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Published: August 3rd 2010
YEEE MONEY!
me celebrating too early with a bag of coca leaves..Well it was 545am when I first woke up then I decided against a shower and Slept in till like 6ish. Aw..Think Im late already I thought as I arose and glanced out my window at the darkness. Checking myself physically, and mentally I prepared for TUNARI. WEll I hadnt packed a lunch yet and wondered when and If Mirza was going to get up early and help me out. Guess Im not fully prepared to handle such a feat by myself. Well walking downstairs I found a piece of bread and started eating then decided against eating some and walked back upstairs and got my final preparation ready. I can literally probably write a whole book about this day but I fear it would run about a 100pgs or so I have to summarize the best I can recollect. Even most of my feelings and what not cant even be expressed via writing but I will do the best to cover the important aspects of my journey. Well Mirza arose finally and prepared me a sandwhich with meat and a sandwich with cheese. SHe also packed me some other goodies and cookies but I still had a major lack of
EMELIO
OUR GUIDE up the mountain couldnt have done it without him water with a 20oz bottle but figured I would gain some along the way. Mirza called me a Taxi and it was around 620am and I was supposed to meet at the front gate of the
institute at 630am so I was kind of worried that many were going to be waiting for me. I waiting outside with Mirza still in darkness and few words were said but she did warn me to be careful. THe taxi came and I was fairly late and noticing it was around 645am was a little worried that no one would be at the gate by the time I got there but when I did there were few heads and we were still waiting on KEN and PABLO. Caroline called KEN and claimed that she had already called him but he was still getting ready. We never did get a hold of the priest PABLO. WEll Kevin was there, brenedatte, Caroline, Emelio our guide, KEEGAN, and I think thats all...WEll Kevin told an interesting story of the night before of him and KENS journey to LA cancha to get some coca leaves. THey said they were severly lost in LA cancha and were a
HOlding the colorado flag
Keegan, Brenedatte and Caroline all from colorado
celebrating reaching the top little sketched at first but did end up asking a COp where they could find some leaves de coca. The cop looked at then a little confuzed but then pointed them in the right direction with a smirk on his face (keep in mind this is kevins story). WIth success they made their way onto the 16bus which literally passes right past school but also goes into BFE the middle of no where which was the southern part of Cochabamba that looked like IRAQ. Probably where you dont ever want to go at night they were
on their way. EVeryone got off the bus and the driver and his partner left and came back and both asked KEN and KEVIN "uh...DONDE VAMOS!?" and Kevin said 'CALA CALA" and literally the driver and his budy just laughed at them. They kept saying according to KEVIN blaldkajfldkjkf NO CALA CALA jlakdfkjadl NO CALA CALA!. KEVIN and KEN just looked at each other and werent getting off the bus hah that was their plan. I was laughing so hard at this point it was hard to image that this really happened to someone I KNEW! I guess the bus driver took them to
AT THE TOP
I found a lama Jawbone or some sort of animal Jawbone at the top of Cochabamba and actually still have it! a gas station and after getting gas I presume he motioned both the guys to get off and PUSH. KEvin thought this was a joke and thought they were going to just leave them there so hopped on the bus before the driver and his buddy could even have a chance to leave them once the bus had a push start. HAHA. Scared shitless KEVIN and KEN both got on the bus
again and drove a little when the bus pulled up next to a taxi trufi and said that the trufi went to cala cala.
HAHA what an epic mini adventure. WEll KEN made an appearance at 7am and we were on our way Via Taxi to meet up with others who were going to partake. ALso note about 4 days ago or so John and I had made a journey to LA cancha to pick up some coca leaves and kept asking around and people were leading us deeper and deeper into LA cancha. Someone finally had told us that there was an entire section dedicated to the magical leaves. We picked up a huge bag of the sort as some evil looking WITCH laughed histerically and shoved
VIEW FROM THE TOP
view from the top of Cochabamba 17060ft leave after leave into our bag that must have weighed a pound or so. We actually had purchased this bag for about 5 american dollars. LIttle did I know what the purpose of this was until today when I was about to scale a mountain with other people who thought it was possible. I wasnt sure I was going to make it considering I hadnt prepared really and wasnt in the best shape at all. Well I had A bag of leaves with me and So did brenedatte and KEN and I actually remember drinking some of Brenedattes tea while taking some altitude Pill KEEGAN had got me supposedly it had
caffeine and some altitude helper. Brenedatte along with KEEGAN had made about 2 liters of coca tea which was probably the greatest idea that I hadnt done. Well we ended up a little ways from the institute and met up with about 5 others. O nice group we got going I thought. We all waited for one of their friends but were soon on our way in a really shabby bus that literally stalled twice before we even left CALA CALA and entered QUicollo. Great we kept joking and
KEVIN
celebrating his victory...Didnt quite make it to the top though... what not I dont think this bus is going to make it up to 14000ft where it dropped us off and we were to hike the rest 4 hrs up. Exiting QUicollo we started making our ascend up the mountain TUNARI. WE passed local native village after village and I was already started to feel a little queasy but I thought was probably due to the motion of the car. We must have stalled on the mountain and had to get out and push about 6 different times or more and I was kind of getting frustrated. "YO KEN what if we dont get up the mountain and have to walk from here" I SAID and keegan responded "wed just have to walk 8 hours up" hahaha KEN said "SHUT
UP KEEGAAAAN!!!" hahah we were all laughing cracking jokes along the way. Ken even said "I think if my mom KNew where I was right now she would just be CRYING" hahah "Your so right I said laughing" But seroiusly there wasnt anyone around literally cliff. Keegan pointed out a burial site with a cross and said something like "WELL SOMEONE died there!" instant response by KEN "KEEGAN SHUT UP!!!" hahah. There was some epic story telling along the way with Sites of various amaryn villages and stone buildings and LLAMAS! When we got off we were literally behind the mountain peak we were supposed to climb and literally no turning back decided to push foward with the coca wad in the side of my mouth. I think about the 4th time the van/bus stalled out on a small hill I pulled out the leaves and started to munch considering KEEGAN said last time he had done this everyone was already chewing. Well the leaves helped and I felt no altitude sickness at all. I felt quite stimulated but thought it was more of my Body preping my mind for what lied ahead or the other way around. I had a mass amount of energy and literally 20min in the hike with the car out of site we were all taking pictures of the first lake we came across which glimmered in the sun. What a beautiful site. Keegan exclaimed that it was important to keep ascending and that if we were to make it to the top we shouldnt be taking pictures of what we were going to see all on the way back down. Few listened but then we proceeded with caution and
speed munching away at cocaleaves. We all were joking around about how we were all addicted now which was incredibly false and I started drinking some of KEEGANS tea who was more than happy to share. The first of the ANDES COVERED IN SNOW really blew my mind. Dont really now how to express what was felt. Never seen anything like this in my life I exclaimed and others agreed. "think about all the people you know back home who are watching TV or continuing on with their boring ass lives!" KEN said and I totally agreed 'There all like lets go to carls man!" I said and everyone laughed and Caroline brought up taco bell which led to a crunchwrap supreme which we all wanted drastically. WE proceeding another 2hrs and all the trees had disappeared. I even told KEVIN "YO man were so HIGH UP not even LLAMA can survive up here without coca leaves" haha we laughed and KEEGAN minutes later found a VERTABREA of probably a LLAMA. WHAT THATS AWESOME! WE even found LLAMA holes where they slept and were blown away that the fact that LLAMAS could even DIG. KEEGAN told us that LLAMAs are curious like people and last time they were up here a group of them ran up to the group of people stood for a while and watched them hike then just took off in the other direction as if bored. haha WEird ass animals I THOUGHT. Well we got to an interesting spot and ate our lunch together and shared our rations. I had some chips, my sandwhich, some NUTELLA, (nutellas amazing if youve never had one should try it is found in the states MOM got blown away one time I bought some) Kevin had never heard of such a thing and KEEGAN one who brought the interesting paste put some on a APPLE slice for KEVIN. Well not eating too much figuring we still had a massive amount to go we carried on. Emelio our guide was taking coca
leaves from me and said I had the best leaves out of the group. COOLNESS I thought maybe thats Why I feel less fatigued and not as hungry as normal. WE then arrived at a spot where what I thought at the time was the top was visible but was only decieved just a little. We left our backpacks here and decided to ascend the gravel that literally gave every step one took. Was like walking on rock sand. Because it gave so easily it was like running across the side of the mountain. DO note so many breathtaking moments along this 3 hrs traveled that cant even express or note the amazingness of this climb. LIterally would look back and see Nature nothing else, no path, No return...I pressed foward and reaching the TOP was blown away once again at the size of cochabamba. What a sight some will never see...Wish john was here..Looking to my right I saw the PEAK that reached over all of cochabamba, the highest point on this part of the world...Keegan are we going up there? I asked...DEFINATELY!" he exclaimed. KEEGAN and Brenedatte were on their way while I was chatting away with EMELIO and KEVIN just sat there...speachless a look of no longer needing to PURSUE the top he had found his top. Just looking at him sit there I knew what he was feeling. I layed on my back with my glasses and stared up...nothingness...oxygen was so fresh...Almost didnt care if I DIED right then and there...like all my expenses were worth it...I had proven everyone wrong who hadnt wanted me to come to bolivia but that wasnt my goal. I stood up and Proceeded after Brenedatte and KEEGan, with KEN and Caroline behind me. It was quite a struggle getting to the second/tallest peak and Turning a corner of cliff found Brenedatte quite puzzled and I could hear KEEGAN YELLING AT ME "ROBERT! YO RJ!!! stop right there!" I was really confused and looked up and could see KEEGAN LOOKING AT ME from above. "WTF MAN HOWD U GET UP THERE!" I YELLED "I WENT further and climbed up but it was more difficult that looks like the easiest climb possible for you guys so you gotta do it if your going to get to the top!" KEEGAN SAID and brenedatte I could tell just wanted me to go first. KEN AND Caroline found us still quite puzzled at the climb that was going to take place. Brenedatte actually went first and succeeded. I LOOKED at ken and said "YO IONO if this is possible for us!"..KEn even muttered like something Yeah I dunno I think IM out he said. "WEll...taking a deep breathe I told KEN and Caroline, This is either the Dumbest IDea Ive ever pursued, or my greatest feat!" KeN even was pulling rocks out of where we were supposed to climb and it was giving extrememly easily, Never saw a Man so perplexed. I took that first step...LIterally if I fell 2ft backwards for some reason I was dead and so Was KEN who was behind me. Literally scaling a 12ft cliff with no bottom behind me was probably the craziest shit ive ever done in my entire LIFE. Everyone made it and we actually found a quite simpler way down then we had come up. "thanks KEEGAN I think I just looked DEATH IN THE EYES!" haha I said. WE had made it to the top!! AMAzing, Priceless view and we all shared silence for a bit looking around in a 360 degrees. "TOOOP OF THE WOOORRRLLLD!!!!!!" I screamed and we all actually decided to HOWL LIKE DOGS! carolines idea and we all agreed. We took pictures of KEEGAN, CAROLINE, and Brenedatte holding the COLORADO FLAG which was pretty amazing sight. I Could barely still see KEVIN on the other mountain peak with the others. Still sitting there...HE had won his battle. The next time I zoomed my camera on him he was on his back. WE had all accomplished something we had never thought. Still blown away at the view we must have been there 20min before the other unfamiliar group had made it as well. We were all taking pictures and sharing laughs and silent loves. Amazing what the top of a mountain in the ANdes can do the psyche. Emelio said something from the other peak and we decided it was time to head back down. WE ran down the gravel which gave easily and EMELIO our guide literally was running at all time speed which amazed us all. NEver seen someone move at such a speed down a mountain with no fear. Keegan ran down it first Which proved to me that he was someone unusual with little fear. HE told me he was getting a headache but I felt just physically exhausted. Emelio asked me If I wanted some more COCA LEAVEs But I refused. He should just have the bag and I think he already had that in mind which was even better. COMmunication without words...STill amazed at where we were I didnt really care if I made it back
at those moments. Everything made sense in a way I have never experienced before hard to explain. Communicating very little and hearing great conversations by the others I was aware that I was feeling the worst as the Bus was drawing near. FOr some reason climbing down was extremely harder than climbing up and everyone agreed. I remember telling KEVIN "WHEN I get to my bed IM going to sleep for 3 days" haha we laughed. I still wasnt doing so well and decided to follow EMelio as He knew the best short cuts. Caroline gave me some water, along with KEEGAN and Brenedatte considering I had run out completely. THey offered me a pop Tart but for some reason I thought this was a bad idea. Usually pop tarts are all good though. WEll making back to the Car like 4th person back taking some short cut past the Lake that I could see KEEGAN was at upclose taking a picture. I took a piss on the other side
I recall. VERY COLD. WEll got back to the car and decided to sit inside the van vehicle but my stomache gave. UH oh...I walked a bit and threw up what looked like BLACK TAR which was probably coca juice I thought. I even layed on my back and rolled on my side still puking. Layed on my back again and Kevin was above me "you alright bro!" he said and he hadnt even noticed how much I puked. "YO WE DID IT!" haha we laughed. I was in the car seat nearest to the window as we made our way back across the hours of cobblestone. BUmp after bump I was feeling alright but just needed to sleep and everytime we would hit a Severe bump would cause my head to go crashing into the door which wasnt pleasant. Keegan was sitting across from me riding backwards and I looked at him about an hour in and said "I think Im going to puke..." and He opened the window and sure enough second time ever puking out of
a Moving vehicle. WE even stopped and I dry heaved some more and threw up some more black shit and felt a whole lot better. Getting into the car some other dude gave me a sugar hard candy which I nearly fell asleep with in my mouth. We even stalled like 2 more times going down the mountain and many of us had to get out and push again. I heard a huge celebration as we all made it onto the street! no longer rough horrible bumpy cobblestone road! YES! I was saved so I thought. Dropping off EMelio after getting gas we were heading to the institution to get dropped off before the others. Getting off and giving keegan a 50 caroline took it from me and gave Keegan a 100 and she said she would give me 5bolivianos tommorow. Watever I thought and Actually got off the bus and puked some more. KEVIN, KEN, Caronline, and brenedatte, and keegan were with me and were trying to get a taxi so I would get home safely. IT was fairly dark and after throwing up the last time I figured I was fine. KEVIN and KEN just LEFT with
caroline walking her home and KEEGan and Brenedatte were waiting with me. We crossed the street and I exclaimed to the driver of a taxi we stopped where I was trying to go and he said he would do it for 8 bolivianos. I said bye to the 2 and thought about the others that I didnt really know. I felt like they were some people that I knew once, who I connected with in such a way, who I was for sure never going to see again unless in my dreams, We all 11 of us scaled the mountain at different paces but non the less together. I didnt even rememeber any of the other 5s names. ONe was from spain I recall and most of them spoke only spanish. We took a bus 3 hours hiked 4 hours up 4 hours down and what seemed like an endless busride home. IN the taxi I didnt say one word but where my place was located and when he dropped me off I told him 10 was all good. HE said thanks in such a way indescribable. I walked up my door and Mirza opened it and asked me if I wanted Dinner. NO thanks I exclaimed and kind of said I was feeling sick or something or that I needed sleep. Walking upstairs I failed to wait for hot water in the shower and just passed out on the spot after undressing.
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David Gonzalez
non-member comment
WOW!
I can only imagine how awesome this must have been! Way to go!