This is Hannah. I figured since I have not spent two years in Bolivia, my experience riding a bus from La Paz to Copacabana (that`s in Bolivia folks, NOT the one in Brazil) would be a little more comparable to what ya`ll readers might feel in such a situation.

Some simple "facts":

1. The ride from La Paz to Copacabana (the beach that lies along the coast of Lake Titicaca in Northern Bolivia) should take 3.5 hours.

2. Buses are usually more comfortable than their smaller bretheren, the micro, and therefore, usually a bit more expensive and more crowded with travlers like ourselves.

To begin, our ride lasted 6 hours. The reasons for this delay were as best as I can gather, as follows:

1. We stopped to get passengers half way outside of the city of La Paz. One passenger thought it would be a good idea to tote his newly-purchased motor bike back. The driver and this gentlemen had a very fun experience of trying to manuever this machine onto the roof of the bus.

2. We stopped for gas 10 minutes later. This is apparently illegal in Bolivia as the bus had passengers on it and there is a law against refilling while full of people.

3. 20 minutes later we break down for the FIRST time. This is followed by 20 minutes of hopeless attempts to restart the bus, unloading all passengers and bags (yes, this includes the motorbike) and then a promise that another bus will arrive in 15 minutes. 45 minutes later, we are reloaded on another bus and back in business. Meagan has neglected to find a suitable bathroom during this time, however, and our lunch of cheetos and M&M`s has begun to feel less than satisfying.

4. We make it to the outskirts of town (15 km maybe) and we break down again. That`s right, they sent us a bus, and the radiator decided to blow while we are struggling uphill to the paradise town of Copacabana. The sun is starting to set and it is getting cold. In the process of watching the exhaust pipe sputter black fumes, Meg and I are able to find a baño, it is behind a nearby pile of rocks. I pee on my boots. 

5. We reboard the bus, this time, stopping every kilometer and half for the driver and lackeys to get out and refill 2 liter soda bottles with water from nearby streams. This, presumably is what is keeping the engine cool enought to get us all the way to our destination. We arrive at 6:30 p.m. 30 mintes after our alloted RSVP deadline for the hotel.

All right.  So that was our day in hell.  This is meagan by the way.  We did end up getting into the hotel where our reservations had expired and the view from our window can be seen in the pictures section.  Pretty sweet, huh? 

At any rate, the day after our trip we went to the Isla del Sol where the Incas believe the sun was born and spent a lovely (if somewhat tiring day because of the altitude) hiking around the island.  The picture of Hannah on our picnic blanket with her shoes off and smiling basically says it all about our day in heaven.  And today we continue that stride of heaven-ness currently by having slept for almost 12 hours straight, eating a leisurely breakfast and lounging in hammocks all morning before getting our butts down here to the internet cafe to tell you all about it.  At any rate, we plan on eating two very good meals before getting on our bus at 6:30pm (in case we should have a repeat performance) that will be heading for Cusco.  Love to all!