Bolivia (Potosi)

We are now in Bolivia, and its OK. First impressions are its very cheap (Argentina was a pleasant surprise, this is a "you want how much?" country). We arrived in Uyuni, a small desert town of 10,000 people and 5,000 tour operators, and promptly got out of there to Potosi.

Potosi is apparantely the highest city of its size - 100k people at 4100m (about 14,000 feet), which is high. Planes fly at about 9,000m (30,000 feet). Despite being about 23´ south - practicaly in the tropics, its freezing cold (we seem to be in perpetual English autumn weather - started at 51´S at the end of summer, the further north we go the warmer it gets but the closer to winter, and now the altitude of the altiplano kicks in). The altitude isn´t too bad, as we´ve spent the last week at 2,250m, 3,800m and now 4,100m - reasonable acclimatisation. Haven´t tried coca leaf tea yet, the local remedy for Soroche (altitude sickness). Potosi is your typical 400 year old colonial city made ludricously rich on obscene silver deposits, that´s then fallen onto hard times.

The rough plan is Sucre - Cochabamba - La Paz - lake Titicaca (about 4 weeks worth of travel) and then Peru.

Anyone want a postcard? Send me your address to matthewharrup at hotmail.com