Constellations » South America

Bolivian Rant, Book and Visit

Zain — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 07:41:39 +0000

A few nights ago I went on a rant of tweets about my 2008 visit to Bolivia, when a book I was reading discussed about a town I passed en route. Read below, with accompanying pictures.

Reading a book. 1 part it discusses the writers experience in mining town Potosí, in Bolivia, economically the poorest cntry in S America.

I wondered if the bus I was in, 15 hours fr bordertown Villazon to La Paz, went past tht town. See map.

Re the map/twitpic. Journey was to La Paz after I walked across the bordertown La Quiaca (Argentina) after 4 hrs of rest, in out of hostel. ..

Tht border crossing, my 1st tht whole trip, and Bolivia was d only country where a visa is needed. Nervousness grew as no 1 knew ‘Malaysia.’

Almost every border I crossed in S America, they had to refer to some dusty piece of paper pasted on the wall to see if Msians need a visa.

Anyhow,got into the other bordertown Villazon (Bolivia), hung around for 5 hours waiting for the 15 hr bus to La Paz w/ 4 new acquaintances.

I thot them how to tie a sarong, and use it as a mat, the Colombian couple studying in Sao Paolo taught me how to chew coca leaves.

18kg of coca leaves make 1 gram of cocaine btw. Not sure how many bags make up 1 kilo cause it’s bloody weightless esp when it’s dry. As I was learning how to get used to coca leaves, he also offered some weed. I said ‘slow down. I don’t want to get pregnant.’

Walked arnd the street market for fruits n bread for the journey. Sometime for the funfair b4 getting on the bus. ..

15 hours, winding road, ascending to high altitude. I assume we went pass mining town Potosí. Arrived in cold La Paz, 6am.

Was in La Paz 3 nights.Did tht 6 hr dangerous bike ride in Coroico b4 having Xmas dinner in Calacoto w/ half Kelantanese half American fren.

And her husbands fam. Whose fam is Bolivian. But friend n husband lives in San Fran. Happens to be in La Paz same time as I.

To add, my 1st night in La Paz, I stayed in a dodgy ass cheap ass hostel. USD3 a night. For 2 beds. Pics all in my FB btw.

El Carretero. The same place Brit author Rusty Young of Marching Powder, former prisoner n drug trafficker got 1st introduced 2 cocaine.

In 2000, he lived in San Pedro Prison with Thomas 'the tour guide' McFadden (left) for four months in order to research the book 'Marching Powder'. Afterwards, he lived in Bogota, Colombia, where he worked as an English teacher and translator whilst completing the book.

He ended up in San Pedro prison, 2 blocks away fr that same hostel i/he stayed in. An amazing prison indeed. Google his book. Rusty Young. Marching Powder. I have it. Can pinjam. But read in my house only. Nak pinjam, bleh gi mam. (click here to read about the book http://zainhd.com/2009/05/san-pedro/ )

(Btw all this was Xmas 2008). So after tht I went to a small serene village town in the valley called Sorata. See map.

Stayed there 2 nights. Walked 2 appropriately describe fckng hours to see a cave worth spitting at,albeit the walk was scenic.

Then took a bus to Huarina, a small town en route Copacabana, for Lake Titicaca, next to Peru border.

At Huarina, a place I was only at the main road (highway?),a place where I was dropped off really, to wait for a bus to go to Copacabana.

There. On the mainroad by the town of Huarina. The bus stop was really, nxt to some stuff and a pig. Aku tunggu bas dgn babi.

And it didn’t help that 6 buses had stop heading towards where I wanted to, all full.

Finally I got into one, n got a special treatment. Sat in the drivers compartment w/ his family. See my fb profile pic of me n a small girl.

Anyway fr there went 2 Copacabana for 2 nights I think. Did Lake Titicaca in btwn. B4 heading to Puno(Peru),en route Cuzco for Machu Picchu.

Ok cukup. Penat jari. Wanna continue my book then sleep. Tweets shld only confine to Bolivia. Dnt wanna start on Peru. Not nw. Slamat malam.

Yes. I brought 9. Gave away all in each house I stayed in. Incl mine. RT @h_hardy_h: @ZainHD I wonder, do you wear sarong at El Carretero?

With Senor Gustavo Courreges, whose house and farm I stayed in in Villegas, Pampas (Central) Argentina.

During my 40 days in S America 4 tht trip.Besides hostels,I stayed in ppls homes. In return 4 hospitality,I gave them a sarong. @h_hardy_h

With Cecilia Knöpfler, in Centragolo, suburbs of Buenos Aires.

With Ruben Schmidt, at his place, in Tigre (the delta) of Buenos Aires.

Bcz my trip got extended unexpctedly, I had to give away my own sarong 2 d 2nd last house. The last hse got a I Love KL tshrt.@h_hardy_h

Mapping South America

Zain — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 17:55:25 +0000

These two, came to me to seek input on their upcoming trip to South America. A large chunk of my enthusiasm to help them, had less to do with how (un)well I know the region, and more to do with the excitement of discussing, proper planning an overview of a trip. This same map was on:

Shereen’s mom’s dining table at her open house in 2008, the night Hadi introduced me to Shakhira,
my bathroom door for months before my first South America trip in 2008,
Shakhira’s kitchen table in Buenos Aires where her husband Hugo sat down with me and for the first time me having a good look at it and understanding its geographical and physical landscape,
the ground at a park in Villazon (Bolivia, bordering La Quiaca Argentina) with four new friends I made and travelled with to La Paz, and
loan to one other person who’s postponed her plans there.

Maps are both sentimental and exhilarating.

- http://zainhd.com/2010/10/mapping-south-america/

Latin American Film Fest in KL

Zain — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 15:10:11 +0000

http://www.latinfilmfest.org.my/lff/ : ”The ticket is RM5 only. (Brazil’s, Mexico’s and Venezuela’s movies are free entry. Obtain the free tickets at GSC Mid Valley, GSC Pavilion KL and GSC 1 Utama box offices. Redemption on the same day of movie screening.)!!!!”

- http://zainhd.com/2010/10/latin-american-film-fest/

Nueva York

Zain — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:24:13 +0000

I am now in NYC. Flew in via JFK Airport early Saturday 17 July. Within three hours after landing, I had a bitter but sweet taste of the city attitude that missed. Many hours later, a not so stable man said he’ll shoot me if I come to his part of Brooklyn. Moments after that, an old lady said ‘thank you’ extensively for helping her with something. I’ll write about all that later.

The base for this segment of the trip, is specifically Roosevelt Island, Manhattan. My host, whose flat I’m staying in, is someone I’ve only met once before prior to this trip, ironically, in this same city, this same month, four years ago. And the hospitality received thus far has been tremendous.

To note, unexpectedly, I left Caracas with a smile and a bang. The brief transit at Port of Spain Airport of Trinidad and Tobago, made me consider visiting the Caribbean region sometime in the future. Additional note, I observed that my hair now, when stretched, touches my chin.

- http://ZainHD.com/2010/07/nueva-york/

Finale Trans Amazon

Zain — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:47:14 +0000

I am now in Caracas, Venezuela. It is the final destination of the Expedition I’ve been in since I arrived in Buenos Aires. A lot of challenges, obstacles and many other brilliant moments took place during the twenty five or so days of the journey. Most of the thirty over participants have left Caracas, but the organising party are here till 23rd July, when another group leaves for another expedition to Lima via Manaus and Cuzco. I fly to New York is on the 16th of July, and my attempt to move it forward to today, 13th July was a failure that I now see as a blessing in disguise. We checked out of the hotel earlier today and I will be hanging out with the organising party in an old abadoned mansion in the outskirts of town, El Peñon.

- http://ZainHD.com/2010/07/finale-trans-amazon/

The Custom for Brazil

Zain — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 02:53:45 +0000

I am now at Pacaraima, Brazil staying the night. Border town to Venezuela. Arrived here around 5pm, got immigration clearance to exit, but customs gave a fuss with the cars. By the time that was cleared, customs on Venezuelan side had closed, which means the cars cant go through till 8m tomorrow. Will have to drive across pronto and make it to Santa Elena so can catch the plane for Angel Falls.

Sudamerica, The Last Leg

Zain — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 06:22:55 +0000

Breakfast on BR319 Amazonas Highway, at 330km Humaita to Manaus.

Am in Hotel Ibis, Manaus for one night that was meant to be two. There’s four more nights of camping (might be five if we’re held back for whatever), before our next and final hotel stop in Caracas, Venezuela. En route, from Santa Elena, hopefully will get to have a butcher at Angels Falls, more than twice the height of the KLCC twin towers. Thinking of flying to NYC from Caracas on 13 July, instead of 16 as purchased online, but Tango suggests to spend those three days by going to the beach at Isla Margarita. Shall consider, depending on how far the two are.

- http://ZainHD.com/2010/07/sudamerica-the-last-leg/

Into The Amazonas

Zain — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:53:16 +0000

We are now in Humaita a town in the state of Amazonas, arrived at 7pm yesterday. We’ve been driving alot the past few days, trying to catch up with time as we’re two days behind schedule. Not easy as road conditions aren’t always good and some of the cars are beginning to give us problems, forcing to breakup the convoy into two. As of now, we are only one day behind schedule. At noon, we leave this hotel for Manaus, taking the famous highway BR319, where many (many) people died during its construction. It was partly a move by the government to increase economical activity to the interiors of Brazil. Commercial, toursim, etc. At breakfast with Yoda, one of the oldest members in the expedition, he said this will be the toughest segment of our trip. Getting to Manaus will involve two nights of camping by the highway and we have been given keys to the locks of telco towers situated by the highway. This is because we will be camping in the compounds of the telco towers as it is unsafe to camp out in the open, even next to it. I’m not sure what flanks the highway but the main threat will be jaguars and cougars. The actual distance between Humaita and Manaus is not too far, but the road conditions are poor, hence why it will take us 3 days to get there, hopefully less. Go to http://www.facebook.com/zainhd to view pictures.

Transport Stage

Zain — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:22:26 +0000

Am now in Comodoro, Brazil. We’re trying to move towards north, the Amazon by entering via Humaita as fast as we can as some member of expedition needs to be in Caracas by 11 July to fly back to BA and then KL. If that happens, I will try to fly to NYC earlier, as oppose to 16 July. Will write more when have more net access. Z

Paraguay

Zain — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:37:41 +0000

Leaving the hotel in Asuncion shortly. Heading north for Laguna Blanca, camping there. Will exit Paraguay tomorrow for Jardim (Brazil). Tonight onwards will be camping for 8 nights straight. Jardim, Bonito, Corumba, Porto Jofre, etc. Two of which, on a barge/ferry. Will be in a hotel next, 30 June. Selamat jalan.

- http://ZainHD.com/2010/06/paraguay/