Imprisoned...

Scratch my last comment, update courtesy of email to the parentals as follows -

I arrived in La Paz last night, absolutely exhausted post long trip up from BA, 30 hours to the border with Bolivia, then another 18 to get to La Paz. Also got altitude sickness at the border (think not eating much in 48 hrs didn´t help, poss dehydrated too) so nearly fainted in the queue for immigration. Luckily there was a group of Aussies who very sweetly gave me a cereal bar and some water whilst I crouched down to stop my head spinning. Made it up to the bus stop with a nice dog following me all the day - he even stopped and lay down outside the bank whilst I got money, then lay in front of my bags (which was good guarding so meant I could rummage around for plasters as also tripped on my knees - looked like doofus before, now have traveller gap yah trousers so look like different sort of doofus). The dog didn´t want to be fed or patted or anything, so I like to think he could sense my nervousness and was a sort of benign spirit to protect me til I felt better. I know, I know, sad. Was definitely my scariest moment so far, had not banked on feeling ill all on my lonesome. Pretty much passed out when I got here and slept loads, so feel miles better today.
Have had a good day here - went to witches market which was a bit of a let down - I had misinterpreted foetuses as being pickled babies in jars. Turns out they´re shrivelled baby llamas instead. Perfect present for the errant youf for Christmas. Have also bought llama festooned hat, gloves and socks for the salt flats as apparently freeeezing there, all for about 1.50 each. Starting to really get into this Gap Yah tragedy role now.
Also....went to San Pedro prison today - RIGHT INSIDE. You pay 400 bolivianos (40 quid) and then they take you in. You write down your passport no and name and then they write a number on your arm (in case you disappear and are never seen again). The prisoners take you round - our guide was a Dutchman, Sebastian, in there for 15 yrs for smuggling, and our guard was a Bolivian murderer, Victor, (v.old tho, was not convinced he´d be v.good at guarding if put to test). We even got to take a few pics but obviously can´t put them up or anything - otherwise they get shut down, also (probably for that reason) we were mostly only allowed to take nondescript pictures of the roof. Did get one of the Dead Man´s Alley where 10 people were killed in 1997. We were shown all round the different blocks, 7 of them, all with internal rules. You have to buy or rent a room, and lots of people have families in there. They have restaurants, a pool room, all sorts of entertainment stuff. It´s basically a mini economy in itself. At one point he took us up on the roof and a friend called across to him - said friend busted smuggling kilos and kilos of cocaine across border. There is a book about the prison called ´Marching Powder´ which am dying to read when I get back. Weirdly felt safe in there - people do stare at you but they´re not allowed to talk to the tourists, as obviously if something went wrong or people said it was dangerous the whole thing would be shut down, and they make quite a bit from it, in terms of fee to get in, plus tip, plus friendship bracelets etc sold on way round. One guy said to us ´hey baby how are you?´and our guide went ballistic, telling him to back off and that he can´t speak to us etc. The whole place is hugely overcrowded too, 1,700 prisoners plus family bringing it up to 2,500 and about 3,000 on wk ends with visitors..
Whole experience = extraordinary. Adrenaline plus general high altitude = I was buzzing by the time I got out!

Have realised that most of editing from email to parents involved removing exclamation marks I´d put in to make everything sound light hearted and tooootally safe. Ha.