"It was only a short walk over the border and Villazón in Bolivia, a country it had always been my ambition to visit. My first introduction to the country had been when I had called at their embassy in London to collect some travel information. The two officials I met were so interested in my planned trip that, as they were just about to close, they invited me to join them for a drink in the pub across the road, where we talked for about 3 hours. Villazón was a real mess of a town and the difference in standard of living between the two countries was quite noticeable. I stayed at what seemed the best hotel in town, but it was still not very good. After the almost north American type efficiency of Argentina I felt I was now in a third world country, and as I waited and watched while my bus was being loaded up next morning, I wondered what I was letting myself in for." - Mh