Bolivian Bus Drivers and Sweet Sucre, Bolivia - April 2011

We took the 'Transcopacabana' overnight bus from La Paz to Sucre, which was an experience. The bus turned up twenty minutes late and the toilet was locked, so with my toilet phobia (not being able to access one), the DRIVER sent me to the public ones in the bus station. I left my hand luggage on the bus with two Belgian friends we had met in La Paz, thinking Richard would be getting on...

Whilst in the bathroom, the driver decided he was late enough and he had to go, right that minute without me on board... Richard tried his best to stop him, but he would not wait and said we could get on out the front when he came by. Thanks.

 As imagined, a panic ensued, I came back from the toilet and we ran around the front of the terminal like idiots trying to find our bus. After an agonising fifteen minutes, the bus came. He still did not want to let us on though and I had to literally run across the traffic and stand in front of the coach! So, I got on and Richard was nowhere to be seen. Thankfully, we bumped into two Argentine friends we had met on Isla del Sol and they helped me out with the bus driver. Eventually, Richard made it onto the bus, at what seemed to be the bus drivers annoyance and off we went, bus driver grumping all the way!

We had heard horror stories about bus drivers here, one particularly stuck out, in which a man had diarrhea. The bus driver would not stop and told him 'You go in your pants, or out the window'. We didn't really believe this at first, but after our own experience, we did. The Bolivian who run our hotel in Sucre also confirmed that the bus drivers were generally awful, and there was always some kind of trouble. Transcopacabana should be avoided at all costs though we feel!

The said bus.

A different kind of Greek statue.

We met up with our bus friends for a drink. L-R Me (UK), Sabri and Caesar (Argentine), Odele and her friend (Belgian), and the Belgian couple from our La Pas hostel - sorry can't remember their names right now. Will have to rememeber them, as we will see them in London just before Christmas 2011, where they finish their round the world journey.

One half of our beautiful room in Sucre. We treated ourselves at £20 a night! Cheap, but expensive for Bolivia. The only downside was that Richard was allergic to something here and kept breaking out in red, itchy welts. 

If you look carefully, this shows quite accurately the heights of the places we have been. Thank goodness we are over our altitude sickness.