Tuesday, February 12 – transit from Santiago to La Paz, Bolivia

My day started with the 2:30am trip to the airport. I booked a car service through the hotel for the ride. It was kind of expense ($37, and you know how I hate spending money on taxis!), but I figured at that time of night it was the safest route.

The flight to La Paz took about 2 1/2 hours (I think I told you the cost of the flight previously, but just in case, it was $181). And after I wasted money on my last seat upgrade, I chose to roll the dice on this flight. It worked out fine, I had a window seat in the very last row of a full flight. Seriously, it was fine!

At an altitude of 13,300 ft, the La Paz airport is the highest international airport and the fifth highest commercial airport in the world. And, of course, the safety warnings regarding the arrival are about taxi scams. They have “official airport” taxis, which are the recommended method to get into the city. So that is what I used, and was actually happy with the fare for the 30 minute ride: $10!

I arrived at the hotel around 10:30am, fully expecting a 2-4 hour wait for my room. But it was available immediately. Awesome! I really like the hotel. I have a room that overlooks a quiet courtyard. I also like the rate: $51/night, including breakfast. I originally booked it for two nights, but added one more after I checked in.

Food and water concerns are now in play in Bolivia. The usual precautions: no tap water, ice, peeled fruit, or raw vegetables. Another health warning here is altitude sickness. I’ve visited other high elevation areas (hike to Machu Picchu, Nepal, Bhutan), and it’s never been a problem for me. Until today. It hit me hard! Headache, light headed, and slight nausea. One recommended remedy for altitude sickness is coca leaf tea. They offered it in the hotel lobby, so I tried a couple cups, but to no avail.

I think the lack of rest is one of the factors that contributed to my being impacted by the high altitude. I had the early checkout from the hotel this morning, and I’ve been pretty much on the go in the several days leading up to the flight. So, I need to remind myself to take rest days along the way! And speaking of that, I booked the next segment of my trip to Copacabana on Lake Titicaca. My hotel here in La Paz has a sister hotel in Copacabana that is right on the lake. So, I booked that for three nights starting on Friday. They gave me a great rate of $71/night (incl breakfast), which is less than I could find online. I plan on kicking back there. (and here in La Paz too)

Wednesday, February 13 – La Paz

I awoke after more than 11 hours of sleep feeling pretty good. Nice! My plan was to have a low-key day, but I wanted to mail a card to the U.S. Fortunately, the post office isn’t too far from my hotel. And it turned out to be an interesting experience. I had sealed the envelope, but because the letter was to be sent out-of-country, the contents needed to be inspected. So we had to cut open the edge of the envelope and then tape it back shut. I was also asked to provide my passport, but I had left that at the hotel. Luckily, the woman that was helping me was very nice and just let me tell her my passport number. I guess that is also part of the documentation process when sending mail overseas. Anyway, the letter is now on its way. When, or if, it arrives is yet to be determined!

I was feeling pretty good, so I decided to do a little roaming around the area close to my hotel. (forgot to mention the temperatures here are in the 50s) Here are some pictures…

The day was not without incident though! One of the arms on my glasses broke. Fortunately, I had brought along my old pair as backup (Traveler Tip!), and the prescription isn’t very different. I need to vent though! This is the third time in just under six years that these glasses have broke. (I guess after six tears though I’m probably due for some new glasses – and getting my eyes checked!) They are Silhouette brand, made from titanium and supposedly indestructible. Right! To be fair though, my previous pair of glasses (the ones I will now be using for the rest of the trip) are also Silhouette, and I’ve had no issues with those. Must be a more recent problem with quality. So, in addition to Traveler Tips, I am now also offering a Consumer Tip: avoid Silhouette glasses!