Bolivia

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After the easiest border crossing we had being through, 15minutes, we were soon in Copacabana town, on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca. We looked around for a decent hostel but unfortunately there was none so we ended up staying in a hotel, on the 6^th floor, with no elevator. It was soon apparent that Bolivia was a lot cheaper than everywhere else but not as much as people along the way had made out. We didn’t do anything here, just chilled out and relaxed. Not the nicest place to do nothing but it was still good to do it. After 2nights there, we were straight off to the big city of La Paz. We found a beautiful hostel that was also cheap and directly across the road from another Wild Rover Irish hostel. We were two blocks away from the presidential palace and square so we knew that the area would be extremely safe. We spent the evening wandering around the city and realised that there weren’t any decent restaurants nearby. Only one option, wild rover. We had heard good reports about the food there and with it being so close, didn’t hesitate in going in. A large plate of shepherd’s pie and vegetables for dinner sounded too tempting to pass on & it was well worth it. Best dinner in a long time and for €3, I wasn’t going to complain. The next day was once again spent researching tours. We had already decided on death road and a jungle tour. The travel agent in the hostel was really helpful and friendly so that was that sorted so we just booked with them. We set off the next morning on our way to do death road. Not knowing what really to expect, apart from a dodgy road, we were surprised at how brilliant it was. Even though La Paz is at 3800meters, we were bussed up to 4700meters. Here we were kitted out with our gear and set off along the new road for about 10km. It was mostly downhill so relatively easy. After a 20 min break where they gave us snacks, we were back in the van heading uphill again to the start of death road itself. As we pulled on to it, we noticed how in one section, most of the side of the road had being washed away and there was barely enough room for the van to get by. The views from around here were just amazing. We set off cycling for about 10min, and then stopped to take pictures etc. After 10 more minutes of cycling we stopped again for more pictures. The 2 guides were really good at ensuring that we had a great time and that we got loads of pictures and videos to remember it by. We then cycled for 20 min or so and it was time for lunch. It was really visible to see why it is called death road, and how 25 vehicles a year used to disappear off it. Even cycling it with no traffic was dodgy in places but that just added to the adrenaline rush. There were no guard rails to be seen at all anywhere. You have to be careful coming up to bends because if you are going too fast, it is very easy to misjudge how sharp the bend is and before you know if, you could be free falling 500/600 meters into a ravine, never to be seen again. The bikes we had were incredible and had amazing suspension back and front so that made it all the more comfortable as the road was extremely rough. That was why is was very hard braking going into corners as you just bounced around the bumps and could not grip the road fully. As we cycled 64km that day, we dropped from 4700 down to 1000meters. It is impossible to miss all the crosses along the road, in memory of the people who died along there. We stopped at the site of the first cyclist to be killed there, just over 10 years ago. A small plaque has being erected there in his honour. 27 cyclists in the 10 years have being killed, the last being about 3 years ago. The buzz you get from speeding downhill, along this road, taking the ’racing line’, about 6/7 inches from the edge, where a 500 odd meter drop awaits you, is incredible. It is probably the closest we will ever be to being one of these ’adrenaline junkies’. On the last stage though, my luck was starting to run out. Firstly was a close encounter with a cliff face, where I almost smacked into it going a bend. 2^ndtime wasn’t so lucky. Going round a bend, the road was incredibly rough and I knew half way round I wasn’t going to make it. There had being a small landslide and large rocks were all over the road. It was like it happened in slow motion; I was sliding round the bend, and could see the rock on the ground, back tyre going straight for it. Well, needless to say, they had an argument and I came out the worst of it, getting thrown from the bike onto the pile of rocks. I picked myself up straight away and not wanting anyone to see me there or losing places, hopped on the back and finished out the last 5 minutes. I knew thought that the cuts were really deep and being right on the elbow, was sure I would need stiches. The guide told me I wasn’t going to die and just walked off laughing, priceless… after we got changed out of our gear, we hopped into our van and headed for the local hotel where lunch, showers and a pool were waiting for us. Perfect ending to a perfect day. I couldn’t recommend it highly enough, the adrenaline, the buzz, the view and scenery, brilliant. When we got back to La Paz, it was time to quickly change, pack, eat and get ready for a 5am start the following morning as we were off to the amazon jungle.



We landed at the airport boarded our plane. We knew it was going to be small but that a matchbox with wings. A 20 seater plane, one line of seats either side of the aisle, no door into the cockpit so we could see what was going on. The co-pilot informed us not to be alarmed if we hear alarms from the cockpit as that is normal and they knew how to deal with them. I bloody well hoped so… Roma was in the middle of reading a book, Alive, where the Uruguayan rugby team crashed into the Andes, and ending up eating each other to survive. As soon as we got on the plane, she turns to me and points to the name on the window, “that’s the same make of plane that crashed with those rugby players in the Andes.” A good start to the day, especially a Monday morning. The flight was incredible though. As soon as we took off, we were descending all the way, dropping from 3800metres to 250metres over the 40min flight. This was one of the best parts of the trip, the view was unreal. Snow-capped peaks that were higher than where we were flying and only about 50metres away. From there, the snow slowly started to fade away, leaving bare rugged mountains. Then all of a sudden, as if designed that way, the mountains finished and lush vast jungle started and spread a far as the eye could see.



We landed on probably the only tarmac strip in the amazon, and taxied into a field to stop at a shed, which was actually the airport. In Runnenbaque, we met up with the others on our trip, Becks & Glen from Oz and Phillipa & Scott from NZ. We hopped into our jeep for a 2.5hr bumpy journey deep into the jungle where a dugout canoe was waiting for us to take us up river for 3 hours to our eco-lodge. All along the route, our tour guide, Fernando was naming the thousands of different birds and animals we were seeing, from camyers (members of crocodile family), to hawks, falcons, pink dolphins, vultures, howler and screamer monkeys, to king fishers.



It was late evening when we landed so after we settled in, we only had time to go to the mirador, to watch the sunset and have a beer. On the way back, we had our flash lights at hand and spotted caymers along the river. Then it was dinner time and covered ourselves once more in mossy repellent. The generator is turned off at 9.30 so it was an early night for everyone. Next morning after a massive breakfast, we set off anaconda hunting. We walked through swamp for about 5 hours, in the lashing rain. It was only on our way back to the canoe that one of the girls stood on it. Then it came to the surface and we could see it clearly. It was about 5/6 feet long about 4/5 inches in diameter. They are very tame animals and only attack if they are seriously provoked and are in danger. It was an incredible sight. We were happy to return home after that. We dried off and had lunch, and waited for the rain to ease off. Later in the day, when the sun had broken through the clouds, it was time for piranha fishing. We stopped at a spot where Fernando had recommended. We gave us each a length of fishing line with a hook on it. A cup of raw beef pieces were passed around then. All we had to do was meet up and drop a line in to the water. Immediately you could feel them nibbling at the line. Piranha fishing is pure luck, they don’t actually grab the bate and hook, they just nibble at it. When the line is pulled out of the water really quickly, if they are in the middle of biting it, they keep their jaws locked on it and don’t let go. That’s how it is done. Because they move quickly, they are hard to catch but soon we were able to land a few, even tho they were only 3 inches long. After a quick photo, we threw them back into the water as they were too young to keep for dinner. Then it was time for dinner and we headed home. Next morning, we were up at 5 am, thanks to howler monkeys and we went to watch the sun rise and hope to catch a glimpse of toucans. Unfortunately, they must have slept in because we didn’t get to see any. After breakfast, it was time to swim with the pink dolphins. The water was quite muddy after all the rain so visibility wasn’t good. Jonathan couldn’t go in tho as he had an open wound on his arm from death road, and the piranhas could smell it, like the way sharks can. Roma and the others could feel the piranhas nibbling at their feet while they swam in the water. Then it was time for lunch and make our way back to La Paz, flying from Runnenbaque. When we got off at the airport, we realised we had left our bags with our northface jackets on the jeep. So Jonathan hoped on the back of a motorbike taxi, and sped into town to catch them before the jeep had gone. Luckily they were still at the office and we got them back.



Back in our hostel in La Paz, where we had left our luggage, we tried to organise our bus out of there. But due to protests and road blocks, there was no way out for 3 days. So we chilled out and took it easy. We booked our tour of the salt flats for Uyuni from there so that was done. Eventually we said good bye to La Paz and hello to Uyuni. It is a kippy little town that had no electricity for most of the time we were there. So all we could do was read and talk.



The next morning we headed off with our tour of the salt flats and lake district, with Red Planet tour company, the best ones for english speaking guides. The Salar de Uyuni (Uyuni Salt Flats) are the largest in the world, but it is not here where they test the world land speed records, that is on the salt flats in Utah in the U.S.A. On it were 2 Aussies, 2 Kiwis, a Swed, a Malaysian/Romanian couple and a Mexican girl. We headed off in 2 jeeps, with our guide and drivers. We got the nicest jeep with leather seats and armrests, mp4 connection to the radio and air-con. First stop was the train cemetery, just outside Uyuni. Here, about 30/40 steam engines and carriages lie rusting away. They were used during the mining rush in Potosi, Bolivia, bringing the minerals to the coast in Chile and returning with supplies for the mines. Many parts of the trains are missing because of so many poor people in Uyuni who steal the metal to sell off. After here, we were off to a small village on the edge of the salt flats. Here the local ‘farmers’ make the salt. They scrape an inch of salt from a 3 metre square area into a pile and let the water drain out. After 2 days, they collect the salt and bring it to their sheds. They leave it outside in the heat for another 2 days to help dry it. Then they spread it over a hot plate for 40 min to make sure it is fully dry. Then they mix 7000kg of it to 1 kg of chemical, and then it is ready for packaging and selling. Here they use blocks of salt for building, while adding cement to ground salt to make a mortar. Using this mortar, they also make handicrafts for selling like ashtrays and cups etc… Next stop was the salt flats where the farmers have their ‘land’, about 2 hectares each. Then it was on to the salt hotel, where the drivers prepared lunch for us. Here I where we took all our perspective photos and videos, standing on each other and us walking out of a pringles tube. Then on to Fish Island, an island in the middle of the salt flats that has over 35000 cacti on it. They were the only thing about the island really!! Next, off to our accommodation, a hotel that had being built completely out of salt, even the bases for the beds. It has no electricity supply so a battery gave light during the evening and a generator when it was time to cook and if people needed to charge anything. Early next morning after breakfast and were loaded up, we were off to see some of the lagoons and volcanos in the area. Along the way, we stopped in a tiny village, where we visited a national school. As it was a Monday morning, all the kids put on a concert, for the parents and teacher. It is something that is done every Monday morning. Nice way to start the week. Then off to the stinky lagoon, where we saw thousands of flamingos. 3 different types live in this lagoon. Pink, Indian & some other one, can’t think of its name. They are amazing and beautiful birds. After we had lunch, we hiked for an hour & it was time to get back into the jeep to move on again. The next stop was the red lagoon. Here thousands more of pink flamingos live and breed. Seeing so many of them from a height is incredible. Then it was off to our accommodation for dinner. When we got there, a baby llama was running around the dining room. The accommodation was supposed to be extremely cold at night, -10 degrees, so we were given thick thermal sleeping bags and hot water bottles but it turned out to be a warm night we were lucky. The next morning we to the crater of an active volcano, that erupted last year. Around the top, we could walk on the ground that had formed after the eruption, but had to be carefully of the soft spots and where there was bubbling mud, as if we fell in, we would disappear down in to it. Then off we were on to Dali’s desert, named after Salvador Dali the artist so painted many pictures like the desert, but was never actually there. But the Bolivian government decided to rename it after him. Then we saw the mountain of 7 colours, which does actually have 7 colours in it & is very easy to see. We also visited a group of rock formations in the desert, one in particular that is in the shape of a giant mushroom, wide and massive on the top but only a small base where it is connected to the ground. No one knows how it never has fallen over. Other formations look like houses from the cartoon, the Smurfs, mushroom domed roofs on them. These were all formed from erupting volcanos down through the centuries. Last stop on the tour was the white and green lagoons. There is a vast contrast between the two as the white lagoon is full of wildlife and flamingos, but 20 meters, the green lagoon is dead and empty. It gets it colour from acid that leaks from the surrounding volcano, and as it is lower than the white lagoon, the green always stays that way. From here, the driver brought us to the border control point, in the middle of nowhere, where a bus was waiting to take us across the border, into San Pedro de Atacama, in Chile, beside the 2^nd largest and also the driest desert in the world.

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