Cycling down the death road (shortcuts not advised)

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This has to be a really rapido entry as I am due to leave this Internet Cafe in 15 mins! (sorry to those of you who have emailed or messaged with no reply - my internet time is very scant!)

So. Firstly, sorry Mum, I know I said I wouldn{t do this!

But, it was really really fun. Long story short, on Sunday, I decided to make my escape from the black whole that is La Paz, or more precicelty, Wild Rover. So I decided to oncve and for all book my trip down the worlds most dangerous road and then a ticket out of La Paz. ORigionally I intended to gho to Uyunio, but the bus times weren{t workiung for me so I booked to Potosi instead - due back from the cycle at 7 45 and on my bus by 8 30 - somewhat tight.

Anyway, I was in bed by 1 30 that night, although my excitement/fear of my alarm failing meant that I had an exceedingly poor nights sleep. So I got up at 6 30, and made some final preperations with my bag, exhilarahated by the thought of a)being on a bike again, b) going down a few thousand metres on the 64km route - spectacular scenery assured, and of course c) the added danger.

After an hour in the bus, stuck next to a Hough esq charachter (for thouse of you who know Hough you will appreciate how hard I found this). And then we arrived, at the precipicer above the Road, the occasional cross standing tall, warning all would be adventurers to be careful, in this bleak landscape. I did take head - in fact I had booked a pretty expensive tour company to do it with, assured of a decent bike with constantly maintained disc brakes. Indeed they stopped to check the state of the bikes no less than 3 times during our descent!

It was sooooo much fun! To the point that I wondered why I had never got into downhill mountain biking (I won{t, cannot afford another bike related past time!). The majestic, stunningly barren volcanic scenery whislted by in the fresh morning air, until we got to the first check point (where the police moniter activity, as thius area is close to the jungle and so illegal jungle related activity). Stopping for a short breather, we then pressed on. There wetre about 8 of us in total, with an english speaking guide and photographer. The photographer was nicknamed "papperazzi". Origional.

Now we got to the more dangerous bits - although on a bike it is hard to call the 2m wide road dangerous, unless you were really retarded. Havng said that, for the first hour or so, it was about a 600m sheer drop down the sides of the dirt track, whioch was, to be fair, strewn with loose rocks and potential hazards, so it wasn{t a place for too much messing around. At times, water cascaded onto the road from overhanging cliffs above, making for a very muddy shirt by the bottom! And it was at times a bit of a squeeze against the wall with the occasional pick up truck going past. I maintain you woud have to be ignoring the guides and showing off a bit too much thouygh to go sailing over the edge. And I would never do that. But, the whole journey went without a hitch, and only one person fell off their bike, after hitting a rock and going into a bush on the safe side of the cliff, this was the Hough charachter though so was pretty funny.

About 4 hours later, we reached the bottom, utterly spoiled by the views from the Road. It was hot though now, and we were taken to a nearby hotel, where we could swim - much appreciated - as was the accompanying cold cerveza! (beer - to those of you who don{t speak spanish).

After another hour or so we headed back, on a three hour journey up the "New" road, where it was deemed to be safe (you cant get much worse than the old road where allegidly 80 vehicles a year wen{t off the edge!) However we did have to stop for half an hour for a lorry to get pulled back on the road by two JCB{s after it went{t for a jolly jaunt on the wrong side of the road. Luckily no one was hurt. Also, I didn{t miss my bus. Everybody wins!

Possibly more fun that the Oasis trip I did, wilñl deffinitly take some beating! Great bragging rights too.

Must dash now, will update you on my trip into the mines. Two days on the salt flats now though, then next time I update I will probably be in Cuzco!

N.B, I think I have done all the things on this trip that you could class as "dangerous" though now - so no need to worry about me getting into trouble or anything from now on out! In all seriousness, I really think everything is safe now.

Ciao!

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