Playing the Bolivian Game

This was last weekend, but is too telling of travel in Bolivia to leave out:

Begin in Montero with bags packed for a festival in the cool mountain village of Valley Grande

Ride moto to station and catch a ride with 5 others in a compact car to Santa Cruz

Be asked to pay 300 Bolivianos for a ticket that should cost 35 Bolivianos and set daily record for exaggerated price scam

Proceed to take new taxi to other, honorable bus stop

Arrive at 9:04; four minutes late for the last bus to Valley Grande and witness new record: The first bus to ever depart on schedule in Bolivia

Re-group and settle for traveling to see a smaller festival in the hot and humid mountain village of Buena Vista without a pair of shorts

Catch ride to new bus station with a careless driver who nearly hits 3 pedestrians, 2 cars and 1 bicycle…at the same time and all the while multi-tasks by combining his day job with some family time (wife and child are in the front seat of the van AND by doing some personal family shopping along the way; herbs, toilet paper, fruit and a beer

Once in fully-loaded car for Buena Vista return to Montero, pass through Buena Vista and arrive in the town of Yapacani after heated discussion involving arm flapping

Rejoice over poor communication by having fried chicken for lunch in Yapacani; a Bolivian staple that you ate yesterday and the day before

Look up Yapacani in Guide Book, realize that there is no reference to any such place and quickly discover why

Refuse to play the Bolivian Game any longer and demand that 5 Bolivianos is all you will pay to travel to Buena Vista

Discover dream ride; a brick red 1980’s Toyota van with 15^th other people, but four wheels to bring you safely to Buena Vista

After my housemate Jaclyn and I arrived in Buena Vista everything was smooth sailing…or it could be that so many miss-managed situations allowed us to realize that Bolivia had a greater plan in mind for us that day and that flexibility or forced laughing would be essential to having a good time?

We stayed in little cabins, took a long walk to a river around sunset, had a great dinner and woke up the next day to have a traditional meal prepared by a local family and be two of four foreigners in the town to celebrate the tradition of the town with around 100 others.

The day was complete with processions, music and good food. It also exceeded my expectations to be asked to dance in front of my 100 new friends and be gifted a hand-woven palm leaf pouch by a man with a mullet and tapered jeans.