23rd November

So I felt great after 2 hours sleep. I found it hard to speak English let alone Spanish to the chap on reception but I explained I would be back to pay for the room and all my stuff was still upstairs. When I arrived at the other hotel I had more luck. But the sly little Bolivian told me he had been there all night. Exodus will be hearing from me later. Found the joining letter in reception. 6pm we meet again. There is a city tour at 10am. Yeah, right. Sleep. Went back to other hotel and dozed until 10. Got up, flooded bathroom floor by accident and checked out.

Did my own tour of the city. The architecture of La Paz is great and all contained in 3 squares, including the main Plaza de Murillo. The people are very friendly and are made up of a high proportion of Aymaras - ie the women who wear the bowler hats and big skirts and are happy to smile most of the time albeit through toothless grins. The city is similar to Quito (but less dangerous) and Cusco in that the suburbs are built on the hills and there are huge mountains overlooking the metropolis. There centre is also polluted as you might expect with the same crammed buses littering the streets and the conductors barking incomprehensible destinations out of the windows. The shops crack me up. There is a street of hairdressers (so I had one, v good and v cheap), a street of photocopiers, a street of money exchangers and a great artesan market and a slightly more sppoky "mercado de brujas" or witchcraft market with llama foetuses, bulls' penises and more herbs that you can shake a stick at. Bought the wrist strap in the colours of the Bolivian flag within 5 mins of shopping - hope you are taking note Peruvians. Also got another badge for my rucksack.

Had lunch in a very nice cafe off the equivalent of Carnaby Street. Huge burger of beef, bacon, egg, cheese, ham and salad. A local beer (Huari) and a cappuccino for 2 pounds 50. The beer was good if a little salty. Dad would surely enjoy it.

Am bang up to date with blog this week so I can't give you the low down on the new tour folk as I have yet to meet them. That will be from tomorrow.