La Paz

A FEW FACTS: La Paz is the capital of Bolivia which is a land locked country next to Peru in South America. It is one of the poorest South American countries but this I no way detracts from its charm as a country to visit. Strangely in La Paz the wealthier you are the closer to the bottom of the valley in La Paz is where you live. The poorer people live higher up the mountain sides and so get the best views, I'm not sure why this is whether they were closer to the river initially or what but I found it quite odd. GETTING THERE: You can fly in to La Paz airport in El Alto which is where we flew ... more

La Paz - Bolivia's capital - is an incredibly lively, colourful, bustling city with loads of character. From around 4060m at its highest point to 3100m at its lowest (the better off you are, the lower down you live), the city sprawls across a huge valley surrounded by massive snow-capped mountains, and it looks amazing. Because La Paz sometimes seems to be so full of bustling people and honking taxis and in-your-face street-sellers and things going on it can be a difficult city to really relax in, and tiring to look around, but it's got a great atmosphere, and there's a lot of energy, and all ... more

It's 8am. Heathrow Airport. The traffic means that you've got ten minutes to get to your flight before the gates close. And security pick this of all times to empty you're entire back and check through every item twice to conclude that it was your torch that looked decidedly threatening. It's a frantic scramble through the rest of the airport and you just make it on time. 13 hours of flying followed by a hot and sticky 5 hour stop over in Miami before cramming back onto a smaller plane bound for La Paz. You've no idea what time of what day it is in what part of the world. You get the feeling ... more

Arriving at La Paz by bus is somewhat of a shock to the system. This is in part due to the altitude (particularly if arriving by plane which is meant to be harsher). I am (reasonably) fit, young (25) and healthy, and found it a little difficult and therefore anyone travelling here will be well advised to take it very easy at first. I can't tell you about the airport etc. 'cause I didn’t come that way! Arriving by bus is an amazing experience though, I'm glad I travelled that way - even though it was cold and uncomfy!(bring a sleeping bag). After a long journey the road leads through the ... more

La Paz is occasionally dubbed the highest capital city in the world - this is partly true; lowland Sucre is Bolivia's constitutional capital, although 4,000 metre-high La Paz certainly plays the central role of the nation's cities. Its considerable altitude has hit the headlines of late after football's world governing body, FIFA, banned matches being played in the city, tired of the tendencies of Bolivia and its Andean neighbours, Ecuador and Peru, to switch home matches against the continent's big guns to high-altitude venues, handing them a distinct advantage while their opponents labour in ... more