The Bolivian Experience

My timing in Bolivia wasn't the greatest... but it made for one great adventure!!

I was in La Paz travelling on my own  and there was a transit strike going on ... at least that's what i thought initially... local buses were operating but if you tried to enter or exit the city, there was a giant rally blockading anyone from leaving... if buses tried to leave they got stoned  (taxi´s as well)!... There were thousands of people on the streets...protesting...chanting... fires burning in garbage cans, police with dogs.. army patrols on foot carrying bazooka´s, ozzy´s (guns)...

army patrols on foot carrying bazooka´s, ozzy´s

Wow,  this was one messy situation!! I found out this was a much bigger issue than a mear transit strike ... people wanted the resignation of the president!!  This situation caused a shut down entering and exiting La Paz, so I stayed a couple of days longer than I wanted (but at least it was only a couple of days).

So now I was going to attempt to sneak out of the city. Rumour had it that the buses were going to be allowed to exit the city on this evening, so I packed up and headed to the bus station...  We boarded the bus and initially, it seemed to go without a hitch... but that was short lived...About 45 minutes into the ride... we suddenly stopped... When i looked out the window, it was as if we were sitting on the edge of a cliff. We were on a narrow road on the side of a mountain overlooking a steep drop off ...  There were at least 20 other buses in front of us and even more behind us, and we were all stopped... why were we stopped?  5 hours passed... and suddenly movement... we finally made it out of there... it turns out, farmers blocked the buses from entering and exiting La Paz using there tractors and this was the only route in or out ... but... was this the end of the craziness...noooooooo!!!

As we continued down the rugged roads about 3 hours had passed when suddenly we stopped again... now what... i was thinking to myself... people started getting off the bus, so i did the same... when i got off i noticed the wheels on the bus... 3 were facing in a forward direction, and the 4th one was 90 degrees turned to the right!! what the hell!!  I dont know much about vehicles, but having a wheel facing different then the rest, was definately not good!! I think the part of the axle was dammaged... we sat around for about 45 minutes as they attempted to fix it.. when it was done, the wheel was being held in position by a sling... this was a makeshift repair, and as i reboarded that bus... i thought ...this was it...we were going off the edge of a cliff, this was my punishment for any bad things i may have done in life...ahhhhhh... this couldn't possibly be happening... this sling isnt going to work!!

well to my fortune... it did work... actually surprisingly well... i guess they've done this before :)

i could fill you in with all the fun things and great times i had... but that might be boring to some, so why not fill this page with all the danger and excite i had to deal with :) here's one more story that happened as i continued my bus rides in bolivia... so enjoy...

Story 2:  I was sitting at a bus terminal in Cochabamba on route to Uyuni and had a few minutes to wait for my bus, so i sat next to a parked bus with all my bags closely next to me (one large back pack i sat on, and 2 smaller ones... 3 in total)... about 30 feet in front of me was a women selling chocolate bars and after about 20 minutes of looking at those chocolates i had to have one!!

I was a little uncomfortable about leaving my bags unattended, but she was only a few feet away, what could possibly happen, i could still watch my bags...right??... so i decided to get up and get a chocolate... I walked about half way toward her, and quickly looked back at my bags, and everything was in order, so i continued... When i got to her, i grabbed a chocloate bar, and in the process of paying i looked back once more.... and everything at this point happened in seconds...it was like a dream...there were only 2 bags... i left the chocolate... left the money, and ran back to my bags. i looked around in every direction, including an area where there was a large crowd... but i couldn't see anyone with my bag or attemping to run... i quickly ran behind the bus ... and there !!! there were 2 guys running...one within my range, and the other about 50 feet further down, had my bag!! . My adrenaline was pumping!! within seconds i flew past the first guy and he quickly eased up running when he realized i was on there tail...

The guy with my bag never heard me or saw me and as i caught up ...while running, i shoved him from behind with one hand, while reaching for the handle of my bag with the other... he stumbled to the ground and i had my bag!! ... then the first thought in my head was..." my otherrr bagssss"!

I quickly ran back, and luckily for me, they were still there...

as i sat down next to my bags, catching my breath, everything settled down...

i had the chocolate lady and another older women lecturing me in spanish... I didn't understand everything they said, but it was loud and clear.."don't ever leave your bags unattended'!!

I stewed for days over how i might have handled the situation differently, and the truth is, i wouldnt have changed anything ...i am more careful now but only from experience :) As for the guy who attempted to steal my bag... part of me wishes i had clocked him, thinking that he would think twice about attemping to do that again to someone else, but you know what...  for some of these people, as sad as it is to say, this is how some live, and i don't think hitting him would have changed him from being a thief..

it all worked out in the end, i did get my chocolate bar :) so it's all good!! I hope this story doesn't discourage people from Bolivia, it is an amazing country, and i saw some incredibly deverse, rugged, and beautiful scenery, and most of the people were very friendly and hospitable...