Off to La Paz

Route: Arica - La Paz

Time: 9am - 7pm

Highlights: While we know the road to the border, the landscape changes almost instantly on Bolivian grounds. It is flatter (at around 3800m) with many great kinds of stone formations (or as a British lad puts it, lots of dust). The villages look more original (untouched). I can't wait to explore the country on our own and to take pictures. If Chile was nice, Bolivia promises to top that.
Then we get to El Alto (outskirt of La Paz). Chaos again: Thousands of collective white taxi vans. I turn white thinking that we need to drive through that mess to get out of La Paz. It's a bit scary... Half finished houses, tons of people ON the streets, but we get to the bus terminal and easily find a taxi. The taxi driver seems very honest and I relax again. He gets us to the Japanese-run Hotel Ichiban (at 40 USD a night, key feature: warm water). This is luxury for us, too. Very friendly reception and a nice room make us feel at "hogar" (home). Pizza dinner is all for today, Peter is on "Sparflamme" anyway.

Tip of the day: Chilebus (or Bolivian Bus) is a great means of transport. There is ample space and the ride is comfortable and affordable. The staff makes sure you get through customs quickly (although we were stuck for almost 2 hours on the Chilean side).

Intermezzo: Enter Bolivia and you learn what chaos is. At the border two solders (chubby and small) make you believe they are controlling traffic, but there about 5 lines of trucks parked in any direction. It's amazing that we get through, but we make it. Customs is simple, I think the guy can't even see you, he just takes the passport and the green slip, stamps it and hands the stuff back. Couldn't be easier. The Chilean officers are friendlier though and usually have a little joke ready (today I made him feel little).
Intermezzo 2: Order pizza. As the place is out of reach for free delivery, you get the pizza delivered by cab (1 USD). Great system.

Temperatures: Fresh at the border (again at 4600m), in La Paz cool but ok, in upper areas there a some patches of snow.

The last food note: At least for Chile. Ross at the Sunny Days' confirms that there are no special culinary highlights. Cazuelas are good (veggie and meat soup).