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Published: March 9th 2007
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Strike one
The blockade on the way to La Paz. Notice that our bus driver simply bypassed the road to get further ahead! Our journey to La Paz was filled with excitement as we were finally stuck in the middle of a strike. We had been promised that Bolivia might be a bit difficult to travel in but as of yet our trusty guide hadn´t delivered. We took a night train from Uyuni leaving at 11 pm. We had to spend a bit of time in the train station and I nearly packed a little mangy looking dog into my backpack, it was a real scrappy looking thing with dreadlocks and just looked little and scared. Anyway after a long night train we arrived at another town to get a bus but there were only people calling CochabambAAAAAAA not La Paz so we were a little concerned. We found out there was a strike and we wouldn´t be able to get to La Paz that day by public transport.
Fortunately we had the best guide and she tried to work out a way to get us to La Paz while we sat in the train station very tired and irritated by the constant yelling of CoCHaBamBAAAAAAA, PotosiIIII. After a measley 3 hours or so we made our way on a private bus
La Paz
At 3600m this city makes it hard to breathe. to the strike zone. Our bus got us right up close driving up the side of all the stopped traffic where we were dumped with our gear. The strikers were having lunch at the time so we casually walked acrosss their barricade of rocks on the road and burning stuff to meet our bus on the other side. I won´t bore you with the details of getting to La Paz but as usual toilet stops were inadequate and people were unwell. We arrived in La Paz later than planned, very tired and exhausted but to lovely rooms.
La Paz by night was quite lovely, well I didn´t get to see a lot of it as I was very unwell and didn´t want to go out but that´s what Ben told me. He went off to pay for our Downhill Madness ticket and to look for a guitar as well as purchase a birthday present for me. I just blaaahhed in the room. Ben come back with a mandolin not a guitar and a smirk as he was very proud of his bargaining skills.
Technically that night was our last night with Geraldine, it was really sad but she
Downhill Madness
Dan and Sofia on the was down 3345m of rapid decent. surprised us with news that she would be coming with us tomorrow and also to Puno.
Downhill Madness- The craziest thing I have done in my life
Arriving at the office in La Paz we were greeted by an Englishman name Aaron. Very hyperactive and adreneline focussed, he kitted us up with hat, gloves, jackets and pants and then shoved us in a van for the 1hour car ride to the starting point.
The bus ride there was interesting enough so we knew we were in for it. We were given our safety instructions and told that two weeks ago was the last time someone had died on the road so we need to listen carefully to the intructions. I was nervous, very nervous yet we did a Mexican wave to psyche ourselves up for the ride(of course everything was better after that and I wasn´t thinking abour dying at all...NOT).
Now I knew that I wasn´t going to be a speed demon so I went to the back. The first section was a paved road and I went very very slowly. Ben and the others sped down the hill but I was freaking out with cars
Downhill Madness 2
The spot where 80 people died on a bus. and rain and hail falling on me. Sunglasses don´t really help in Hail! Anyway Ben and Geraldine would wait for me every so often to make sure I hadn´t fallen off the cliff or anything and I had the safety car following me so I was cool.
We finally made it to the official death road, all of the bikes were checked for safety while we partook in a lovely snack (in the rain). Unfortunately it was really foggy and cloudy so we didn´t get the greatest view, perhaps we were to discover a blessing. The group was divided into 3, Crazies, normal speed and the slow pack. Ben was in the normal speed and I of course was a slowy.
This time round though I felt confident, I was used to my bike and it was a gravel road so I wasn´t as worried strangely enough. To describe the road: cliff one side, gravel, fog, wetness, great views, crazy corners and no cars thankfully. While the road was officially sort of closed sometimes cars would go on it. If we found ourselves near a car we had to go to the left (cliff side) and watch that
Downhill Madness..over
After the event we look like we felt, the hail on the face was particularly biting. The beers were cold and cheap though! we didn´t fall of the edge. I didn´t really want to encounter a car and we didn´t. We saw quite a number of sites where people had died and stopped for breaks along the way. We all met up to go through the most dangerous section where a bus of 80 people had gone off the edge. We also went through a waterfall here but as were were soaked it was no worries.
To recount the whole ride would be difficult but the glimpses of scenery I got were just awesome and I really don´t think I fully appreciated how dangerous the road was and how easily I could have gone of the edge until the fog started to clear. Anyone wanting to do this should really go with a good and safe company like downhill madness as unfortunately there was tragedy the day of our ride.
I was totally chuffed with myself when we arrived at the finish line and there were great celebrations, beers and photos. It was unreal, near the end I came across some kids walking on the road and I slapped their hands as I went along, the view and everything was just
Downhill Madness..over 2
Raidun and Christian´s last dig before leaving us. so madddd.
Anyhow we went back to a hotel for lunch, a shower and a laze about. It was fantastic with excellent views of the road. After that the bus ride from hell commenced as we had to endure a no toilet stop ride along cliffs doing speed in the rain with a coco chewing driver. Nerves frayed yet again! When we finally returned to the office for our Tshirts and CDs we found out that another person from another company had gone off the cliff. They wdidn´t have any other news but I don´t think you ever survive a fall like that.
Upon return we partook in a little further shopping, a look through the witches market and a beautiful dinner at a hostal with old furniture and stuff. Whoah an exhausting day, our last in Bolivia.
MAAAAADDDNESSSSS
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