It all started with a flat tire....
During our trip to La Paz we were able to see Lake Titicaca, which is located in what is called the "altiplano"...a stretch of highlands at an altitude of 13000-15000 feet. Pretty incredible considering the fact that you can see the Andes rising above that in the distance.
After our lunch at Hotel Titicaca, our driver noticed the van had a flat tire. No biggie. We went and played on the playground and minutes later he had it fixed. Presto! About 30 minutes later on the way home it went flat again...again, no big deal, unless you are in the middle of nowhere and one of your friends has started feeling quite ill (we blame it on the rice). So, we waited for almost two hours while our tire got fixed and played truth truth lie, you know it? We learned some new things about our dear Elliotts and Molly, and Molly learned that it is no fun to feel sick in the altiplano. Is this the end of our fun day? nope. Later that night (this is Saturday before Easter) Chad woke up and was sick for three hours in the middle of the night. I went across the hall to get some more water from the Elliotts, feeling a little wierd about waking them up, but they were already up. Sick. We missed the Easter service the next morning, and Chad had to breathe some oxygen from the tank, but really, what brings people closer than being sick together? So, while we are not happy with the rice, we now feel more connected to the people we love here. Just keep that rice away from us, please.