Entering the real South America

Tupiza, southwest Bolivia

The Bolivian border town of Villazon is not somewhere you would want to stay, so we made our way to the bus station (which was crammed full of people and luggage) and bought tickets for the next bus out. This gave us 3 hours to kill so we went in search of our first experience of Bolivian food, we weren't looking forward to it. Whilst wandering round we noticed not only that we felt very out of breath but also that our hands were turning purple. We were slightly concerned but it only lasted for five minutes. We just about found a restaurant which was willing to serve food (some very strange customer service going on) and ordered steak and chips each. We were somewhat aprehensive to how the steak would be and to be fair it didn't even compare to Argentinian steak but it was fine, and combined with the chips, rice, salad (we left that!) and two fried eggs on top it wasn't a bad experience for a quid!

Bolivia is the poorest country in South America, a fact which was fairly obvious as soon as we crossed the border. They also have the largest number of indigenous people. These are facts gleaned from the Lying Planet so may be a little off but what we have seen so far seems to testify to them. The streets are filled with women wearing the traditional brighly coloured clothes, big puff-ball style skirts and ponchos which aren't what you would call flattering! And filled with lots of young children asking for money, even late at night.

We came into Bolivia from Argentina instead of the usual route via Chile on the recommendation of someone we met in Bariloche. Veronica, an english lady who had been working at the Natiowide BS for long enough to have been given three years off (nice one), mentioned that you could take part in a triathalon in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid territory. The word triathalon had been enough to put us both off the idea initially, until that is she mentioned it wasn't a real hardcore triathalon. So we amended our plans and were glad we did.

We arrived late in Tupiza so we took a room in the first hostel we came to and were delighted to see that we could get decent acommodation for just 3 quid a night, result. We also tried a set menu lunch the following day which is the cheapest way to eat in Bolivia, you just don't know exactly what you might get! We lucked out and for about 70 pence we had a soup, some sort of meat in sauce (we didn't want to ask it's identity) with mash and some fruit. Not bad. We booked ourselves on the triathalon for the following day and had a wander round the town. We met a lovely retired couple from Canada and exchanged travel stories whilst sheltering from the rain. During the two days we were in Tupiza we bumped into them a lot and in the end they invited us to visit them on Vancouver Island, an invitation both of us would love to take up - but not on this trip.

We awoke the next day to grey skies and a bit of a rain shower but off we set on the first part of our triathalon - the bikes! We were handed our helmets and us and three Bolivians set off. The countryside around Tupiza is stunning and it was a real shame the weather wasn't better as the colours of the rocks would have been even more impressive. The rock formations seemed unreal, caused simply by the weather and river paths. Cycling at altitude, uphill, isn't easy and many breaks were needed, although I thought Mik and I did really well considering the Bolivians were very used to such altitudes. They did of course put us to shame by being able to speak english, which was obviously greatly appreciated at the time but made us even more determinded to get some lessons sooner rather than later.

So about 1 hour on the bikes and then they were loaded onto the top of the 4WD and off we went for a walk. We had been told it was about 2 km, in fact it wasn't even that, pah this triathalon thing is easy!! Then we had a spot of lunch by the river, tamales - thought we had escaped the corn foods, but they were actually much tastier than those we had eaten in Argentina. 1 point to Bolivia!

We were then taken to to the stables where we quickly realised that the horses weren't going to be the well kept, shiny looking Argentinian variety. They looked more like something you'd find on Blackpool Pleasure beach, although they probably didn't eat as much . Luckily they put Mik on the largest, although he wasn't thinking the same for long as his horse seemed to have a tendancy to throw itself, and it's respective passenger, in front of moving vehicles. Now considering it was only Mik's second time on a horse I was very impressed that he stayed on and stuck with it. Ít made me quite nervous until we left the road.

So off we set into the wilderness that was where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid fled through before they ended their days about 60km away. And it did feel like that, and despite the rain, it was easy to imagine them galloping along. We of course took a much steadier pace, although I did dig my heels in a couple of times in the hope of a trot, but my horse either couldn't be bothered, or knew he shouldn't, probably just as well in retrospect, it's been a few years since I've been on a horse!

After a short stop and a clamber up a waterfall we got back on the horses for the return journey. As I watched Mik climb on his horse buckled underneath him, not I can assure you because of his weight, just because the poor thing was so weak. We then just wanted to get back and let these horses have a rest. Not such a pleasurable experience as we had enjoyed in Argentina, especially once it started to rain. Still we made it back and were then taken for the last leg of the trip. The views of the rock formations know as the candles from 3,800 meters were amazing but once the guide asked if we wanted to cycle the last bit down the side of the mountain we all asked if he was joking. Apparently not, we declined and climbed back in to the warm 4x4. So there we go, Mik and I couldn't even complete a triathlon of that nature! Don't think we'll be trying the real thing any time soon!

Cara