Bolivia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 159

calls. While there are a few coin-operated
telephone booths in the street, most use
prepaid cards . These are widely available
at street stalls, which often have their own
phones for public use or are sited next to
booths, and come in denominations of
10, 20 and 50 bolivianos. You might also
consider buying a cheap mobile phone
handset, or bringing one with you, and
buying a Bolivian pay-as-you-go SIM.
If you're dialling long-distance within
Bolivia, you'll need the respective area
code , which for La Paz, Oruro and Potosí
is T 02; for Beni, Pando and Santa Cruz
T

EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Police T 110
Ambulance T 118
Directory assistance T 104

they and/or their associates rob the victims,
or, in even worse scenarios, kidnap and
seriously assault the victims to force them
to reveal their PINs. Always check the
ID of any taxi you take and only ever use
official ones; better still, whenever possible
ask your hotel to order one for you.
Another common means of theft starts
with you being spat on or having some
substance spilt on you; a “helpful
passer-by” will stop you, point out the
offending substance and attempt to clean
it off you (while their partner in crime
quickly relieves you of your valuables).
If this happens to you, don't stop and
walk on as quickly as possible before
cleaning yourself up.
Political upheaval is a regular feature of
everyday life in Bolivia. Keep an eye on
the news and ask around before you make
travel plans - road blockades are the go-to
form of protest for many groups, and can
easily disrupt your schedule, while street
protests are also common.

2

03; and for Cochabamba, Chuquisaca
and Tarija T 04. Mobile phone numbers
are eight digits wherever you are.
Calling internationally, the cheapest
option is via an internet phone or Skype
service. Internet cafés themselves are
ubiquitous in all but the most remote
corners of Bolivia, though connections
are often slow. Expect to pay about
B$3-6 per hour. An increasing number
of towns are wi-fi -enabled, and lodgings
often offer it free, while the Alexander
Coffee café chain always has a strong
signal. Some towns, including Uyuni,
still do not have wi-fi at all.

CRIME AND SAFETY
In recent years, Bolivia's crime levels have
risen partly in response to the country's
worsening economic situation. If you
apply common-sense precautions ,
however, there's no need to be paranoid:
the vast majority of crime against tourists
is opportunistic theft, and violence is rare .
An increasingly common method of theft
is through the use of fake police of cers
and fake taxi drivers. Fake policemen may
approach you on the street and ask to
search you or see your documents (before
making off with them) or may ask you to
go with them in a taxi to the “police
station”. Be aware that real policemen
would never do this, so on no account
hand over your documents or valuables
and never accompany a stranger in a taxi.
Another trick is for fake taxi drivers
or even minibus drivers to pick up
unsuspecting passengers before either
stopping in a deserted part of town where

HEALTH
Though levels of hygiene and sanitation
are generally poor in Bolivia, you can
reduce the risk of getting ill. Avoid
drinking tap water and watch out for
ice in drinks, as well as uncooked or
unpeeled fruit and vegetables. Appreciate
the risks of buying food from street
vendors and always check that food has
been properly cooked.
Altitude sickness is a common complaint
in La Paz, Potosí and on the salt-flats tour.
Mild symptoms include dizziness,
headaches and breathlessness. Bolivians
swear by coca tea ( mate de coca ), but resting
and drinking plenty of non-alcoholic fluids
should also help. You can buy small bags of
coca leaf around the witches' market area
of La Paz for B$2-4. Anyone with more
severe symptoms should get immediate
medical help.