Sorojchi - La Paz

What better way to start this post off than to share with everyone how my arrival in La Paz was one of my most dramatic arrivals in a foreign country for me yet!

I have been to La Paz in the past, which sits at more than 4,000 meters above sea level. I have also been to another high-standing capital: Quito, Ecuador at a far less 2,800 meters, with neither of them giving me any serious problem regarding altitude sickness. That being said, my previous trip through La Paz was arriving by land from Cuzco, Peru, which already sits at around 3,400 meters, having allowed me some time to acclimatize prior to reaching the daunting 4,000 meter mark.

Arriving this time was a little bit of a learning experience as to how important these midway altitude stopovers are in working your way towards a goal. It makes a big difference when you allow your body to adapt little by little, and not take off in Miami one night and land in La Paz the next morning at 5:30 am, only to walk out the plane doors and to be kicked in the face with the infamous Sorojchi - aka: Soroche, MAM (mal de montana), mal de altura, etc. I think you get the picture. The initial minutes clambering off the plane with little sleep from the cramped and brief flight down from MIA did not leave me much time to grasp the reality of what was about to come next. I stumbled down that little portable hallway that brings you into the terminal where every crams together and waits to forfeit their little declaration cards and receive their immigration stamps. Even coming down the hallway these first few steps was quite the experience, as I was not totally sure if it was my vision swaying or the people walking ahead of me. I waited for Nicholas to gather his things and catch up with me, as we began our crawl towards the little boxed people who collect cards and stamp passports.

Some nifty little anti-altitude sickness pills
that are supposed to help...

Every step I took I realized things were definitely not improving. I continually felt the need to bend down and put my hands on my knees as if I had just finished a marathon; I was not catching my breathe and the symptoms proceeded. To make matters more interesting, my feeling of heat and strange sweats had taken a timely reversal to a very cold feeling that run across my face. Now we were up to the front and Nicholas was called up next, moving to one of the immigration booths.... It was at this exact point in time that I define as my low-light to my first day in Bolivia: As I waited to see someone wave me over, I suddenly realized that I was no longer able to see anyone wave, or anyone at all for that matter, or the floor... I struggled to maintain consciousness as I knew what was happening, I was on the verge of blacking out and I was not going to let that happen. I concentrated as hard as I could while gasping for the thin, fleeting O2 molecules that floated around me. I managed to make out a women working with the immigration process next to me and explained my not so pleasant situation; she ever so kindly led me to a chair a mere ten feet away and helped me sit down.


I spent another good fifteen minutes here as my vision came back and a slightly better grasp on coping with my new environment in which I would not escape for at least another week. I then took note of the sharp taste of blood coming from somewhere within my... mouth? It could have been some veins at the back of my sinuses for all I know but it never got to the point of escaping to the outside thankfully. Nicholas had turned back and asked if all was okay, and then grinned and exclaimed: "I thought you were looking a little whiter than normal in the face before". It was after I was back on my feet that we noticed an oxygen supply bar only another 20-30 feet away. Much to my dismay it was still closed as our arrival was too early...

The oxygen bar we spotted after the fact :(

All said and done, we made it out of the airport, suitcases and bags in hand and found our taxi driver waiting patiently to guide us on our descent down the crater into La Paz and the South of the city where we would be staying (almost an entire kilometer drop in altitude from "El Alto" where the airport is situated). The sun was out and the air was fresh, the perfect mix to help me feel a little better, along with taking a few photos while I did so.

We arrived at our hotel, which was beautiful, and opted for a much needed short nap before some brunch and a little exploring of the city. However, this nap and the previous night were not quite enough so I will be heading in a little early tonight to prepare for our orientation tomorrow with the Cuso team here in La Paz.

View looking out over our garden

View from our stairwell

I wish you all goodnight as I drift off into a slumber of red blood-cell building. Wish me luck!

-Adrien