The Word Travels homepage Archive of Episodes Behind the Scenes Meet the Hosts Travel Artices The musical soundtrack to the TV show Our sponsors Contact us Travel Tips! Articles!
Word Travels - Behind the Scenes - Bolivia by Julia Dimon
x
Behind the Scenes - Bolivia
by Julia Dimon / Published January 18‚ 2008
x
Pounding headaches, shortness of breath, nausea and fatigue — altitude sickness sucks. At some 3,600 metres, the Bolivian capital city of La Paz can pose a real challenge to travel writers filming a tv show.
x

Pounding headaches, shortness of breath, nausea and fatigue —  altitude sickness sucks. At some 3,600 metres, the Bolivian capital city of La Paz can pose a real challenge to travel writers filming a tv show. 

I never thought a visit to the world’s highest capital city would affect me. Bah, I thought to myself. I’ve hiked the Machu Picchu trail, I’m in pretty good shape, I’ll be just fine. Well, flash forward to me climbing through the streets of La Paz. A few minutes’ walk up a mild incline and my chest is heaving, my heart is pounding. I feel like I might collapse in the middle of a busy downtown intersection. Between huffing, puffing and fears of cardiac arrest, I manage to whisper, “Damn altitude.”

When filming the show, I can't help but feel weak, I’m constantly thirsty and have lost my appetite. Bummer. When I do eat, my stomach reacts angrily. My fingertips are tingly, my head is throbbing and all I want to do is lie in bed, curl up and watch TV. But duty calls: I have stories to research, people to interview and articles to write. 

I head out on the town, slowly making my way through cobblestone streets. Drained and exhausted, I miss the ease of sea level; those days when I could walk a block and not collapse. Elevation has never been a consideration before but, up here, it dominates my world. But I suck it up and get ready for my close-up....


 


Back to Behind the Scenes

< back to the episode
< back to the list of articles
Top of page ^
x
x

Home | About | Episodes | Hosts | Articles | Behind the Scenes | Music | Sponsors | Contact
x