A travel vlog by Kara and Nate Buchanan documenting their overnight travel from Patagonia to Bolivia. The video covers the airport experience and lounge in Puerto Natales, overnight flights with a Santiago connection, getting a visa on arrival in Bolivia (including required paperwork and cost), low-cost local transport into La Paz, and first impressions of the city and their Airbnb.
Questions this video answers
US$160
About 50 cents
About US$1 per person
Country number 38
Three hours
Chapters
Hola. Today is the same day as yesterday's vlog, but yesterday was just too good to end with a long, terrible travel night.
So you don't know it's going to be terrible. We take a three hour bus ride, then we get on a plane at 1 in the morning, then we get to another airport at four, then we have a two hour layover, then we get on another plane at six and we arrive in Bolivia, no problem. The next morning. Like I said, last one's on the bus. One last thank you to Chili Tour and Richie for the amazing four days here in Patagonia. Patagonia, Puerto Natales. We're going to put arenas right now. Let's go.
We just got to the airport. It is about 9:50. It was a painless three hour bus ride.
We're about three hours early at a tiny airport which means the baggage people aren't here for another hour. So like our last few times we've flown, except for when we were with Southern Explorations, that was awesome. We're waiting.
So the problem that we're running into this year is that our bags are stuffed a lot more full than they were last year because Patagonia is like really hard to prepare for. Really just like the outdoors in South America are hard to prepare for. So now we have puffy jackets, hiking boots and our bags don't really fit like carry on policy anymore.
They really almost never did on budget airlines in the first place because they're so heavy. But now they like really don't. If we were on like American Airlines or somewhere in the US they would be fine. But yeah, they're not. So we're waiting, it's fine.
Should be able to check our bags in like less than an hour.
And then we're going to the lounge. Oh, hold this and let me read what the lounge is. So I'm setting my expectations pretty low. According to lounge buddy. It says smallest lounge that I've ever seen. But still quite amazing that this small airport has a lounge. Free, very slow wi fi, very limited selection of beverages.
This.
Better than nothing.
We got checked in and now we are heading towards security. Then going to the lounge.
Lights are on.
Car before you pull it. What do you think the chances of this being open are?
We kind of forgot that it's almost 11pm.
I feel like there's like a 75% chance that is close.
Oh, oh, oh. The lights are on.
It wasn't closed so that's a pro. So far the reveal lounge buddy was spot on. Did get a welcome drink. It's way better than sitting in the airport.
We know what it's like out there. So we have this little room all to ourselves.
A blue couch.
Super fancy. Pretty much Hong Kong.
It is 12:15. Kara's already been asleep for a little while in the lounge. We are boarding our flight to Santiago.
I didn't even know we were going to Santiago.
Anything else?
I think that covers it. We found soup in the lounges. Yummy.
I have the hiccups.
Parent status.
We are the first ones to board the plane. Is this the first time ever?
Maybe.
We don't have a window seat. We're both going to sleep. We'll see you in Santiago.
Way too close to me.
It is the middle of the night. We've made it to Santiago.
We're both really tired.
If this place looks familiar, it's because it is. We get an hour in the lounge.
We just had a very early breakfast. And now we are going to fill out our Bolivia visa forms. So so far, every country that we've been to in South America has been like, no problem on the visas. But it cost US$160 to get into Bolivia. I also had to print off these forms. Bank statements, proof of flights leaving, proof of hotels while we were there. Have to have our yellow fever card, and we have to have passport photos. I'm pretty sure I have everything that we need. I really, really hope we don't get there. And I'm missing something.
It is 6am we didn't have any coffee so that we can pass out on the plane again. Now we're going bo.
This is country number 38.
Well, we made it. It was a long night, but everything since getting to the airport has gone very smoothly. Took us about an hour to get through customs and immigration, and that included getting a visa. We were a little nervous when we showed up because there was no like, sign for a stand where you get a visa. So we just walked up to immigration and he asked if I had one. Long story short, you can get a visa on arrival in Bolivia as long as you bring the correct paperwork. Which, thankfully, I've done my research ahead of time. We also just grabbed some money from the ATM and we heard there's a local bus that'll take you to town for like 50 cents.
I think this calls for some cookies. Hope that wasn't our bus.
Cactuses.
We are super packed in this van, but it was really easy. We just threw our stuff on top and got in.
Bus ride was super easy. My ears are popping.
It is 11am and we are finally checked in to our Airbnb in La Paz.
I'm so sleepy, but I'm so excited about being in La Paz. From what I've seen, I think it's going to be one of our favorite cities ever.
The ride in was super cool. It's like no other city we've ever seen. It's built down in this valley. All the houses or like buildings seem to be like this brown color.
Like we drove in at the top of the valley and then the two like mountains go down like this and the houses are just packed. I mean the whole city is just packed down in this little area and.
Surrounded by snow covered mountains. It's really beautiful.
And the women here, or a lot of the women still dress in traditional clothes and it's these really funny hats with these big poofy dresses. It's just so cool to see him walking down the road.
And the van ride from the airport to the city, which took ended up taking almost an hour, costs like a dollar apiece.
Are you serious?
Yeah. This is our kind of city.
I think we're gonna love it here.
I accidentally booked us a mansion.
I really like our place.
So this is the first bedroom, second bedroom, third bedroom, first bathroom, second bathroom.
Stairwell, living room, dining room with fake fruit, kitchen, third bathroom and washroom. And the best part.
We'll pause.
So we haven't slept much at all over the last two weeks. Hiking in Patagonia, trying to get vlogs out resulted in very limited sleep. And last night was just like the icing on the cake.
I don't even want to know how little we slept last night, but I think I'm done for the day.
The vlog is ending here.
11:00Am we're getting in bed.
So we just got to the airport after like a two and a half.
