About four hours after breathtaking La Paz, I finally arrived with mi amigas (my girlfriends) in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Jet lagged and utterly exhausted we miraculously maneuvered our bodies off the plane and into corrections. Then to the baggage area, where we grabbed our years worth of supplies and headed for the baggage check in area. 

It took forever to go through all five of my bags... but finally I entered through the glass sliding doors into a swarm of excited welcoming Bolivian bodies. 

My Papa (Federico - Quico - Yellow Vest) welcomed me warmly with a traditional beso - kiss (on the cheek) and introduced me to the many Rotarian's waiting for my amigas staying in Santa Cruz. 

I was tired and more than tired completely confused because everyone was talking in Spanish at a rapid pace. Now I know how people of older generations feel when teenagers and young adults run through sentences.. Completely lost. 

But luckily body language and the few words I knew got me a long way, and about ten minutes later Papa and I where heading to my new "home" in Santa Cruz (my overnight stay before finally arriving in Tarija the next day.) 

The 'Ensalada de Cesar' (Cesar Salad) was the first lunch I ate in Bolivia. For those of you who don't know (just as I did didn't know, before I ate lunch in Bolivia for the first time)... Lunch is the main meal of the day and therefore, even when you order a medium, its very big.