Sunday, July 6, 2008

Stuck in La Paz & Miami....


Stuck here in La Paz, waiting for Fred and Hazel, who are inconveniently stuck in Miami.
Smoggy place- cheap but I´m gnashing at the bit to escape. Chris is ill though- has had a bit of a cough for a while, and now is feeling feverish and lacking in energy- possibly a chest infection. I´ve put him on antibiotics. Hope to do the El Chorro trek as soon as Chris recovers and Fred and Hazel get here.
Andy


Isn't life fun, especially if you're a cheapskate with a dud airline! If we thought Air Iberia, Spains airline icon, was bad two years ago we had another think coming!! Briefly, in perfect weather, with no aircraft engineering problems, we have been marooned in Miami for two nights so far, with no offer of compensation, free meals or accommodation etc and still on standby tonight (the daily plane to La Paz goes at 11 pm).

Welcome to the USA the home of the free! (more like the rip off merchant! Don't be cynical Fred!!)

Anyhow, being cheapskates we have been sleeping on the airport floor, then getting a bus downtown for a wander and a bite to eat etc. Today is our second day in town.

We are sending this from our third internet café. The first two were choked up with viruses of the computer kind so we left them amidst confused apologies and money back.

For Chris and Andys' benefit we may see you tomorrow in La Paz, but don't bank on it!

Miami that we have seen is mainly concrete in large chunks with a fabulous tropical climate, and has plenty of buses and trains to trundle you around if required. Yesterday – the 4th of July – Independence Day – no wonder there were only the vagrants and black wheel-chair war vets hanging out. In the afternoon there was a big fair on the waterfront which we left as had to get back to the airline battle front.

Meanwhile Andy and Chris have been having a fantastic time by the sound of it – trekking in Peru and by now in La Paz probably sussing out the mountaineering scene. They will be fairly well acclimatized by the time we get there.

Miami is very Spanish, I'm told due to a lot of immigration from Cuba etc. Good for practicing our Spanish!

Fred and Hazel

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