Tupiza

Weather: Quote from Aussies staying at hotel "crikey mate this is real sun burn weather"

Llama count: 0 but goat count 5.

Today I went horse riding in the real wild west, with the french. We were all given stetsons to wear, which turned out to be essential as it was hot enough to fry an english breakfast on the rocks. I was the only one who had ridden before, and was handed a horse called Rock, which the guide mimed boxing for when I couldn´t initially understand his name. This and the spanish phrase be careful he (then something I didn´t understand) that the women owner shouted as I left was pretty ominous.  I decided at first it was probably a warning that he didn´t like traffic, as he skittled backwards at every passing truck. However, it wasn´t until the way home that he put in his real party trick, a nasty double barrelled and twisting buck. If I was riding with an English saddle I would have been on the floor, luckily western ones are harder to fall out of. The guide decided at this moment it was time to swap with me, and I got to ride a Bolivian race horse home.

I spent the rest of the day asleep, or swimming as the temperature rocketed.

Today I am off into deepest darkest Bolivia for four days. Not sure there will be any internet so please expect radio silence for a few days.

Hope you are all having fun in sunny England.