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Posts Tagged ‘travel’

First casualty of the trip

January 2, 2010 Leave a comment

Somehow in my packing this morning I managed to leave behind my Lee graduated filters for my camera. I guess they are in the Irazoques’ house in La Paz. These are not cheap items and would definitely have come in handy on the salt flats of Uyuni. Damnit. Careless.

Categories: South America Tags: , ,

Leaving La Paz for a new adventure

January 2, 2010 Leave a comment

Today I am finally departing La Paz, which has been my base for almost 2 weeks now, to head off on my own for the final 4(ish) weeks of my South American adventure. I can't thank Shane and Eiza enough for inviting me to come stay, and of course Eiza's family for hosting us with such a warm welcome. I ate well, and had as good a Christmas away from my own family as could have been wished. So I have a mix of emotions: happiness that I am finally setting off on my own (the way I travel best) and a touch of sadness that the "friends" portion of the trip has come to a close. Ah well, I never have too much trouble making new friends on the road.

Looking back, I haven't done much "tourism" in La Paz at all but I have no doubt I have had a more meaningful, fulfilling time here than many of the backpackers who never leave the gringo quarter in the centre. There are still one or two things I would have liked to have done and seen (ergo the Valley of the Moon and the bike ride down the Death Road) but there's always next time. I am not sure whether or not I will pass back through here on the way to Peru. Time will tell. 

So I am shortly to board a flight to Sucre, which is heralded as a beautiful colonial city with oodles of charm. In that spirit, and anticipating the rigours of the near future in my mooted tour of the salt flats of Uyuni, I have decided to treat myself a bit and spring for the Hotel Independencia in Sucre, which has a great reputation as a real class act with bags of character. Why not, eh?

I realise also that I have been remiss in keeping my map up to date. Here's the updated version. I love how Google Maps has 3 different cities called La Paz visible in its map. Ooops. 

Categories: South America Tags: , , ,

Apparently, free whiskey can be a bad thing.

January 1, 2010 Leave a comment

Great party last night. Shame I slept through most of it.

Categories: South America Tags: , ,

Another early morning, another flight

December 27, 2009 Leave a comment

In what is becoming a theme of this trip, I was out in La Paz last night, and had to get up at stupid o'clock this morning to be at the airport by 5:15AM for my flight up north to Rurrenabaque. This time is slightly less traumatic, with 3 hours' sleep fuelling a very short (50 minute) flight. It beats 0 hours' sleep and a 12- or 18-hour journey by a fair way. So maybe I am (slowly) learning from my past errors of judgement?

Nah.

My night was cut a bit short last night as the nightclub we were going to enter (once again, La Gitana in Zona Sur) wouldn't let Eiza's brother in, not specifying why. But one suspects his slightly goth look, and his ponytail were not the "look" the bouncers were after. I had already gotten in by this point but exited immediately upon hearing this. A couple of us left in solidarity with him, and went next door to a different, somewhat low-rent nightclub. Where we got a full-frontal dose of La Paz's mestizo middle classes grinding onto one another in what could only be described as heavy petting. A couple of drinks there was enough to get the picture, and we made an early (1AM) exit. Which is why I stand a chance of feeling vaguely human today.

Of course, I haven't heard one way or another if the grass landing strip at Rurre is operational today or not. Fingers crossed…
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Quick shots from Lake Titicaca

December 25, 2009 Leave a comment

These are a few shots of Lake Titicaca from yesterday. More to come when time and internet connections allow.

Night view of Copacabana and Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca

Aymara Family on Isla del Sol
Categories: Photography, South America, Travel Photography Tags: , , , ,

New Bolivian mobile / cell number

December 21, 2009 Leave a comment

I have gotten a SIM card for Viva, a Bolivian mobile network. I will be using this through New Year's Day at least, I suspect.

To reach my number from the States, dial 011 591 606 51644. To reach it from anywhere else dial +591 606 51644. This should work for texts as well as voice calls.
Categories: South America Tags: , ,

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.
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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!

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