That time we almost didn't make it into Bolivia

Walkin' down the street on a sunny day next to lake Titicaca (don't worry, I laugh every time I read the name too). Just enjoyin' good ol' Peru. Checking out the little swampland before the lake starts. Admiring the sky blue sky and the immensely puffy clouds taking their time in the distance. Loving the cool air in the sunshine. Hola chica, hola amigo. Que pasa? Que tal? Givin' everyone the head nod. Strolling past the marching band when some old men stop us for a chat and some beers. No biggie, your average day in Peru.

I've heard it said Wyoming is big sky country. Well whoever said that ain't never been here. Because this IS big sky. Not just big sky either, you're in the sky as well. You look up and all you see around you is sky. You can get lost in it and when you're lost in the sky sometimes it can be hard to coime back. Coming from Arequipa to Puno. We came down into Puno, and Puno sits at nearly 13,000 feet. We came DOWN to that altitude. You can high five the clouds as you're rolling down the road in a bus. Alpacas flying past you, flamingos in these sky high lakes, it's gorgeous. 

Lakes full of flamingos (I know right?!)

Somewhere along the way we got some mixed info. At the bus station they said it was $40 for the visa to Bolivia. The guy on the bus said $150. The guy on the Peru side of the border $155. Come on guys... So we arrive at the Bolivian border with what we though was enough cash to get through since leaving Puno they said it'd be $40 each. But apparently we didn't have enough.... And this is South America, there isn't an ATM sitting there all conveniently ye know? Well crap, what do we do? Go back to Peru and forget Bolivia? No! But we already 'checked out' of Peru. We gotta figure this out! We hustle back to the Peru side and find a cab, "Nececitamos un banco rapido!" (We need a bank fast!). And so we re-enter Peru illegaly for a 15 minute round trip ride to the bank, hoping all the while that our bus to La Paz (waiting at the border for everyone to go through immigration) doesn't leave our sorry selves packless ('cause our packs are on board) at the border. We manage to make it back, exchange our sols for dollars (apparently we have to buy the visa for Bolivia in dollars?), and get everything in order for purchasing the visa. Somehow they let us cut the super long line and then you know what? It was only 55 f'n dollars for the visa. We were misinformed at every single step of the way and we hadn't even needed to go back to Peru illegally! 

The gate to Bolivia

So we make it through. Thank goodness, and then we roll into the next town and change to this shabbily adorable little bus packed full of people (with many sitting on the floor). And off we are again! We meet Nina and she helps us out a ton 'cause we all well know I don't know what's happening. So we roll along with the beautiful sunset over lake Titicaca (haha) expecting to wake up in La Paz. Until we stop at the edge of the lake and we all get off the bus and are ushered over to the pier. Apparently this bus ride includes a boat. 

Excuse the blurry photo

We take a boat across while the bus is put on what's basically a log raft and poled across. This little escapade to Bolivia is turning out to be more of an adventure than expected. 3 hours later we roll into La Paz with no idea what to do. But we decide to split a hostel with our new friend Nina! When's the last time that happened to you in America? You meet someone on a bus and neither of you speak the others language well but you buddy up for the night anyways? I think it's pretty darn awesome. 

So y'all be happy,

Beacon :)