La Paz - the Worlds Most Dangerous Road - ooooh!
Trip Start
May 13, 2007
1
48
54
Trip End
Aug 17, 2008
La Paz,
Bolivia
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
www.intiwarayassi.org
Went to La Paz. Hung around a bit. Breathed a lot, particularly going up stairs. Watched the new Indy film - quite cool, particularly as I seem to have recently been to half the locations in it.
Cycled down "The Most Dangerous Road in the World".
It was ok. Pretty dangerous if you're:
a: up for a Darwin award
b: suicidal
c: drunk
If not, its quite a nice easy ride with some pretty good scenery. Its all downhill which is fun, starting at 4700m or someut and ending at about 1500m. If I had my tshirt on I could be more accurate. But its in the wash.
There are some dodgy bits, little things like the 800m sheer drops on the side of the road, but now the new road has been opened theres hardly any trucks, buses or other likewise scary things coming up it. Takes some of the fun away really. Of course, that does make it a lot safer, they have managed to "lose" 13 bikers in 13 years of doing it. But they must have all been either a,b or c. Or a combination of the three. I cannot confirm if the title is in fact justified, I don´t know the equivalent mortality rate on other roads, but in terms of deaths per kilometre, this one must be up there. More crosses on it than in the World Noughts and Crosses Championship (thats Tic-Tac-Toe for the English impaired).
From there we took a fairly uncomfortable bus ride to Cochabamba. Or at least to close to Cochobamba where we joined the end of a very very long queue as the road was blocked due to yet another Bolivian protest. Luckily (Im assuming, the jury´s out) a little minvan came along and we piled in along with an unfeasibly large number of Bolivians plus luggage. The guy knew a way around the roadblock and could take us to the town for a mere 15 BOBs, so we thought "great, pop in here for a bit and we'll take another road around, be there in time for tea".
Two hours later we were still going on this little detour, up some mountain, down some valley, all on dirt tracks with holes, holes and more holes. On our own for ages and then suddenly in another massive jam. All this crammed into the backseats of a Nissan Little Van (or something) with rucksacks on top. Not fun. Arse was sorer after this than after the bike ride.
So we finally arrived in Cochobamba and then tried to leave again this morning. Nothing doing. Roads all still jammed and blocked so essentially we're stuck. Hopefully only until tomorrow.
I'm off to see monkeys and birds and take big cats for walks in the jungle (possibly)!
Yep, its volunteering time again. If I can actually get there, I'm heading here: http://www.intiwarayassi.org/ to help the poor ickle animals for maybe a month. Looks cool, hopefully will be. And just found out that a mate from La Hesperia is going to be there (Hi Rach, see you before you read this, probably).
So off to the jungle(ish) tomorrow, strikes permitting. Bought some lovely new white trackie bottoms for working in - god they are cool!
