The gurgling stomach I can hear across the room ensures that Paddy is in no fit state to join me on the horse trek.  Unfortunately for him my group is then changed so I’m joining four girls.  Apparently he wants me to flirt with them on his behalf.  He’s got enough to worry about with …

I’ve woken to find Paddy making a mess of the bathroom.  We’ve missed the chance to get on any trek today, so I’ve ordered him to go to the doctors.  He’s not been right for months, probably at least since I’ve known him.  It’s an interesting and eye opening experience attempting to find medical help …

Once again we could potentially go to visit the mines.  Once again we decide we can’t be bothered.  Apparently it’s been due to collapse “any day now” for a good number of years.  I’m happy to sit in a crap cafe all morning and eat rubber eggs.  Our bus out of this interesting part of …

Potosi is famous for pretty much one thing and one thing only.  The Mines.  They’ve been here for hundreds of years and at one time made Bolivia the richest nation in South America (or actually Spain who were exploiting the millions of people who worked and died digging underground). The silver deposits have significantly dwindled since those times, …

So some 15 hours on a crap bus comes to an end and we’re pulling into Sucre terminal.  I have no idea where Paddy is, and I’m not convinced I want to stay here a night at all.  I jump a cab into town and set up shop in a gringo cafe.  It’s not long before the …

I’ve managed to get my boots back with spectacular success.  I went to the office, they sent me to the warehouse, my boots were there.  I was back in the hostel within the hour, packed and ready to go, which meant only one thing for the rest of the day: faff. All these hostels I’ve …

Paddy has decided to move on as he’s already been in La Paz a few days longer than myself.  he’s booked a night bus to Sucre, which was my original plan, if I hadn’t left my new boots on the damn bus.  The office is closed, so I have to wait another day to see if there are …

Oh good lord above what am I doing?  With a new pair of trekking boots and some decent gear I feel like I’m materialistically prepared, but mental and physically you’ve got to be kidding.  I’ve hardly slept a wink through sheer terror, and I’m going to need all my faculties to see me through the …

Once again the boys are back in town as I’m reunited with Paddy, who finds me standing outside The San Francisco church with ease, as my white face sticks out amongst all the Inca heads.  We’ve not much planned for the day, except to organise our death road mountain bike run tomorrow.  We have a leisurely afternoon …

I’ve dragged my stinking, recovering carcass onto a night bus to force myself out of Cusco and into Bolivia.  It’s the usual nonsense on the bus, poor sleep and a long wait in a freezing cold bus station in Puno.  I’ve ordered myself a coffee and ‘Americano’ breakfast, which consisted of a luke warm drink and a …