Bolivia

Copacabana (or just Copa) was our next stop on Lake Titicaka, on the Bolivian/Peru border (we were the Bolivian side). This is the highest natural lake in the world and again an important site for the Incans. It was believed that this was the birthplace of the world and all life had come from here.

Sunset in Copa

The Isla del Sol and Isla de la Lunar (literally the island of the sun and island of the moon) are on the lake. We went on a day visit to the Isla del Sol. After being dropped off on the northern side of the island we had a choice to make. We could either mooch around the Northern side and then catch the boat to the Southern side and do the same OR we could walk from one end to the other over a 5 hour period and then catch the oat back to town. Guess which one Alana decided we were doing!

The trek along the island was quite enjoyable although the sun was quite oppresive and the trek itself took us longer than we had first thought it would. The views were nice and it was good to be able to walk together at our own pace.

Bloody woman!

Alana....sorry, I mean a Llama!!

From Copacabana it was a short bus journey (3 hours) to the Bolivian capital of La Paz.

When we arrived we immediately looked into going to the jungle and pampas. We were told about a boat trip that took us down the river visiting the 3 different types of jungle – the cloud forest, semi tropical jungle and then finally the tropical rainforest. Brilliant! The only problem was it only went on Wednesday and needed 6 people. It was Thursday and there were (including us) only 4 people confirmed! We decided to wait for a week in La Paz as there would surely be more people interested in a weeks time. Plus there was plenty to do in La Paz to keep us occupied.

La Paz

The first tour we did in La Paz was the 'Worlds Most Dangerous Road'. This used to be one of the main roads to La Paz but there were often accidents where motorists would plunge to their deaths 600m below after coming off the side of the one laned road.

We were going on bikes. In the rain. Thankfully the bikes looked to be in pretty good nick and had hydraulic breaks and good tyres. We were also given helmets and elbow/knee pads and gloves to help protect us should we fall off.......the bike that is, not the road!

The tour started on a tarmaced piece of road towards the WMDR so we could get used to the bikes etc. This was fun in itself as it was more than steep enough to get some great speed up without peddling and hoon around the corners.

The WMDR however was a completely different different kettle of fish. It was essentially a track with stones and boulders scattered throughout the desent along with a few waterfalls and rivers running across it. This may not have been the best idea!!

It was fun though and although the views were again a little spoiled it probably made it safer as we were able to concentrate more on the ride and our safety. There have been 28 deaths on the road (well probably the valley below!) since 2008 so the concetration was needed.

The road with waterfalls sweeping across it.

Its a long way down!

The ride was great fun and although our only just dry shoes were once again soaked we would both do it again.

As, while I am writing this I am being looked at over my shoulder, I'll have to conceed that Alana was faster than me and hooned down the road at breakneck speed, even saying at one point that she would like to get into down hill mountain biking!!Bloody idiot!!

Ready for anything!

That night we met up with a couple of Aussies we had met on our trek and went out drinking with them.They were flying out in a couple of days time going back to reality so a big night was needed. It was had!

After getting home a little worse for wear at 5:30am we spent most of the day in bed. When we eventually did get up it was only to go out for dinner with them to the Steak House as they flew out the following morning.

We had an awesome meat platter with steak, Llama, chicken, black pudding, chorizo and ribs accompanied with fries and as much salad as we could eat. Awesome!

The next trip we did was to Chacaltaya (a mountain) and the Lunar Valley.

Chacaltaya used to be the worlds highest ski resort but due to global warming this is no longer the case. In 1940 there was 1km of snow recorded at the resort, in 1980 ½km and now they are lucky to get a metre. Apparently it hardly ever snows........hardly ever that is, unless Alana and Dan are visiting!!

Instead of rain, this time the amazing views of Lake Titicaca, La Paz and Huayna Potosi (a 6088m peak thats popular to climb) were blocked by snow! We did however get to appreciate some of the different coloured lakes on the way up (due to iron, copper and lead deposits from the ground)before heading off to the Lunar Valley.

At the top

Some of the lakes.

The Lunar Valley was located just outside La Paz and has rock formations sculpted by the wind and rain that look (funnily enough) like the moons landscape.

Where's Wally?

OUCH!

A cheeky moon at moon valley!

It had almost been a week of us waiting in La Paz and apart from the drinking, eating and tours we had also managed to get me a haircut (basically shaved on a Number 3 as the barber couldnt understand English and my Spanglish does not go as far as explaining how I want my hair cut!) and visit the witches market. It was now the moment of truth, could we go on our boat tour?

No. We couldnt!

Unfortunately no one else was interested in the boat tour, however the company could offer a rafting trip, following the same course along the river but taking a little more time (2 days). We decided that this was the best option we had, not wanting to get the bus to Rurrenabaque (the Jungle and Pampas) and not being able to fly both ways. 

How naive we were!

Dried Llama fetuses in the witches market - good luck if buried under your house apparently!

A stall in the market.