The Bolivian Border

I`ve always found borders a strange thing. On the other side there`s often different laws, languages, currency, or culture - or some combination of these.

Borders are artificial divides on a map. Lines that divide. They’re there to keep people out, or keep people in.

I’d like to say that I noticed no differences crossing the border from Bolivia to Peru - but there were. The people and landscape changed as soon as I walked under the archway between the two countries and headed off to get my entry visa.

The border isn’t like at an airport. It’s a building on one side where you get stamped out of one country, and then a five minute walk through no man’s land, up the hill, under the arch, and down the hill to the building to get an entry visa.

It did make me wonder what would happen if one country stamped you out, and the other refused to stamp you in.

There were no searches, no problems - it was just a formality.

(I’m writing this having had a few weeks in Bolivia): Compared to Peru, Bolivia is economically poorer than every single one of its neighbours. With no port, its difficult for the country to engage in international trade, and more than half of the country is rain forest - which everyone is pressurising Bolivia to protect. It`s also still saddled with foreign debt - altough there appears to be moves to cancel this. It all means that about 60% of the people here live below the poverty line.

But in another way, Bolivia has so much more than most of the other countries I’ve ever visited. The place has a vibrancy, easy going, and laid back way about it. In fact, I’ve already stayed in Bolivia longer than I planned - and will probably be hear for a while yet. There`s just so much to see and do.

Keep watching for further exciting reports!