Day 68: The Big Tour

INGREDIENTS: Two jeeps, two drivers, one cook, eight Israelis, one Dutch, one Brit

RECIPE: Drive for 1,000 kilometres through the Bolivian Andes, up to 5,000 metres above sea level, passing volcanos, mountains, lakes and remote villages

SERVING SUGGESTION: Take plenty of coca leaves for altitude sickness, no showers, 4am starts

After nearly a full day of driving, and seeing no signs of settlement, only stunning views, we stopped off at the tiny village of Santa Pablo, where the houses were made of clay and the only living to be made is rearing llamas for their meat and fur. Equipped with a bag of lollipops, I spoke to a few boys aged between 12 and 16. They had never been to the nearest town and had never heard of England, but were interested to know how far it was.

We stopped for the night at another village. At 4,200m high, the simple act of taking my rucksack out of the van is enough to leave me panting for air. The bad news is that tomorrow we go even higher.

THINGS I DIDN´T KNOW BEFORE TODAY:
1. People with nothing can still be happy
2. Altitude makes you as breathless as people say it does

More pics of Santa Pablo HERE