Will chuck in a couple of random observations. The old women here seem not to favour the bowler hat seen in Uyuni, going for something in straw or black material which looks slightly less outlandish.
Also, there seem to be lots of political posters and graffiti and what have you here. I infer there is an election this year, but I still find it a little odd.
8:40pm. Just got on the bus. My seat turns out to be right at the front on the top deck. I made sure I picked a seat on its own instead of part of a pair when I booked. So at least I can get up if I need to without disturbing anyone. I have to wear my seat belt as I'm in the front row, apparently, but I probably would have anyway. And I guess I may get a half decent view from here at least part of the way.
Feeling quite a lot better. Perhaps it's actually being on the bus or maybe it's the tablets I took earlier. I fully expect to feel like crap when I wake up, but I feel up to handling that right now. All I have to do is sit here for 8+ hours, which should be no trouble. There is a kid singing somewhere behind me but I have my headphones with me and I assume he will shut up later.
Since I am right at the front I have the stairs behind me. That's a bonus, I can recline my seat without worrying about pissing off whoever is sat behind.
8:53pm. We just moved about an inch. Literally a minute ago a guy turned up with another ticket for this seat. Bit of a jolt. Turned out he is on the 9pm bus not the 8:45. No problem with him, but I wish someone had checked my ticket before I got on. Oh well. We are moving now, fingers crossed I am indeed on the right bus. :-)
I might as well observe this bus is as comfortable, in fact practically identical to, the sleeper buses I got in Chile. The cheapish day bus from Uyuni to Potosi was rather down at heel, but I have no idea what the equivalent in Chile might have been like. In any case, clearly the blanket statement that Bolivian buses are terrible (which the guy in the tour office in San Pedro where I booked the Uyuni trip made) isn't true.
9:15pm. Joy. They are showing a film (Brazilian, I guess, "2 filhos de Francisco", dubbed into Spanish.) The soundtrack is on the speakers so I can't listen to some music and the seat lights are disabled so I can't read. I guess I'll watch the film then since it seems I have NO FRICKING CHOICE.
11:10pm. Nothing seems longer than a film you don't really want to watch. I got the gist of most of it. Just about watchabe but nothing amazing. They turned the TV off, it's pitch black and the windows are running with condensation. I am fairly comfortable however, time for MP3s and maybe some sleep.
5:30am. We rocked up here at 5:15am. So much for the fabled Latin American inefficiency. There are cabs outside and it doesn't feel that scary - probably better than Victoria Coach Station would at this hour. I have decided to play it safe and sit the hour or so until daylight out at the bus terminal. At the very least, this means I won't be wandering around when the taxi drops me off trying to find the hostel in the dark. Just bought a coffee for 3 Bolivianos, that should help tide me over.
There is a helpful poster from the tourist police warning about various scams. Quite reassuring in a way that it says anyone in civilian clothes with police credentials is a fake (and you should ask for help from a uniformed officer if this happens, or scream (it literally says that, in English) for help if one isn't around. At least this gives me confidence I am not going to get into deeper trouble by refusing to accompany a genuine plain clothes policeman...
Will send this now in case something happens. Battery nearly flat anyway.
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