Hola, otra vez de Bolivia !
We are living in the 21st Century, and most of us are used to flying from one place to another. Perhaps we’ve recently become accustomed to griping about security lines, clear plastic bags, checking all liquids, almost every kind of delay – and who knows what the future will bring . . . right?
But despite all the hassles – flying is such a beautiful way to travel – allow me a moment to remind you!
A few months ago I got the unexpected chance to visit my friends - Chris Ferrar and Janice Paulken; a married couple living six hours up the mountains and into the boonies of the Department of Tarija.
Susan, Sarah, and I were on our way back from Sucre city, when we got stopped in Las Carreras – Chris & Janice’s site. 
Traffic was stopped for hours, effectively turning a 15–17 hour flota (or bus) ride into a roughly 27 hour trip.
Jan & Chris were 
nice enough to show us around the 
palace they call home. Jan even started cooking 
… had her good friend across the street kill a chicken for us and everything . . . 
(by the way, fresh chicken is really the way to go).
Chris & Jan, like many volunteers – 
LOVE gifts/cards/pictures/maps and any other reminders of life at home and their “remembrance wall” is 
actually a part of their kitchen/living room/ TV or rather computer room.
When this river 
floods it can easily stop traffic for hours and even days – effectively cutting of one of the main shipping and transport arteries 
from North to South; including our flota!
Seriously these buses were supposed to cross this
river (please note the Bolivian wading across the water to check whether or not we could ford the river at its present height.
Unfortunately, Bolivia lacks well developed or up kept infrastructure – the only bridge nearby was in no way fit 
to handle the weight of these large flotas, but unfortunately that didn’t really deter many 
drivers from trying to dismantle the horizontal bars that maintain the height/weight limit for the integrity of the bridge (see pic) 
.
Locals just grabbed their 
goods and baggage to walk across the bridge & try to catch transport on the other side of the river. Delays are a common occurrence here – it’s all part of a culture where time is pressing (for good or ill) and an extra day of travel is just what happens sometimes.
The scenery was beautiful 
– and thankfully, our flota did not break down while crossing the still flooded river nor later during the remaining hours of dirt road.
Needless to say – flying may have its own pitfalls – but a clean airport – these days with internet service – sure can beat a 27 hour bus ride most days!!
Now playing: Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
Sarah - does this mean you have learned to kill a chicken and prepare it for dinner? Because I know that many of us back in los Estados Unidos would like to see you perform such a feat! I bet I could sell tickets!
Left by Army on October 1st, 2007