A country of bad taste jumpers!

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La Paz is the highest major city in the world, a fact that hits you as soon as you step off the plane. After 10 steps I was out of breath and felt as if I'd downed a couple of pints. Sadly the second feeling wore off pretty quickly, whereas the first still insists on making me feel was if I smoke 20 a day!

Having travelled through the most developed regions in South America, Bolivia's relative poverty struck me when I landed. It's almost like a slice of Asia has landed in the middle of S.A, which is no bad thing. Every local passionately describes their city as Bonito (pretty). At first it's hard to see why. The city is built in a basin so it's polluted, the crumbling streets threaten to break your ankle with every step and the locals see any outdoor space as a public loo. However, all this adds a strangely rugged beauty and there's no questioning the striking landscape around La Paz. I warmed to the city in no time and having left, three images will stay with me 1) The abundance of shoe shine boys 2) The Witches Market that among other horrible treats sells llama fetuses 3) Indigenous woman wearing brightly coloured blankets on their backs that often conceal a baby.

World's Most Dangerous Road

This has to be one of the best ways to scare your Mum. Unlike my other antics, here I was the one responsible for my life. If I swerved 2 foot to my left I'd have experienced 600m free fall and this time with no cord attached. The ride started at over 4500m and after 63km of madness I'd descended through clouds, skidded through a waterfall and witnessed Bolivia's breathtaking scenery. At one point we had to cycle up hill and at over 4000m it wasn't an easy. Out of stupidity more than fitness I told myself I would cycle the whole road. Even though I'm shattered now it feels worth it.

The Amazon

After mountain biking I spent 4 days and three nights trekking the Amazon jungle. I opted for an ecofriendly company which was about 4 times the price, but with all the flying I've done I felt as if I owed the environment. They didn't disappoint. Over the four days I did sunrise treks tracking howler monkeys, moonlight boat trips looking for crocs and night walks fearing for my life. I even went piranha fishing, but we wont mention how many I caught. I've now got more than enough mosquito bites to keep me busy, but it was definitely worth it!

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Comments

[Antoinette]

i caught THREE piranhas. how many did you catch again? :)