It’s true, in La Paz you watch your back. But when 80% of the population lives beneath the poverty line, you can’t really blame them. And the worst you’ll find is theft. You leave your purse on the back of the chair at a restaurant, it won’t stay there long. You leave your iPod on your bed when you run out of your room for a few minutes, it will disappear (as Aaron learned the hard way…). But at the same time, if you walk around with your backpack unzipped, a kind Bolivian will quickly tell you to zip it up. Or if you’re waiting in line to exchange money on the street, someone else will tell you where to find a legitimate and reliable place to exchange money instead of getting fake notes where you are. They look out for each other and they’ll look out for you too.

And there’s actually a lot to see in La Paz. Both Aaron and I have been to the vast city on many occasions – me to lead tours and Aaron on border runs to extend his Peruvian visa. I’ve had the opportunity to go to the pre-Incan ruins of Tiahuanaco about 30 minutes north of the city (Topas Tours has great guides), do the Deathroad Bike Tour where still today tourists drive off the cliff faces on their bikes (Gravity Tours have the best bikes and safety record), visit the infamous San Pedro prison where the prison is run by the prisoners, or just shop in the cheap stalls of Sagarnaga Street or eat like a king for under $10.