La Paz, Bolivia

El Alto International Airport's altitude is at a very atmospheric 4060 meters above sea level and the air is definitely thinner here than what's already being breathed by tourists in downtown La Paz. That makes it almost half as high as the cruising altitude of a jet, making El Alto one of the world's highest commercial airports (Tibet's Qamdo Bangda airport is higher at 4334 meters). I'm here waiting for my flight back to the US. I'm leaving tonight so this is my last day in South America breathing thin mountain air.

La Paz, Bolivia

LA PAZ DOMINATED BY MT. ILLIMANI (6438 METERS ASL)

We were sound asleep on the semi-cama bus from Potosi when we arrived after ten hours traveling overnight to La Paz, Bolivia's de facto capital city. Thus we missed the glorious sight of our first city view, that of downtown La Paz in the bottom of this topographical bowl hemmed in by boxy houses clinging on the sides of the canyon. It's barely 7 in the morning and I'm bleary-eyed as I got my backpack and took a taxi with some members of our group to the hotel.

Potosi, Bolivia

CERRO RICO DOMINATES POTOSI

Here's our shopping list this afternoon: coca leaves, 96% "alcohol potable", hand-rolled cigarettes, biscuits, dynamite. Dynamite??? Yes, it's only in Bolivia where tourists can buy dynamites but don't even think we're bringing the stuff back with us as souvenirs. These are to be used at the mines beneath Cerro Rico, that mountain towering like a pyramid over downtown Potosi where our group is going into. Potosi already sits at a dizzying altitude of 4,090 meters above sea level so you can imagine what we're dealing with: going midway up the mountain in this thin air and into its bowels for about two hours of mining adventure with actual miners!

Potosi, Bolivia

POTOSI CATHEDRAL

There's a crowd of Bolivianos at the Plaza 10 de Noviembre, in front of a yellow-colored government building as I separate myself from Gary, Linda & Helen, three of the other travellers in our GAP Adventures group. We've arrived in this city after a bone-jarring five hours on the rough road from Uyuni and the ladies were hungry. Searching for that recommended restaurant brought us to this Plaza. I skipped on food and decided to explore on my own.

Uyuni, Bolivia

After 3 days crossing the Bolivian altiplano which culminated with the mind-boggling Salar de Uyuni, our butts were very much ready for a rest and a much needed shower. Our group checked in at the Tonito Hotel, close to a Bolivian military base. Anne had reserved tables at the Minuteman Pizza, the hotel's well-known pizzeria, for the group's dinner tonight.

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Day One

"Dyan-dya-ran", croons Placido as he steps on the brake and our Toyota Land Cruiser comes to a halt. Before us lies Laguna Verde, one of the many lakes that dot this otherworldly, desolate, bleak, inhospitable but gorgeously beautiful landscape in southwestern Bolivia. Placido is our driver for the next 3 days on this off-road expedition. I'm sharing the car with Marnie, Andrew, Kara and Eric. Anne had me sit at the front passenger seat because she thinks I speak Spanish fluently but "Perdon Señora Anne, mi hablo poquito Espanol solamente!"