Hecha Mierda

Bolivia. A brief historical interlude: Bolivia, the poorest country in South America, in October of last year, threw out the US embassador and broke relations with US. Afterwards, any US citizen wanting to travel through Bolivia, in order to get a travelling visa, had to pay $134 to enter and deal with the lovely guards at immigration.

Border crossing: from Arequipa, we took a seven hour bus ride at 1am to get to Puno early, the city in Peru on Lake Titicaca. From Puno, we took a two hour bundy (buses or collectivos are main transport but for smaller/less expensive trips there are bundies) to get to Kasani. Arequipa was cold due to the altitude and somehow three of us got stuck with the flu, so keep in mind - I crossed the border in a feverish haze. Caution: dont try unless you have three highly trained Argentinians and one German to take care of you while dealing with Bolivian customs and a fever. Not Recommended.
So we got off the bus and in three separate bicycle riskshaws, we headed to the arc that borders the two countries. Bycicle rickshaws - get the image of Kramer pushing his rickshaw up a hill in your head, then imagen, with your eyes closed, a luminous hill and instead of Kosmo Kramer imagen a small Peruvian trying to get a cart carrying the heavy weight of two persons and all their luggage up that same hill. With the elevation at 4000 meters, the guys driving the bicycles, seemed to have a BIT of trouble getting us to the arc, the boys hopped off to walk alongside the cart. I stayed put - I barely knew where I was.

Eventually the Peruvians led us to a shop to exchange money and buy something for my fever. We said our thanks and paid the men and headed to immigration. We first had to go to immigration on the Peruvian side, which was easy enough. They stamped our passports. Then we crossed through the foreboding colonial arc to Bolivia.
Once in Bolivia, we headed again straight towards immigration - a small office with three desks and two guards. All four boys, in about five minutes had finished their paperwork and waited outside eating some Pringles.

I was ordered to do as follows: Without asking, I pulled out the $140 I had and handed it over to somesort of Bolivian official. Then there were mounds of paperwork to fill out - where i was headed, how long I was to be there, who I was, why I was travelling, etc. Eventually, after about ten to fifteen minutes of papers, then I was to sit down at a desk, hand over/or rather make copies of my passport and of my vaccination card. Then an explanation that my visa was valid for 90 days out of the year for five years, so for the next five years I will be able to travel within Bolivia for 90 days all the following years. Not sure if I´ll actually take them up on that, but its nice to know its there.

Eventually I was done. Well, I did have to go back inside and ask for my change, somehow the Bolivian official had already put away my six dollars of change without notifying me, but luckily I remembered and asked for it.

Afterwards we headed to Copacabana, to take a boat with 16 other Argententians to La Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca to spend the weekend.