Hey all. First of all, here´s a couple of photos. First is the frisbee sessions on the million mile Ultimate field on the salt fields of Uyuni (about 1.5 weeks ago now). The dog didn´t get the gist of what was going on, so not a scratch (from the dog at least - the rocky nothingness of the middle of nowhere brought some new terrain to the frisbee´s countenance.) The second is my first full day in Cochabamba last week (I´ve been here a week!) where I discovered that security is the number one priority for most Cbbinos, brought to you by Pepsi Cola. There´s so many images I want to share with you all, and some images that are definitely only to be understood by individuals. All coming soon! But for now...
Right, here it is... my bitch about the traffic. I know you think you all have seen the worst traffic conditions in the world (India, for example... ) and you may be right but I haven´t been to India and all I can comment on is the Cbbino experience...
1. There are pedestrian crossings everywhere... but at NO time does a pedestrian have right of way (I think that´s the official word!)
2. There are ramps at the ends of some crossings clearly marked with the sign suggesting that it´s for people with disabilities. Now I reckon that any person with a disability who needs such a ramp are going to be in the poo just contemplating crossing some of these roads, no matter how easily they can get up the ramp (which is at at least (generously) a 35 degree angle).
3. NObody uses their indicators... no. That´s not true. I have been surprised to see a few examples, but they only stand out now because they´re so rare!
4. NObody wears their seatbelts. And I mean nobody. I´ve looked around!
5. EVERYbody (which may not really be EVerybody) is in a hurry when they´re in their car. The tooting is maddening (actually I´m getting used to it. And I worked out why so many cars were blaring their horn at me even when I was well out of the way, or even when on the footpath! - there are more taxis here than internet cafes, so the competition is enormous and therefore they toot just to make sure I know they´re there if I wanted one and accidentally happen to be looking the wrong way, like at my coffee inside the coffee shop!)
6. Now this is an indication that I´m not overly sensitive: People cross themselves in prayer when they get to a particularly dodgy part of the road network!! - passengers on buses, fair enough, but the driver!! Man, if you´re not confident that you´ll get through it, you shouldn´t be driving the damn thing.
7. There are no roadworks here, or at least none that can keep up with the incredibly poor state of the roads. People drive on the wrong side of the road when the other side is particularly unsafe (because driving into the path of oncoming traffic is just fine...)
8. The cops (and this is a much bigger problem than just for traffic) knock off work at 6pm!!! The main police station is still open but there´s NO police action on the street. Now many of you know how I get a little nervous just walking by a cop, but this is much more nerve racking! (There are, however, friendly enough security guards on almost every street corner after 6 (at least in the areas that I frequent at night) with their dogs (or their CHILDREN!! - I must say, it´s quite endearing to see the guy with his truncheon and gun building up a little Lego house with his daughter while it´s "quiet time" on the streets...) and when they are on duty, they don´t care.
9. It seemed like there was NO rules to roundabouts (just jump in and hope for the best?), but it seems now that you stop for entering traffic when you´re ON the roundabout already... or something...
10. And I know this isn´t fair but... COCHABAMBINOS ALL DRIVE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD!!!
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