La Paz

Bussing into La Paz:

From Uyuni, I decided to head straight into La Paz. I wanted a place where I could settle for a while without having to worry about the nagging daily needs that constantly arise in small towns. Most places in Bolivia don’t even provide toilet paper. A responsible traveler always plans to have their own roll on them. I’ve found carrying it generally very convenient. Toilet paper is a cheap and effective substitute for several different things that usually aren’t worth lugging around individually. Douglas Adams emphasizes always having a towel in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, I’d always recommend toilet paper. Times have changed. The small and multifunctional is in right now—just look at the iphone’s success. Hopefully in the future i-products will incorporate toilet paper functionality.

World Cup Soccer in La Paz:

I had planned to lay low in La Paz while adjusting to the altitude and preparing for the impending string of future travels. This didn’t quite work out. I ran into the Danish girls again at the hostel I stayed at and ended up making plans similar to theirs. On the third day in town we attended a World Cup qualifying match between Bolivia and Argentina. We expected Argentina to win handily, being arguably the best team in the world. This was not the case. I don't know whether the altitude took its toll on the Argentines or if the difference boiled down to passion. Bolivia embarrassed the visiting Argentines and their fans 5-1 if I recall correctly. The Bolivians must have felt really good about this match, especially since a lot of Argentines are really racist against South American's indigenous population. It’s always nice to see arrogance undermined.

Getting to Know the City:

The other days I spent wandering the streets and markets with several different people I met. I went to 3 different embassies with people working out passports and lost credit cards. Only the Dutch embassy actually allowed me inside. I don’t know what embassy entrance policies have been in the past, but I found the nearly-universal paranoia hilarious. Fortunately, the weather was great and I didn’t mind wandering around getting to know the city. By the recommendations a lot of other travelers we decided to leave La Paz the next day VIA bicycle.

The World’s Most Dangerous Road

I booked with the Danish girls on a downhill bike trip on “The World’s Most Dangerous Road.” Although formerly the most dangerous road, claiming about 150 lives per year, this cliff-hugging freefall became much safer when closed to public traffic. Now, only about one careless biker per year goes careening down into the rusty vehicle graveyards below. The road is, however, still one of the world’s most beautiful. During the day we descended about three vertical kilometers, and rode from among chilly, jagged-peaked cloud forests down into the sweltering Amazon basin. The road weaves right through waterfalls, hangs over dizzying vertical drops, and reveals some incredible views of dynamic mountainous rainforest. We actually booked with the cheapest tour group, paying about $40 for the trip rather than the $100 that some other agencies try to charge. The expensive agencies claim to be safer… but with one death a year on the road, we assumed we could afford to be stingy. We were right. We didn’t die. I feel good about my cheap choice.

Ending in Coroico and Meeting New Company:

We ended the trip in the town of Coroico. The town doesn’t appear to offer anything interesting, but I happened to talk to a local Bolivian girl who was studying tourism at a university in La Paz. She wanted to show me around, practice her English, and get used to making the area sound interesting. She didn’t have to try too hard. Meandering around a mountainside over three huge waterfalls overlooking the jungle and coca farming villages left little to be desired.

Some Interesting Stuff:

We happened upon a flood giant red ants moving with incredible purpose. Clumps 20 ants wide that appeared like a flowing red and black network of rivers weaved their way across the path into the hills. Monica explained that they were fleeing from impending rain, and that normally they move slowly in single lines like the ants we’re used to in the USA. She also explained that although they have been deadly to people under extreme circumstances, the village is fortunate when they move through the

houses. In their flight they clear out all of the other insect life that infests the houses, leaving them spotless in the few minutes during which they pass. The experience was fantastic and unique. I ended up spending two nights and three days which were filled with entertainment and information. I ran into a group I’d met in San Pedro de Atacama at a hostel and travelled with them deeper into the Amazon, to the town of Rurrenabaque.