La Paz is beautiful, cold, absolutely freezing, all mountainy and so so different from Iquitos. But I loved all the time we spent there,we got see our fellow Project Trusters which was awesome. They took us to a funky funky reggae bar-alcohol and altitude sickness wasn't such a great combination the next day but hey it was fun, Alex (Bolivian volunteer) took to the most insane view point where you could see all over the mountainy, snowy La Pazness which was just beyond incredible. Over the weekend Jack the other volunteer was in some traditional dancey procession so we went down to try and spot him in the crowds. Turns out we totally underestimated the number of people who would be watching and how many Bolivians would be filling the streets and dancing. It was awesome, there were huge groups of women in skirts with massive petticoats and fringey shawls twirling and clicking away, broken up by big, big walking bands. We followed the flow which was literally never ending, somehow ending up at the start and there was every possible kind of dancing I've ever seen, some funky women in tutus and massive platform shoes and little Bolivian men alongside the dancing handing out cans of beer (this is all at half 10 in the morning!) The whole experience was so beyond incredible that I can't even think of the right words to describe the atmosphere up there, bus a massive sense of community and friendliness that you get through the groups of dancers. It was one of the most interesting morning of my life.
On Monday, through sheer craziness, definitely affected by altitude- we rode down THE world's most dangerous road. It was insane and exhilarating and beautiful and amazing and breathtaking and so so many other adjectives that will just not do it justice. We got taken up to the top of La Cumbre from La Paz with our group and guide where they gave us all our safety bikey gear . From there it was downhill the whole way, completely freezing, starting in the mountains on proper tarmac and after the Bolivian tax point it was all dirt track on the skinniest road I've ever seen. Even permanently braking I somehow still managed to fly down, it felt like I was never going to stop! From the dirt track downwards, it all became jungley, like something out of Tarzan it was gorgeous-If Iquitos was in the mountains that is what it would look like...it was insanely gorgeous.
Alex managed the first fall going round a corner in front of me, all I saw was a cloud of dust. Nothing too serious and she's all scabby and healthy ahora :) I'm still pretty impressed she fell and through some crazy miracle I stayed on my bike the whole 56km! By the end though my wrists and arms felt like they were about to fall off, (3hours of downhill will do that to you) every tiny jiggle was absolute agony BUT I did it. I rode the world's most dangerous road-check that out for a gap year adventure
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| cleaning up alex's injuries with pure alcohol! |
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| the fronter between Bolivia and Peru |
Such an easier journey home, on one bus the whole way although the second 12 hour stretch was full of travel sick Alex throwing up which wasn't as relaxing. But we made it back in one piece and even got to see our Peruvian volunteers in Lima for a few hours también. It was so lovely spending time with them again and being able to update them on all that's gone down in the aldea since they left.
Our awesome visa run break was topped off by being welcomed back by all mi kiddies when we got back tot he aldea, coupled with the arrival of gorgeous new 3month old baby Olga in the modulo next door-meaning we now get a lovely wake up call about 4 every morning!
hasta pronto xx
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