We´re Really, Really, Really High (Up in the Air)

Resisting every opportunity to make any sort of reference to Ryan Bingham, especially after Up in the Air flopped so hard at the Oscars, or the fact that Bolivia produces a gargantuan amount of cocaine and marijuana for the world to consume, it´s worth noting that we are really high up right now that we´re in La Paz. I remember watching sporting events that took place in Denver and broadcasters always making sure to describe the effects of the altitude, but I always disregarded it. Then, the Argentine population blamed a 5-1 loss in World Cup qualifying to Bolivia on the altitude in La Paz. Now, La Paz is more than 2 miles above sea level, which is double Denver; but again, I saw it as a convenient excuse. But after calmly climbing maybe 30 stairs situated about the city center, I was out of breath and embarrassed. To my left, an old woman with a mammouth bag drapped across her back was slowly but surely plugging away, passing me by as I stopped to catch my breath. I felt pathetic. But then I stuck some coca leaves in my mouth, lifted my eyes to the panamoranic surrounding La Paz which includes two mountains exceeding 21,000 ft in height, and I felt great.
We arrived in La Paz this morning after two of the worst nights of sleep I´ve ever experienced, both on buses. We did a lot of exploring today, after recharging our batteries with an all-too-needed nap, and I look forward to doing more tomorrow on a full night of sleep. The next blog post will hopefully include some, at the least, ten-cent opinions I´ve formulated on my own. Until then, chau amigos!