Bolivia Six month backpacking trip through Bolivia, Peru and central America: update 2/14
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Johan Kruseman
Updated on 17 September 2024
Updated on 17 September 2024
I actually want to write to you every day because I keep experiencing strange things here. However, I promised you, after seeing the fearful faces when you heard that you were also on Johan’s-in-Bolivia email list, that I wouldn’t bombard you with daily emails full of uninteresting and then-and-then-and-then stories. But hey, I’m the author here, so I decide what and how much gets told.
First of all, my first week seemed to be the week of women. After my Argentine wife and my Japanese roommate, I met Jet (whom I know well from my tennis club) and Nienke in La Paz. In the next random village, Potosí for those interested, I met Dawn and Geraldine. Then I ran into Klaartje from Utrecht and Saskia and Maartje from Groningen. It took me 5 days to meet the first guys.
I’ve been in Sucre for a week now (let’s call it the The Hague of Bolivia: government but not the capital). Had an awesome week. Accidentally ended up in café Joyride on the first day: a piece of the Netherlands in Bolivia. The owner and half of the staff are Dutch. So, I didn’t need to bother learning the word “cerveza” because I can just order in Dutch: “BIERTJE!” Also, every evening, Maartje, Saskia, and I stand on the table singing along when “Hey Baby ooh aah” comes on. The Bolivians love it and can already speak some Dutch (“lekker ding” (hot babe) and “rot op” (get lost), including all the conjugations: I rot op, you rot, he/she/you rot op, we rotten op, you guys rotten op, they rotten op, you know, the useful words).
So, I’ve been doing Spanish lessons for a week now. Funny thing is, the only word I could say without an accent was ‘cerveza,’ so that’s basically all I talked about with my teacher. Now he probably thinks I’m some kind of alcoholic.
Anyway, hung out with two Israelis who’ve dubbed me “the crazy Dutchman” at a birthday party thrown by a Bolivian dude. Then, I hit up a club with a Panamanian, a Brit, and a Brazilian. There was this terrible Karaoke and a lime-scented ambiance. I went all out and did the Ketchup song, complete with all the moves. When we walked in, we got this warm welcome like, “y una bienvenida a los gringos.” After I told him where we were from, he kept saying each song was dedicated to the Dutch guy, the Panamanian, etc.
By 4 am, I was the only gringo left, trying to speak Spanish at a local café until 6. Thankfully, we all had our cervezas, so we didn’t really understand each other, but everyone pretended to get the Spanish-English-Dutch conversation.
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Traveled route: La Paz, Potosí, Sucre, Tupiza, Uyuni, Salar de Uyuni, Cochabamba, Villa Tunari, Coroico, Rurrenabaque,Most Dangerous Road of the World, Isla del Sol
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Six month backpacking trip through Bolivia, Peru and central America: update 3/14
First off, let me explain why there are no tall Bolivians. The water here is heated electrically, and the showers are kinda low. Anyone over 1.75 meters (that’s me) risks getting electrocuted while showering. I’ve had about three shocks so far, b
Bolivia
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