Most important mission today. Find the Amaszonas Airlines office and get tickets to go to Rurrenabaque and back. Fingers crossed they are not sold out.
We had time for breakfast - the airline office didn't open until 10 AM, so we headed there, used our best Spanish and got tickets. Easy. That meant time for coffee (we still have yet to find good coffee in this part of the world).
And we had time to go for a swim. Our hostel isn't the most impressive but it is 50 metres from the beach and 200 meters from place where you can also swim. So we just did that. Hurried back to the hostel, got a taxi to the airport (50 km from the town centre), and checked in.
Iquique is not the biggest international airport so we were spared for all the annoying security. It felt more like getting on a train at the station. We had time for a bit of lunch before we were asked to queue in front of a border officer who stamped our passports which also meant officially "see you later Chile".
LAN has new planes on the route so the flight out of Iquique felt like rocket going straight up but we are aiming at one of the highest commercial airports in the world - El Alto in Bolivia. The approach there was clear sky and super turbulence.
Once there we got our stamps in the passports and waited for luggage at the only luggage belt in arrivals. Maybe the smallest airport in any capital city we have ever visited. Then we headed for the Pan American Hotel with all our stuff and got a room on the 9th floor overlooking most of the city.
We relaxed at the hotel before going our for dinner. Jes had found a place within walking distance and suddenly you could feel the altitude. About 1 kilometre to the restaurant and some of us had to walk slow and focus on breathing.
The Melting Pot and Rock had a great option for doing your food at the table with mixed veggies and meat. We chose that and then waited forever. Possibly the slowest service on this trip so far. Food was good but it took all evening.
Headed back to the hotel to sleep. Morning flight to Rurrenabaque and we have to pack trying to leave our big backpacks in the airport.
We had time for breakfast - the airline office didn't open until 10 AM, so we headed there, used our best Spanish and got tickets. Easy. That meant time for coffee (we still have yet to find good coffee in this part of the world).
And we had time to go for a swim. Our hostel isn't the most impressive but it is 50 metres from the beach and 200 meters from place where you can also swim. So we just did that. Hurried back to the hostel, got a taxi to the airport (50 km from the town centre), and checked in.
Iquique is not the biggest international airport so we were spared for all the annoying security. It felt more like getting on a train at the station. We had time for a bit of lunch before we were asked to queue in front of a border officer who stamped our passports which also meant officially "see you later Chile".
LAN has new planes on the route so the flight out of Iquique felt like rocket going straight up but we are aiming at one of the highest commercial airports in the world - El Alto in Bolivia. The approach there was clear sky and super turbulence.
Once there we got our stamps in the passports and waited for luggage at the only luggage belt in arrivals. Maybe the smallest airport in any capital city we have ever visited. Then we headed for the Pan American Hotel with all our stuff and got a room on the 9th floor overlooking most of the city.
We relaxed at the hotel before going our for dinner. Jes had found a place within walking distance and suddenly you could feel the altitude. About 1 kilometre to the restaurant and some of us had to walk slow and focus on breathing.
The Melting Pot and Rock had a great option for doing your food at the table with mixed veggies and meat. We chose that and then waited forever. Possibly the slowest service on this trip so far. Food was good but it took all evening.
Headed back to the hotel to sleep. Morning flight to Rurrenabaque and we have to pack trying to leave our big backpacks in the airport.
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| Breakfast in the courtyard |
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| Fingers crossed for tickets |
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| Heading for the beach |
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| Gone swimming |
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| How long time can a human possible hold the breath |
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| All packed and ready to leave |
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| One last look at the clouds and the mountains |
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| Ready to go |
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| Looking down on the surface of.....the moon |
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| Just started - almost there |
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| Bumpy approach to La Paz |
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| Waiting for luggage |
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| In mini-bus to the hotel |
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| Heading down the autopista towards La Paz |
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| Yes, we have a reservation |
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| Red wine, meat and lots of love |
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