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28th May 2013.
Our bus to La Paz started amazingly. We were taken onto a brand new bus where even the plastic sheets hadn't even been removed. They then proceeded to give us a glass of champagne and cake to celebrate. Outside the bus there were people from the bus company celebrating by smashing the champagne bottle against the bus and letting off mini fireworks. The driver came upstairs and delivered a speech which obviously Josh and I didn't understand any of it. However, An Italian couple in front informed us there were no kilometres on the clock and this was the buses first journey which was quite a big thing. We were just impressed with our complimentary items and felt like we were traveling to La Paz in style. We watched a George Clooney film the descendants and then both easily fell asleep. That was until the annoying Bolivian couple behind us interrupted! For some reason the Bolivian lady thought it was ok to bang my head to wake me up and request that I pull my seat forward. Now, we are all semi cama on the bus and her seat was fully reclined as within her right, so I didn't understand why mine shouldn't be. This was my bed for the night! The whole night her and her equally annoying husband purposely kicked and punched our seats and a few more times banged us on the head to wake us up. I've been brought up very British where manners and politeness is everything, so I could not understand why this couple thought there actions were appropriate! Not wanting to start an argument on a bus where I was clearly outnumbered by Bolivians I kept quiet only sighing heavily and giving the couple an occasionally evil stare which can easily be translated in any language.
Deprived from sleep We arrived in La Paz, 3,800 metres above sea level. It looked mental. Houses on cliffs high up and then this city lying below. We jumped in a taxi and requested to be taken to our hotel. As Josh was to have his interview for the University of Nottingham the next day we had splashed out on a decent hotel with good Internet access and our own room. We drove through the maddest market which was basically just in the middle of the street with people everywhere. When we got to the hotel although only 10am they allowed us to check in. Our room was lovely with paintings of the streets below on the walls, a decent bathroom and a balcony overlooking the streets of La Paz below.
Josh got straight to work. The essay he had completed in Sucre needed to be forwarded to Geography tutor but as we didn't have any kind of word formatting tools Josh had sent it to Luke to edit. Luke sent it back and made it look perfect so Josh could forward it on feeling confident it looked at university standard.
Around midday feeling hungry we set off to explore. Our receptionist recommended a cheap place to eat not far. For £2 we received a four course meal consisting of buffet salad, vegetable soup, llama and cheesy rice, and a peach dessert. Not bad! I really don't understand how they make money out here! After our meal we walked around the town stopping in a few tourist places to check out the deals being offered. Josh wanted to do the death road and was looking around for the best price. We walked past the witches market but didn't have a good look at the gruesome stuff as we were sure to come back to investigate more another day. As Josh had his interview it had been discussed and decided he needed a hair cut. Josh had a bad experience when he was a kid so for him to sit in the barbers chair was quite a big deal. However that didn't stop be confirming to the hairdresser that Josh will be requiring a cut throat shave also! Poor Josh, they were very old fashion using fire to clean the blades and putting raw alcohol in his face. The results were amazing though and they'd done a brilliant job!
Once we made it back to our hostel it was time to prepare. Josh tested Skype and the Internet and chose his spot for the interview downstairs. He also had to read an article and understand certain points. Meanwhile I just watch numerous episodes of American Tv trash. We ordered an amazing pizza to our room to keep energy up! Also we'd received a text from Robbie telling us they were heading to La Paz instead so they would see us the following day! Josh tired from a lack of sleep on the bus set his alarm at 5am the following day ready to get freshened up and retread the article before his 7am interview.
29th May 2013
I stayed in bed until Josh returned from his interview. It went well and he'd had plenty to talk to the professor about. We didn't want to get our hopes up as spaces are so limited for the PGCE course so just carried on with our day as normal. After a good breakfast of fruit, bread and fried egg we made our way into the centre of town towards the famous La Paz prison.
As we went to view the outside of the prison we bumped into Gemma and Blair who informed us they were about to take a free city tour. We had limited time due to an England vs Ireland football match but decided to stay and listen to the information about the prison. The prison really is unique, the richer you are the better life you can lead. For example rich politicians that reside in there can afford to buy a big cell and in some cases they even extend their cell, one cell even includes a jacuzzi! Madness, you could actually see the extensions on top. What I found really strange was that families can live within the prison with their partners and kids. Obviously the wives and kids are allowed to leave the restraints of the prison walls. But the fact that a family home is set up inside is just ridiculous! The guide informed us that alot of the woman need to as without the household income of their husbands they can't survive. Our guide also spoke to us about Thomas McFadden, a English man who got sent to the prison for smuggling drugs. He was thrown into the prison with not great Spanish and no money. Luckily for him a guy who could speak small English let him into his cell. Apparently people with no money or status literally sleep on the steps. After a while he got richer due to the Embassy sneaking in money. Thomas also realised a new way to make money, Gringo tours of the prison. He realised travellers would be willing to pay to look around the inside of the prison. So he set up an entrance and bribed the guards and started his own mini business. However this was put to a stop when you tube videos started to surface of the inside of the prison and the Bolivian government got wind of it. The other obvious thing that we were told about the prison was the drug trade. It's massive within the prison, I can only presume the guards are easily bribed!
As the tour went to move on to another section we said a quick goodbye to Gemma and Blair and made our way to a gringo bar we had heard about Ollie's, however when we got there we realised it was closed. Josh was gutted, but luckily for him I spotted the game showing in the bar next door. We ordered a beer each and Josh went for a steak and me a vegtable burrito then watched the game. Mid way we seen Serena and Robbie walking past looking for us at the gringo bar next door so we invited them in to join. We made plans together for that night. At their hostel and the one we were moving to it was 80 bls for unlimited beer so the decision was made easy!
After a quick Pisco Sour Josh and I made our way back to our hostel to collect our bags to move. Feeling relaxed we purchased another beer and played the worlds longest game of pool before leaving for the hostel. Lazily we got a taxi which actually tripled our journey time due to the crazy La Paz traffic. We checked into the B & B version of the hostel and settled in before heading to the bar to meet Serena and Robbie. Advertised for the equivalent of £3 was unlimited pasta! Josh loving a challenge we went for it. It was actually quite good, you could either choose spaghetti bolognaise or pesto pasta. It certainly filled us up. After we'd eaten we were joined by Robbie and Serena and took on the unlimited beer challenge. We did pretty well and definitely got our money worth! It helped that we combined it with our usual card games. Around 1am the amount of beer got to us, especially Robbie and Serena who had taken the over night bus, so we went to bed proud of our efforts.
30th May 2013
We woke up slightly hungover craving a good breakfast. But of course it was rubbish. Freezing cold pancakes and cold coffee, yum. We tried our best to get through the awful pancakes but after I was halfway into my second we have up. We had a quick rest in our room before checkout and then gathered our bags together to checkout. When we got to reception she tried to charge a late check out fee! We were only 10 minutes late and had no warning! I refused and told her that there was absolutely no way that she would be getting any extra money from me. Accessing the situation she gave in and charged us the normal rate.
We walked a minute down the road and checked in to the same hostel but the more well known part. It was so much nicer! We couldn't go into our rooms so we put our backpacks in storage and headed out into the city to check out the markets. We had a quick stop in a fast food chicken place for lunch which cost us a whole 70p! Chicken, chips, fried banana and a fanta! Then we made our way to the markets. There's so much I just want to buy, I wish my backpack was never ending in size. We checked out all the different stalls before ending up purchasing shoes, alpaca jumper, and a bag. All haggled down in price. Josh and I felt very proud of ourselves!
On route back to our hostel I noticed ahead of me a dirty looking man with braided hair and no shoes. I then watched him pick up an orange and throw it as hard as he could at a family getting out of a car. He was a crazy mad man! To my horror he then looked around and looked me straight in the eye, he was going to attack! I shouted at Josh to run and I legged it as fast as I could. Josh managed to hide behind a car but it was me he was aiming for anyway. The crazy man picked up a big rock and threw it as hard as he could at my head as I ran past. Luckily he was obviously very drunk and his aim was terrible and I heard the rock crash on the road behind me. Josh and I ran for safety and as I looked back he had already chosen another victim. What a close shave! If he had hit me I would of definitely had a nasty cut and lump on my head. What an absolute nutter!
We made it back to the hostel, still in disbelief and put our bags into our dorms. The dorms were really nice with massive bunk beds. Gemma had also checked into the hostel as Blair had gone on a 3 day trek so we met up with her and also Robbie and Serena.
Josh booked on to his tour to cycle the Worlds most Dangerous Road. The cheaper company was full, however I was relieved as it meant he would have to go with the safer and better rated company. I was literally petrified about him doing it. There are so many horror stories, one girl had died only in the January. After we'd booked we all went to a Mexican bar and ordered nachos and coronas. Robbie had told us about an amazing street food stall he'd found so we decided to give it a try. It was incredible! For 50p I got a steak sandwich with all the toppings, Josh added an egg for like an extra 20p or something. It was so cheap we also got a burger and a hot dog which cost only 70p for both, the prices are ridiculous!
We then made it back to the hostel to start drinking. Every night at the hostel you got a free beer so we all took advantage. It was also ladies night which meant that all ladies got free punch all night. In England a deal like that firstly would never exist and secondly if it did would be the weakest alcohol ever! This punch was so strong! Even after one glass I felt tipsy. We were joined by 2 English girls and a guy from Australia. The girls were only on a 3 week holiday and told us how hard it was listening to how long everyone they met were out here for! Josh and Robbie kept going on about how it was unfair that girls got free punch, they then came up with a plan and disappeared returning in maxi dresses and scarfs. They were going to try their luck at the bar, it worked! They not only got unlimited punch all night but a shot each thrown in! They did look ridiculous, but who cares when you get free alcohol!
We were later joined by the bar manager Michael and a braided hair guy who I can't remember his name. They both lived there so knew where to go in the town. After a quick clothes change from the boys as we weren't sure if them wearing maxi dresses on the streets of La Paz at night was the best look, we all set off in two taxis. The first club was closed but we found another one which was definitely not a local, literally gringo central! It was good though and English music we actually knew. Michael the bar manager bought Serena and me a Gin and Tonic which made the night even more cheap then it already was! Gemma, Serena and I literally danced all night. We left the club at 2.30am walking back to the hostel, there was such a large group of us it didn't feel too unsafe.
When we got back to the hostel Michael re opened the bar, however it suddenly dawned on me Josh was cycling the worlds most dangerous road the following day! I literally ushered him to bed, however I'm really not sure that a night out is ideal before an excursion like that!
31st May 2013
I firstly woke up to Josh leaving, I was petrified. Not only had I not wanted him to cycle the worlds most dangerous road but now he'd definitely had a lack of sleep as well. My eyes watered as he left, I'm such a worrier! The whole day I stayed in bed trying to shake off my hangover and sighing with relief every time I received a text from Josh saying he was safe. A pretty uneventful day for me, a few conversations with my dorm mates but other then that I just worried about Josh all day.
Josh survived the worlds most dangerous road! Such relief when he turned up around 9pm. I quickly got changed and we headed for diner as other then a few crackers I hadn't eaten all day. We went to a restaurant just past San Francisco Church which was perfect! We had a fresh fruit milkshake each and Josh went for a Thai curry whilst I had this marinated steak dish. They also gave us lots of free garlic bread! It felt good to get out the hostel, however we were both still tired and hungover especially Josh who basically hadn't slept a wink! So we headed back to our dorm after a satisfactory meal and headed to bed.
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