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Published: February 12th 2009
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Bit of a Drop
It´s hard to capture depths with still images Ahh, the cry of the vendors trying to get you to buy a ticket to La Paz, as if there was any other destination from Copacabana, or you were a local and mayber were thinking of a holiday.
La Paz is set in a large valley aligned along a river, which has long since been covered almost completely by bridges, arcades and other cityscapes.
One of the main attractions in the La Paz area is the World´s Most Dangerous Road. We arrived at the hostel and saw many people wearing the standard "I survived the World´s Most Dangerous Road" T-shirt, too many!! Being an expert in road safety, I couldn´t resist the urge to have a look at the "Death Road". Being a moron, I couldn´t resist the urge to get completely wasted the night before attempting it, to really add the element of danger.
So at 10 o´clock I hit the lovely hostel bar, which is the most fancy looking hostel Bar i´ve ever seen and before you know it, i´m in one cab of two which is heading our from the hostel just after 12. The first bar is shoulder to shoulder gringos. Not the kind
Zebra Crossing!
Brilliant Road Safety Innovation. People dressed as zebras help you cross the street in La Paz of night I was planning, the next thing I know, i´m walking down the street with a bunch of Bolivians to the next club. One of them speaks english, so I´m feeling good about things. We walk into the next bar, which is very crowded. Immediately, the one i´ve identified as leader of my crew of Bolivians requests that the waiter removes a group from the largest table to let us sit down. I´m thinking this is pretty ambitious, until the waiter points out the man I´m with to the group at the table, who leave with little fuss. Somewhere in the back of my inebriated brain, alarm bells are ringing. I´m seated between the leader and the english speaker (Let´s call him Barry). Barry asks where i´m from and says to make sure they don´t take advantage of me, in terms of buying drinks. I quickly arrange with the leader that it´s round for round between the three of us, to which he agrees. I ask Barry why I had to care. The alarm bells all the time getting louder. A girl across the table smiles at me. Barry nudges me and says not to smile back, she´s the
Chillin along the Cliff-face
It´s not me, but let´s just say it is. I think it´s Iceberg. leader´s ex. Righty-o, pretty sure the guy next to me is a drug dealer. The rest of the night, he tries to get me spastic, Barry again urges caution, or they´ll take me for all my money. I laugh and show him the fake wallet I bought that day for 10 Bvs (2 AUD) and the 50 Bvs I have left. He can have it if he really wants. At this point Barry relaxes as do I and the rest of the night becomes a blur.
I don´t really remember getting ready for the ride, or kitting up, but next thing I know, i´m doing 60km/h down the Worlds Most Dangerous Road in the crouch position with Daft Punk going flat out in my IPod. Dream.
The "Death Road" was built by Paraguayan POWs many of whom lost their lives. The gravel road has largely been replaced by a paved highway so opposing traffic isn´t an issue, only the number of other tour companies. Our group is led by a guide who missed the Olympic cycling team by 2 points and his coach, so we´ve got no speed issues. By far the fastest group. A polish guy sets
Another Cliff Face
These were the easy bits. the pace, but comes unstuck rather early and hits the cliff face. Having said he didn´t want to wear the elbow guards because they´re uncomfortable, he probably deserves the 6 stitches and ruptured artery he later found out had happened.
Set in some picturesque hills, it´s hard to admire the view while travelling so fast and concentrating on the road ahead. By half way, i´d sobered up and dropped the pace to admire the settings a bit more.
I think the most dangerous thing I did in La Paz was to go out with a drug dealer and his posse. In hindsight, a lot more dangerous than the WMDR, which now has 4 more aussies wearing its t-shirts. They really need to add some jumps or something. By no means the most dangerous thing attempted in Bolivia though.
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