Back in La Paz - Day 1

After 4 days at Lake Titicaca, it became abundantly clear that the Puno blockade would not be sorted out for another week, maybe two. Nobody seemed to have any idea what was going on. Stranded travellers were loitering around tourist offices hoping in vain the border would miraculously open.The more resourceful/desperate ones decided to catch a bus into Chile, and from there cross over into Peru - a roundabout journey they estimated would take more than days if you included all the waiting time for connection buses.

On the other hand, the most pressing matter in my world was that there was only so much cappuccino I could drink in the mornings, so with all the confusion amounting, the tour offices were a wonderful place for me to hang around, mingle with a few people, and kill a bit of time. A number of them had booked the Inca Trail many months in advance so were understandably panicked, while others had connection flights they were in danger of forfeiting. "Terrible, isn´t it? You just don´t know, do you?" I would say, shaking my head in sympathy. In the blink of an eye, it would be time for lunch.

Finally tired of Titicaca, I caught the next bus back to La Paz and booked a flight into Cuzco, the tourist hub for Machu Picchu, which had been on my agenda from the start. The earliest I could confirm was three days away, so once again I consulted the Bash & Crash tour operator to see how I could fill the time.

Day 1: The Death Road

I had read about this long before but never got around to doing it. How glad I am now that the Puno riots happened. This all-day, downhill biking adventure is a MUST if you come to La Paz. For so long I had wanted to get up these beautiful Bolivian mountains without having to trek for 5 days and eat my own turds in a tent. This excusion was the answer. The group I went with consisted of two Brazilians, one Spanish guy and a Danish girl.

At 8 in the morning we were picked up at the hostel and driven to a point 4,700M up where we were kitted out and given our bikes. These are not strictly speaking mountain bikes, but rather, downhill bikes - meaning, the brakes are industrial strength, the gears are not for climbing, and they are fitted with hydraulic suspensions to cushion even the roughest bumps at speed. From Las Cumbres (the peak) it was downhill all the way - and the most fun I´ve had since my first BMX.

The peak, 4,700 M above sea level.

Breathtaking mountain views.

 Me on the left. It´s high, dry and COLD.

First hour and a half is all tarmac. No need to pedal, gravity does all the work.

From the cloud layer, road narrows, gravel track begin.

If you go over the edge, it´s freefall.

That´s me coming through the cloud layer! Photo captured by Spanish dude.

Spanish guy under the waterfall.

Nearing the bottom - hot, humid, mosquito tropical.

4,700M to down to 700M in 6 hours. Then by car back up to La Paz (3300M).
Total cost of trip: HK$450