Down Death Road
Howdy folks! Well i did death road today with 8 others from the group and we all survived! We had a bus ride to the top of the road and then mountain biked it down (which took about 4.5hrs all up)... They actually have built a new road about a year ago to replace the old one (which we came back on - still a few substantial landslides on it tho)... So the first 32km was on bitumen on the 'new' road (that replaced the old section) and then the last 31km on the original dirt death road... was so beautiful up there - very rainforesty... but crumbs - no wonder they had to build a new road! Big rocky overhangs, so narrow in some places with those steep drop offs that you see in all the photos, rode thru little waterfalls, and sharp corners - a few nearly 90degrees and on the 'snake' section it did a 180 within ~50m. Of course I was the slowest in the group and the only one to fall off! I was too busy watching the scenery and rode over a rock that didnt want to be bicycled over... no impressive somersaults or anything - just a tear in my pants/trousers and a bit of a swollen knee. It was on trumpter corner (cant remeber the name in spanish) - apparently a lot of the sections are named and this one was because they used to blow trumnpets there to warn people of the danger... it had a few gravestones there (which is what attracted my attention) -so i suppose i picked a good corner! The 3hr bus ride back to La Paz seemed very long and we got back about 8.30 in time to meet the 4 new additions to the group and the new tour leader... all seem nice and the new tour leader more informative and organsied which is good.
Unfortunately have to leave early (8am) tomorrow so wont get another chance to wander round La Paz - is gerat for shopping - and the witches markets with all the herbs and dried up animals is pretty interesting to look thru. We have about 9hrs travel time to get to Puno (Peru) where we spend a night before catching a boat across Lake Titicaca. And the soon after that we hit the Amazon! And then Inca Trail! Exciting times!
Unfortunately have to leave early (8am) tomorrow so wont get another chance to wander round La Paz - is gerat for shopping - and the witches markets with all the herbs and dried up animals is pretty interesting to look thru. We have about 9hrs travel time to get to Puno (Peru) where we spend a night before catching a boat across Lake Titicaca. And the soon after that we hit the Amazon! And then Inca Trail! Exciting times!
