As for the flight from Rurrenabaque back to La Paz, it was far less eventful, which, according to the whole 13 people on the plane, was a good thing!
However, upon returning to La Paz, at almost 4000m above sea level, I suffered for the first time, the effects of altitude sickness! For those who have not felt its effects, it is not pleasant. I felt completely out of breath, very nauseous, had a raging headache, and had no energy. Needless to say, I found a hostel and went straight to bed!
Having improved a bit by the afternoon, I headed out with Michael and Gitte (Danish friends) for lunch. The sandwiches were nice, but it was the ice-cream that really stole the show! The ice-cream and cake shops in Bolivia really are incredible, and, being a dessert lover, I have trouble not drooling on the display cabinets! Furthermore, the taste is not matched by the price-tag, so a giant double cup of ice-cream costs only US$0.70! Amazing value!
After my hugely satisfying ice-cream (if that was not clear from above!), we visited the Coca museum, which houses displays and commentaries on the history of the Coca leaf, and how it progressed to become cocaine in the western world. For those who dont know, Coca plants are perfectly legal, and the leaves are still chewed today by local south american people, for their energy-boosting effects and suppression of appetite. They only contain 1% cocaine, and are actually quite good for you. They also help curb altitude sickness. However, it was westerners who took the leaves and produced cocaine, extracting only the 1% pure cocaine from the leaves. Also, did you know that Coca Cola contained cocaine up until 1985, and the US Coke company still imports and adds coca leaves to coca cola for flavour today?
Following my coca education, I ate yet another delicious and cheap meal in La Paz, then headed to the bus terminal to take a night service to Uyuni.
Despite the rather cushy bus, the 11-hour ride to Uyuni was by far the bumpiest bus trip I have ever taken! It seems that the route is unpaved, and requires travelling across a very rocky terrain. At first, it was an unpleasant surprise, then it just became amusing, and eventually, I managed to ignore my vibrating body, and get some sleep!
