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Published: September 18th 2008
Our Bus
Where is that bloody driver - He nearly killed us all!Potosi is a city of beauty, madness and adventure. Maybe its the altitude sickness that creates a distorted view of the city or the insanity of crawling around in the Potosi Silver mines while hyperventilating asbestos dust makes this city appealing. With the option of creating a massive bomb out of Nitro-glycerine and Ammonium Nitrate I cant possibly understand why this city only appeals to insane travellers naturally high on altitude!
Already suffering altitude sickness at 3653 metres above sea level, I decided to jump on an old tin bus with four other travellers heading for the highest city in the world at an elevation of 4090 metres above sea level. Being the only Gringos on the bus our backpacks were strapped to the roof as we began our ascent along one of the most dangerous roads in the world.
We were not deterred by rumours that the road between Uyuni and Potosi had been suffering political blockades, and we were not shaken knowing that local busses regularly go over the side of the mountain edges killing hundreds of people each year. We all decided to embrace the fear and go for it. Besides we felt invincible, we were
How I Love The Roads Of Bolivia!
Could you handle roads like this for 8 hours? suffering from a complete lack of oxygen to the brain!
The bus travelled at lightening speed along the cliff edge dirt roads while throwing dust high into the atmosphere. We were all bounced around like retarded children in one of those bouncy play castles while enduring a roller coaster of a journey along mountain edge roads high into the Andes. The views were stunning but the drops were insane. On a few occasions I felt physically sick, one mistake by our coca (cocaine) chewing bus driver and it was a deadly drop into the abyss.
The bus journey to Potosi was an uncomfortable seven hours. Locals looked at us with curiosity while few tried to strike up conversation. Most of the journey was distracted by our strange reactions to the altitude. I found it increasingly difficult to breath together with a strange tingling sensation in my hands and feet. Eventually I started making no sense at all... Luckily I was not the only one, everyone in our group was having strange reactions to the lack of oxygen. We were all making stupid mistakes. I tried to put my fleece on inside out and couldn't understand why I couldn't
The Dangers Of Bolivian Transport!
Ben & Lisas bus on the way to Potosi. Ouch!! use the zip!
While ascending along the winding roads we had a few near misses with other vehicles hurtling down the mountain roads constantly blowing their horn. On one occasion we had to wait while we witnessed a bus packed with passengers topple onto a 4x4 truck. Everyone ran around like headless chickens trying to pry the bus off the truck without it falling onto its side and slide down the side of the mountain. Mixed with a strange concoction of altitude and dehydration I found this hysterical, only in India have I ever witnessed such madness before!
Arriving in the intriguingly beautiful city of Potosi was an experience all on its own. It was nothing how I imagined. Its an incredibly wealthy city with the friendliest people shouting olla while wondering the streets. The views are amazing with a backdrop of the silver mines above the city. I am quickly falling in love with this city, its such a fantastic place. I live on five pounds a day... what an amazing place.
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