Archive

Posts Tagged ‘bolivia’

High and not very dry

December 21, 2009 Leave a comment

I am finally home and dry-ish in the very welcoming and Christmas-y Irazoque household in La Paz, Bolivia, after yet another epic 18 hour travelling day stuck on the end of a mostly sleepless party the night before. The warmth of the reception here was extremely comforting after today's trials. 

As for La Paz itself, I arrived near midnight and the weather immediately struck me as very London-in-November. About 6C and raining heavily (I guess this is where I start experiencing the wet season in the Andes). Speaking of the Andes, despite the fact this is easily 3 or 4 times higher in altitude than I've ever been, I seem to be handling it well bar the odd light-headedness and the fact that my voice seems to have dropped an octave. The mate I was offered when I first got in seemed to sort me out, and I didn't need to escalate to coca tea. But time will tell, I suppose, and all advice points to taking it easy for the first 24 hours at least. I can't wait to get out and explore this city, but I sense that will be a Tuesday job. 

I will have to start making a call soon on what the last half of January will look like – will I spend it in Peru, or will I bug out back to Argentina and explore Patagonia and spend more time getting to know Buenos Aires? I suppose I may have to see how things pan out. 
Categories: South America Tags: , , ,

Getting better all the time

December 20, 2009 1 comment

Though I am still in Santa Cruz airport, I am in better shape than before. To wit:

  1. I have an actual booked and confirmed place on a flight at 9:30PM, and have already checked in. Albeit, I have already seen Shane and Eiza and Sibylle as they pegged it through to catch the (2nd) flight I couldn't make it onto, and it will mean that when all is said and done I will have spent nearly 8 hours in this airport today. BUT I am getting a flight out tonight, avoiding the worst case scenario of having to overnight in Santa Cruz. So what if I get in 2.5hrs after the others. It doesn't mean much in the scheme of things. 
  2. I found a cashpoint I hadn't tried yet and it gave me merciful Bolivianos. Thank Christ. I was down to 20 Bolivianos (less than $3) and didn't have enough cash to try to call my bank to ask what was going on (my mobile is still dead). It keeps me in beer and pizza and means that if I have to get a cab in La Paz then so be it. 
  3. I passed the afternoon with a very helpful Bolivian lady named Mary Carmen and thus saved myself from getting too wound up about the situation. 
  4. When all is said and done today was always going to be a travel day, with nothing particular accomplished. I have just reinforced that. And who can say what the WiFi / internet situation will be in La Paz? This may be my last chance for a while to go online. Silver linings and all that. Just wish my phone would start working.
Categories: South America Tags: , ,

Stuck (for now) in Santa Cruz, Bolivia

December 20, 2009 3 comments

Well it had to happen sooner or later, my first utter travel FAIL has occurred a week and a bit into my trip. I missed the connection to La Paz in Santa Cruz and I am having a total airport-mare. I have had to put myself on the waiting list for the 7pm and 9pm flights but with no guarantee of getting on. Also none of the mobile networks here allow roaming with my SIM card and there are no SIM cards for sale in the terminal, so I have no phone. Also none of my cash/credit cards seem to be working and I can't call NatWest to clear what I assume is a fraud-related block on my accounts. I have about $25 USD in cash, and that's it. 

In an ideal world I will run into Shane, Eiza and Sibylle later on when their connecting flight arrives. What a complete fucking pain. Still, it beats getting stabbed.
Categories: South America Tags: , , ,

Under pressure

December 20, 2009 Leave a comment

It's 6:45AM. I have just returned to my hotel room. In 45 minutes a car comes to take me to the airport. Is this enough time to shower, finish packing, and check out? It had better be. Bolivia here we come!

Categories: South America Tags: , , ,