Day 63. Wednesday 30th October. From roadside campsite beside Lake Titikaka to La Paz. Bolivia. 

A day of contrasts

The howling wind died down during the night and was calm by the morning. It’s a beautiful location overlooking the lake, with islands not far offshore. However, while cooking breakfast it started to drizzle. 

The clocks went forward an hour, at the border yesterday.

The journey to La Paz.

On the road by 10am, and it was an excellent drive towards La Paz. Newly laid 4 lane highway, mostly straight and flat, and hardly any traffic. We noted, in the few towns we passed through, vehicle’s parked all along the roadside. They were waiting their turn to get fuel at a service station. This continued in all towns, all the way, and inside LaPaz.

A millitary presence.

Twice we were stopped by the military, who inspected our papers. They did on waylay us long and were cheery.

We both commented on the huge difference in feeling Bolivia had. It is rated the second poorest country in South America, behind Venezuela. (Venezuela with perhaps the largest oil reserves in the world!) Though it felt well managed and prosperous.

Anyway, the buildings and towns along the 89k’s to the capital, reflected order and structure. Not much rubbish at the roadsides and buildings in a much better state of repair. Overhead pedestrian crossings at regular intervals whether there were pedestrians to use them, or not. 

La Paz

Its the highest capital city in the world, just under 4000m.

The view of the city from the height of the entry road we were on, gave a panoramic view of a city cradled between high mountain ranges. It’s vast, and reaches nearly all the way up the mountain sides. 

Into the city

Once in the clutches of the city, our perceptions changed dramatically.  Clearly there is no public transport system. Nissan, Toyota and Chinese vans, mainly Chinese vans with approximately 13 passenger seats, rule. They park and stop anywhere at any time with complete disregard to traffic flow. There must be a million of them!

You would think that the outside lane on a main road would be the one that moves freely. Not always. In one instance the queue from one set of lights to the next was taken up by stationary taxi vans, not intent on moving. Not only that, but people set up stalls along the roadside and around round-a-bouts, restricting and sometimes, completely stopping traffic flow.

There are overhead gondola systems taking people to their lofty perches, from the city centre.

Our objectives for La Paz

We had two objectives in La Pa, apart from seeing and experiencing it. The first, to get cash.

Second, to purchase a new SIM card for Jen’s phone, to give us wifi. The first was achieved once in the centre of the city, but we had huge difficulty getting a SIM. The one we got does not work! I suspect it was sold knowing we did not have a local identity card? Using a drivers license did not work. So we have no mobile wifi until we can resolve it.

Getting out of the city took over 3 hours. The sat-nav was useless. It took us up the steepest streets that were dead ends. We had to revert to asking passers by for directions. The outer suburbs have roads chocked with stalls impinging on the roadway, and stalled traffic. Some of the roads required low ratio, they were so steep. 

Deciding to leave.

Given our difficulties, we decided to leave the city and seek accommodation outside it. A shame as I’m sure it’s a lovely city, had we not had to drive in it. By 3.30 pm, Jen found a hotel on the Southern road out to Sucre.

The hotel.

To say  the hotel is basic, is an understatement. No towels or soap, nor breakfast included and I suspect the shower does not work. The wifi is not strong enough to power the Mac. I’m going to post this report now, without photos taken on my camera, from both yesterday and today, as it may be a few days before we get adequate wifi to include them. 

Progress

In the parking yard behind the hotel, our room looks out over it, there are dozens of parked up fuel tankers. It seems the government doesn’t have the overseas funds to purchase fuel. 

Please forgive the negativity. I’m exhausted and depressed, which is unusual for me. The hotel is a haven though, and we will regroup and enjoy the magnificent mountain scenery of snow caped peaks, on the way south, in the morning. Actually, the skies at 6.30pm, are laden with snow clouds, so we may be blanketed in white by morning? 

Well, the heavens have opened and a spectacular storm of thunder and lightning lasted for some time, followed by torrential rain. Its freezing so we ‘hit the hay’ early to get warm. What will the morrow bring?..;)

Goodnight.

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