lunch (thats a sandwedge and chips) at a restaurant which had a garden so we could sun ourselves. After we finished eating we went to find an internet cafe to check emails and update facebook etc.....
After a couple of hours of being online we went back to the hotel to change into some evening outfits and we wanted to celebrate the fact we made it
out of Peru in one piece 😊 However when dressed and on our way out we noticed a sign in reception saying the hotel will lock its doors at 11.30. Therefore only giving us three hours to eat and find a bar for some drinks. We did speak to the receptionish and managed to persuade her to give us an extra half an hour.
We ventured back out onto Av 6 de Agosto to find a restuarant. It was on this street we found a cute and quirky little mexican place and decided we would eat there. It was so good inside we ended up staying all the way up untill our curfew would allow. This restaurant did cheap cocktails and pitchers of local beer to keep me happy, the food wasnt bad either. I had chicken Quesadillas and FIona had a Beef Borritto.
After our waitress dissappeared for a good half an hour we just about managed to pay and get back in time for the closing of the gates.
Just to note we do not have an early morning start tommorow so finally i can write something different at the start of these blogs.
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Cheryl
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Into Bolivia
I'd been missing your blogs, and really enjoyed this one. I'd wondered how it would be crossing this border, so was glad you told us the tale. Can't wait to see your passports! Ant, I'm proud of you for handling your first Bolivian bank transaction on your own. I told you you'd come back speaking Spanish! And Fi, frankly, I'm proud of you too for wheedling your way round the Bolivian police on the door. :) Kim - when you read this, I'm pleased for you too ... look, he's had some meat! lol Fi and Ant, stay safe, and enjoy yourselves. Love you both loads. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx