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After a long, and very uncomfortable journey we arrived in La Paz. As per usual we got off the bus to collect our bags from the luggage compartment underneath only to find a guy had been sleeping in there. Very bizarre!
We spent three fairly chilled out days in La Paz recovering from our recent trip, avoiding the rain and getting used to doing stuff at high altitude (the salt flat tour had been easier to adjust to as we were driven around most of the time). La Paz is the highest capital city in the world, set on the side of a mountain which means everywhere you walk is either on a massive incline or decline. Unlucky for us, our hostel was at the top of a massive incline, and our room on the top floor. Couple that with the altitude and needless to say we were always very puffed by the time we got back.
Our hostel was also nicknamed the 'insomnia hostel' and the guidebook said if you don't already know about this place then you shouldn't be staying there. Too late, we'd already booked it when we read this! One night we decided to put on our beer goggles and see what the hostel bar was all about. Well as we walked in there was a guy stood on the bar wearing only a strategically placed hat to protect his modesty! Time to get the drinks in... Unfortunately we couldn't prop up the bar for long as a group of girls thought it was the right time to all get up on the bar and dance in their underwear (Tom stop staring!) As we retreated to a 'safer' distance, Shannon and Mark (from our salt tour) chose that moment to arrive and witness the whole spectacle too. A fun night was had by all, though with rumours rife that one of us may have hugged the porcelain bowl after one too many fizzy pops, the next day was a bit of a slow one.
One afternoon we pulled all our strength together to hike to the 'Witches Market' where local women (or witches) sell all sorts of things including alpaca jumpers, silver jewellery etc. for very cheap prices. As per local tradition, they also sell dried out llama foetuses as its meant to be good luck to bury one underneath the entrance to your home. I don't think UK immigration would have been too happy with one of those going through customs so we gave it a miss on this occasion...
Another local tradition in La Paz (but this one for tourists) is to cycle 70km down the world's most dangerous road. Now the daredevils that both Tom and I are meant we couldn't wait to get on our bikes and hang on for dear life. Unlucky for us, though lucky for our parents' hearts, it was too rainy while we were there so we weren't able to do it. At least we've got more chance of seeing our next birthdays now.
Now on to Copacabana and the shores of Lake Titicaca to see what it has to offer us...
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