onto it and I have to say it was at a particular jaunty angle then 2 poor boatmen started to pole the thing across the lake!!! Check out the photos! There were a fair few of these things bobbing around on the lake and while not looking the sturdiest of things they seemed to bob their way across the lake in record time seeing as these things didn’t even have an engine! Like I say we were relived that we had taken the more stylish and motorised boat across, although there were a far few people crammed onboard so there wasn’t much room for stretching out!

Thankfully our bus made it across unscathed and after viewing a couple of the flat boats at close range we were even more amazed it made it. Soon we were back on the bus and continuing our way to La Paz. La Paz is the world’s highest capital, although its not really the capital but hey ho! Also you have to consider Lhasa, which is actually the

world’s highest capital, if you ignore the fact that the Chinese think they liberated it and now own it. Anyway whatever your views there is no getting away from the fact that this is high plateau country. We past a smattering of isolated villages perched high on these plains and wondered how difficult it must be for people to live in these parts. No more whinging about Manchester rain believe me, we have it very very easy.

Again children are wrapped in a multitude of blankets which are slung over their mothers backs. The dress is very colourful and the hats are just the best. The hats dictate where you are in the social standing, a lady wearing a bowler hat straight means that she is married, at an angle means she is single; the way that their hair is plaited also means different things. There are far too many traditions for me to ever understand or know of, but it is a fascinating part of