Another lesson in patience, and how I dont have it

Trip Start Jun 25, 2008
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Trip End Dec 17, 2008


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Where I stayed
hotel bolivar
(Santa Cruz hotels)

Flag of Bolivia  ,
Saturday, July 26, 2008

After spending 2 days in the largest city in bolivia, my friend and I were ready to move on. We decided to visit one of the jesuit mission towns that lies half way towards the brazilian border and is accessible by train. Train sounds so good after the travel on buses and crazy trufis that go fast on mountain roads and pass at insane times. So we bought really cheap tickets (3$) for a 7 hour trip and showed up an hour early like we were told. After waiting for a hour and a half and finally getting to the train platform, buying salty dried bananas, and hearing the same woman say mandarin for sale 100 times, they announced that the train was having mechanical problems and would not leave until 3. There was a general crowd groan, but most people stayed put, prepared to wait for three hours. My friend and I went back into the train station in search of something to do. After writing emails and eating pretty horrible food in the little restaurant (rice and something fried, not sure what), we went back to the platform and boarded the train in a hurry, expecting it to leave quickly. Of course this turned out not to be the case. We waited on the train for another hour and a half. Since this is santa cruz its humid, and hot and we are not moving so the air is not moving. I dont think you have to buy tickets for all the kids you have and there were a lot, sleeping under the seats etc.. Someone kept farting, need I go on, it just wasnīt a good time. Finally my friend regula and I decided we no longer wanted to travel by train. And we didnīt want to go to this jesuit mission town and arrive at midnight, not having a hotel or any clue about this place. I know what you are thinking, what happpened to your adventurous spirit. Yeah, well as the bolivians played and sat and smoked patiently, my friend and I gathered our things and tried to leave the station. The police man told us we were not allowed because the area was secured and all the doors were bolted. After arguing and insisting, he told us to walk down the platform and walk out the open gate there. Totally ridiculous that you would secure an area and then have a huge open gate just down the walkway, ahhh Bolivia. The next part of the story is better, we found one of our friends we had made the night before and spent the evening at a cafe listening to a live cuban band, drinking chilean wine and yes....dancing, again. One of the best nights I have had here in bolivia. Everything happens for a reason.
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