entering Bolivia

At the bus station, there was Jay, waiting for the same bus as me. Two Irish guys, Eddie and Terrence talk to us both immediately, they are nervous about crossing the border. There is no true description of how to get to the border from the bus station or how to leave the Bolivian side to get to Tupiza. Our bible, the lonely planet guide, has left us to work that out. They suggest we stick together for safety and Jay seems a bit nicer today so I agree. A Chinese couple traveling from Canada join us on our venture too. We are all sharing the lower deck of our very comfortable laid back suite seats. This would change soon so we had all opted to make the most of the luxury. Dazidly getting off at the Argentinian side we all grab our bags and look around. There are no taxis or taxi ranks in sight. I try in my terrible spanish to find out where the taxis are. Around the corner. We walk all the way around the station to find them in the opposite direction to the way we had been directed. Tricker bus man, he had used pointing so we had definately understood him. Anyway, we caught taxis to the border. Where all you had to say was, I´ve been through immigration, and you could walk through to Bolivia. A river divides the countries here, we just cross a bridge and the change is noticable immediately. Women wear many layers in bright colours and bowler hats are the fashion. It suddenly seems dirtier and even at 5 in the morning there are people wandering around asking you to buy something. After asking several people for directions to the bus station to Tupiza and a fifteen minute walk with our bags later, we arrive in time to pay for the privilege to use a smelly ugly toilet and drink a cup of coffee. We buy a ticket for the bus, give the lugguage boy a tip and are asked to pay a second time to be allowed on the smelly slightly broken bus. Those who wish to sell empanadas or food of some sort are allowed on the bus at different moments and then jump back off for more if they need to. Bolivians seem to look after eachother in that way, giving eachother a chance to make some money. That was the most tasty smell good empanada that I have ever tried. Dangerously close to the edge of bumpy and dusty roads, two hours later we arrive in Tupiza. Six of us walk using my lonely planet map that I´ve ripped out of the book to find a hostel. I gave up booking hostels in advance ages ago, it´s way more exciting rocking up unannounced.