We arrived in La Paz on 22nd December, a big city with it´s 2 million inhabitants bustling with street markets, loads of people christmas shopping and heavy traffic with cars bumper to bumper burning out clutches on steep hills! Apparently cars suffer a 40% loss of energy due to the altitude and electrical items are known to break easily. (Bryn, I do not think it would suit you here). To be honest it all was a little scarey at first as personal security was of pririty and the place was heaving and confusing! The most under-developed South American country, the water is not safe for us Gringo´s to drink and even though I did not consume it I did pick something up in Bolivia (but more about that later!)
Not long after we arrived we were all bussed out for a city tour and a visit to the Luna Valley. Our guide was very interesting and seemed to want to air his views on the state of the Bolivian government, the corruption etc. Bolivia has the worst economy in South America and Evo Morales is the first indigeonous man to become president and has been in post since January 2006. At the centre of South America most countries have to import and export through it´s borders.
The average Bolivian salary is equivalent to 100US Dollars per month....to feed a family? (I think not). Hence there exists a massive black market which keeps things moving it would appear. Legally an Iphone costs 1000US Dollars (about 750 GBP) but our guide thinks there are loads of people with them!
Currently the main export is cocaine and the government allows farmers to grow as much coca as they want. As the president is also the leader of the coca farms, he cannot vote against them! Lithium could be a very important emerging industry if the country can secure it. 500 children are sold every year for between 200-300 US Dollars each!
None the less the city has it´s charms and those did grow on me! It´s intensity and mixture of traditonal and modern I found intriguing. The way it´s cogs continue to turn despite corruption etc. Despite the pollution, the streets are cleaned every morning and trading can be seen anytime of the night and day. The Bolivians are tougher than Peruvians and do not barter so easily which I admired. The centre sits in a bowl and the city spreads outwards and upwards through the surrounding mountains. There is little room for green space and roundabouts seem to be places to hang out, although you risk your life as you fight your way through cars, buses, pedestrians and street vendors. It really is hilarious.
Moon Valley
10km for La Paz, the moon valley is a natural work of art. The mountain of sandstone and clay has eroded to create a desert of stalagmites where the brief but heavy rains cause the clay to collapse but the surface bakes so quickly in the following heat of the sun which I can confirm is very hot, although night temperatures plumet!
An Orphonage
With some money left over from the kitty we all decided to donate it to an orphonage. One of the Dragoman had volunteerd for an orphonage in La Paz 6 years previously so she paid them a visit and it was agreed we would by the children much needed underwear and other items.
So we took ourselves off through the heaving street markets, pressed up against everyone for what seemed like hours to trade for these items! Wow, what an experience, one that I wouldn´t want to repeat in a hurry. In my flusstered state I learnt a valuable lesson - do not use an ATM when you dont feel composed! I lost my card (to the machine I think)!
We all then marched through the city streets in a long line wearing santa hats and carrying presents to the 40 -45 children. Both the staff and children were very greatful. Either Spanish or Aymara were the first languages for the children but some had been learning english and took the opportunity to practice this. Unfortunately there are no photo´s of the children for their protection.
Christmas
On the eve of Christmas the Dragoman crew all shared a buffet dinner at the hotel with a little informal dancing and lot´s of drink. We had christmas dinner at the local irish pub of course! Most of the other overlanding groups (following similar routes to get to Rio Carnival in March)were in the same pub so there was a jolly lot of Brits, Ozzies, Australians and banter. The rum shots were absolutley huge! I pinched myself several times as it was hard to believe I was not in England at Christmas! I was up late with friends drinking and discussing my long and drawn out decision to stay on with Dragoman or go Solo!!!
Final Decision at the Final Hour!
It was a difficult and bold decision to make but at 6.30am I finally said goodbye, knowing in my heart our paths would cross again somewhere in South America! I was a little upset because I had spent the last 5 and a half weeks with the same people but I felt it was important to experience some travelling on my own and although I was a little concerned I felt ready to put myself to the test.
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