La Paz – The highs and the lows and Jungle inbetween

Flying into La Paz in decadent fashion is not the norm as most travelers arrive by bus, but at 50GBP it feels like a valid splurge. I had imagined that it would be so high that one would struggle to even lift an arm to drink a beer. Fortunately, this not the case, as many a party goer proves otherwise in the Wild Rover Hostel. It is a place to stay where everyone is up for a good time and I very much welcome the very friendly atmosphere around.  My first day nerves are eased when I meet up again with some travelers with whom I partied with in Rio for Carnaval.  In fact, La Paz is a kind of traveler bottleneck where they stay far longer than planned.
The hostel’s karaoke themed night is just one big piss up so no chance to deliver one of my crooner songs. But the Killer Pool competition is rightly won by yours truly and thus my status and notoriety increase-unlevelled table and very average cues aside!

It's hilly in town!

One of La Paz’ greatest attractions are its surrounding attractions. One hears so much about The Death Road that it would be rude to not go down it at dangerous speed on a double suspension mountain bike, on a journey that takes much of the day. There used to be many fatalities until the new road was completed. That said, I heard of a car that had gone over the perilous side very recently, so nothing can ever be taken for granted when ‘doing it’.  My long time riding experience was a great help as I find that going faster makes it marginally safer because one can ride over the bumps, stones, rocks and dust. I could easily do it all over again it was that much fun.

I am up there somewhere

Eating a good pizza in a restaurant in Potosi was the first time that I had seen a travel poster of the hills surrounding Sorata, a town two hours north of La Paz.  So the offer by some friends to go there and trek to the Laguna Chillata and its glacial at 5,100 metres is too good to turn down. It also offers me the opportunity to get out of the city for a while. So three days, two friends, two mules and one guide/cook later I find myself camping out in nighttime temperatures that have me longing for the really good sleeping bag I bought last year in anticipation of this adventure (it got the final thumbs down very late in the packing stages). At times, whilst walking through the meadows I can only think of Julie Andrews in the opening to A Sound of Music!

Robben, you let me down bad!

A trip to Bolivia’s Amazon, The Pampas, is my first chance to experience it, and to also be somewhere near sea level for a time. I did not know what to expect to see so it was great to see so much wildlife, and to also be able to capture much of it well on camera. This is where my camera with its x36 zoom came into its own as all of the tree dwelling animals were well within my sights. The people on my tour are all so much fun to hang with:  in the rustic dorm rooms, the slow chugging boat trips and the partying in the town of Rurrenabaque (On the flight there from La Paz, it feels as if we are going to fly directly into the massive Huayna Potosí mountain).  My highlight is catching not one, but two piranhas using but a nylon string with hook and some meat on its end.  I don’t recall ever catching a fish before so to be the 'fisher king' feels very satisfying! Also, seeing a sloth doing not a lot in a tree reminds me a lot of myself at times!

Ah, dinner!

This guy sees a lot of himself in me.

The Parque Nacional Madidi is one of the South America’s gems in terms of wildlife and natural diversity and it just happens to be nearby, so the jungle tour just has to be done.  The two hour boat ride up the Rio Beni is a joy as the river breeze is much needed.  I was not so sure how I would cope in the Amazon but it was wonderful to witness pigs, monkeys, dazzling parrots and tarantulas doing their natural thing.  It is not for everyone - the night trek in the jungle could break a person of faint heart!

Heading back to La Paz

My return to La Paz means that my numerous mosquito back bites can heal and I can concentrate on purchasing a guitar, which has been sorely missed over these last six months of travel.