Leaving La Paz

I title this leaving La Paz as even before returning to the city I couldn't wait to leave. People have different experiences of cities that they visit depending on what occurs when they are there. Although the partying was good and the prison visit was an unmissable, I found La Paz to have little to do during the day, the people generally quite rude and an overwhelming stench of rotting food and urine. Bolivia, in my mind was beautiful and yet heart wrenchingly depraved, but La Paz did not endear itself to me as the rest of Bolivia had.

When returning from Rurrenbaque I decided to treat myself to a flight back, the 20 hour bus journey was notoriously bad and I didn't have enough people for a jeep. Plus since this was a sidewards excursion returning to La Paz, it did not affect my plan to do every mile over land and water. As with most things, however, this was not to be a simple affair: after booking my flight the previous day for 12:15 I arrived at the office (where my pick up was from) to to be told that my flight didn't actually exist. The lady suggested that I took the 5pm flight instead. I kicked off. She then responded that there was a flight leaving for 20 minutes and that I might be able to make it. She went outside to get a 'taxi' for me. The taxi turned out to be a moped where I was expected to sit on the back holding on for dear life with my full massive backpack on my back and my camera bag slung precariously around my shoulder. Time was of the essence, though, and I climbed on the back of the moped before it sped down the dirt tracks to the airport.

I arrived unharmed and rushed into the airport to catch the check in just as it arrived. Relieved I boarded the little plane and we took off the grass runway moments later. A great little flight ensued with spectacular views. I arrived in La Paz, checked back in to Loki Hostel and spend the next three days eating, sleeping, reading, sorting stuff out and sending my cold weather clothes home.

My next destination would be the deeply majestic blue waters of Lake Titicaca, before working my way to Cuzco and Macchu Pichu.