Dan & Rach's World Trip

One of the reasons we did the bike thing was because we thought it was safer to do that than get the bus down the road to our next journey. What we didn`t know was that the bike ride only takes off a little bit and you still have an 18 hour bus ride ahead of you to get to the Amazon Basin.

We thought it would be quick and flat, but no, of course not, this is the Andies and the road was still just a dirt track carved out of the moutnainside so that whenever we had to pass a truck the bus was driven so close to the edge that from the window you couldn´t see the road, only the drop to your death. Also we knew that to take busses at night meant you had a deathwish, but not knowing how long the journey was (and not being able to find out) most of it was at night! Although we got there we had to stop for 3 flat tyres, 2 drug check points, some au-natural toilet breaks and some very dodgy looking engineering underneath the bus where I believe they may have been trying to beat the axle back into alignment.

Made it to Rurre in the jungle and settled in - nice town, safe good bars and really built for tourists. We got a five day jungle trip sorted and headed off into the wild. Now I´m not much of a jungle person, I am a bit like that bloke off the Fast Show who works in a zoo but jumps everytime an animal comes near him. Thats me with flying things, and believe me the jungle has some huge flying things. Thankfully I covered myself in DEET spray so avoided the mosquiotos and we sort of did quite a nice trip, no camping for us, we stayed in wooden huts under mosquito nets.

Spent 3 days on one of the rivers and then a couple trecking through thr jungle, all pretty good stuff, loads of animals, photos and things, including watching sunset at a bar which has been built for tourists in the jungle - its not really what Micheal Palin would have done is it!

The motorised canoe trip further into the junge to our camp was amazing. We saw loads of wildlife including strange jungle animals that don`t even have english names but can only be described as crosses between animals we know e.g. a pig/rat! The amount of wildlife we saw was( definately helped by the fact that our guide was fluent in jungle animal language - he literally called the monkeys out of the trees to the edge of the river!. What was most impressive (and scary considering "river swimming" was on the adgenda for the next day) was how many aligators we saw! They were lurking in the water under fallen branches and dotted about on the bank every few meters! It was even more impressive at night when the aligators eyes were bright red (reflecting our touch light). All you could just see was red eyes poking out of the water everywhere staring at you!

We heard about a couple of guys who got an unofficial tour with a mate of a mate of a hoitel owner. Their trip consisted of going out with a couple of shifty poachers who drove them by boat 7 hours into the jungle, proceeded to shoot an endangered monkey out of a tree with the gun he was for some reason carrying, then cut the thing up and used it as bait for them to catch their dinner! They had to spend the first night on their boat as it was the only place they felt safe from all the creatures since mosquito nets were not available!

To be honnest the jungle is huge, and unless you want to put yourselves in danger like those guys, you get to see all the good stuff (oversized eveything! - trees, leaves, insects!) whilst also living a bit more comfortably. Although we had a go at fishing for Pyranhs, our group had 2 guides and a cook who spent all day back at the huts preparing food for us! That is what camping in the jungle is all about.

Went back to Rurre to try and get a flight out to La Paz so we didn´t have to do the death road in reverse. Not bad, slight hitches with them wanting to put us on different planes, but we got on the same flight in the end.

It wasn´t like a normal flight - firstly the plane only had 12 seats and you sat behind the pilot so it was more like one of the planes used for a scenic New York city tour, secondly the airstrip was grass in the middle of the jungle.

We met at the airline shop in town where we got a bus with all the people that worked in the shop. When we got to the airport they then became the people who checked us in. When that was done they went outside, put on yellow jackets and guided the plane into land, next the same people unloaded and loaded the plane and then helped it take off!

It was a brillitant (if bumpy) flight over the jungle, especially as it took ages for the plane to climb up to the height of La Paz, in fact we climbed the whole way!

To get out of La Paz we booked a bike tour down the worlds most dangerous road. This goes from La Paz to Corica and drops about 3000m in about 50km (or something silly). It is the most dangerous road because they have the most deaths a year, and it is also the worlds most fucking stupidest road. It is single track, made of dust and rock and cut into the side of the moutain with a vertical drop of about 400m off the left hand side most of the way - and by vertical I mean straight down.

They next allow double decker buses and huge trucks to use the thing. When they meet one of them has to do this sort of kamakazi reverse into the nearest passing spot, I swear I saw one lorry do this, smash into the mountain and then get almost the whole of one of his wheels off the edge, I wanted to video it incase the thing toppled over the side. Oh and where was I at the time, right beside it about 50cm from the axle holding onto my bike and praying that I lived.

To be honest some of the road is ok, nothing but dirt, but spectacular scenery. The problem we had was the mist came down and most of the corners are blind bends so not only do you have to worry about falling off, you have to worry about being hit by oncoming traffic.

To top it all off Rach was really ill that day so struggled to keep her insides in most of the journey. Obviously we made it ok and spent to night in a lovely hotel with a swimming pool playing pool with some mates. We also then got told the horro stories about other travellers by our bike guide for the day - stories of people falling off the edge or coming off their bikes to disfigure them sselves on the moutain (it is all down hill so you go pretty fast). I´m glad he only told us this at the end

Sorry, on the last entry I meant the boat back to Copacobana.

Anyway we got back about 1030 and had our bus booked to La Paz for 1.30. Checked in the office at five to one to be told the bus was leabing in 5 mins, rushed back to get Rach and we jumped on the bus just in time. Then in true South American style the bus stayed put, fully loaded until 1.45?

Three and a half hours of easy roads to La PAz, only one road block outside a petrol station on the way, which the driver successfully avoided by going the back way through the village round the petrol station.

However when we got to La Paz the driver kept on stopping in radom places and asking if anybody wanted to get off. Of course we all wanted to get off at the bus station, but oh no in the end he just drove us into the centre of town. We were proper lost until we saw a mate´s head apear in the bus window and we hammered on the glass to get his attention and get him to help us to a hostel.

Spent a couple of days here, nice city, great bars and food although we are still a bit wary of all the strangle-muggings we keep on hearing about (the grab you and strangle you till you pass out then nick everything}. One couple then said that they flagged down a taxi when they cam round who must have been in on the scam cos the same guys then jumped in and took them out of town to drop off. Bloody hell i´d have been a bit scared but it was their own fault a bit by walking throuhg the centre of town at 4am drunk - Rach and I only go home after dark if we are with at least another 2 people!

Nothing much else to say about here, saw a way over the top political rally and wandered around the town centre. It looks pretty western (There is a Ritz hotel, $60 per night for a suite, I asked) which was a nice surprise, although they do like their karaoke here, there is a bar next to our rubbish hostel where you can hear the crooning going through until the early hours

Took a bus accross the border to Bolivia. The boarder was no problem as we were with a tour company bus. First stop Copacabana which is not the hotest spont morth of havana.

Turned up in the rain and it looked dreary. Got a hostel which was so so cheap about 3 quid. However the rain cleared up and the place had loads of nice restaurants. However it was so so cold so we sat in a place al afternoon playing chess and scrabble. In the evening we had trout for dinner caught from the lake. It was the biggest and best fish meal we have ever tasted. Wow wow wow and cost 3 quid!

Next day we took a boat accross to the Isle Del Sol. We did it independently not with a tour company, so although the boat was full of tourists we got dropped off with about 2 others at the south end of the island whilst the boat went onto the north? No real problem but then it started to rain so we thought we were in for a rubbish day. However it cleared up and we walked the whole island. It was amazing, views over lake titicaca to die for, words cannöt do justice, only the photos. However it took us ages to walk to the north of the island (passing all the tourists walking south as they were being picked up at four to go back to the mainland whilst we were planning to stay the night) didn't want to be back after dark so with another couple we haggled and got a local to row us back half way for about 80 pence in his boat. Quite a laugh and we got back to the south of the island to get some beers and watch sunset from the top of a hill (about 4500m)

I have just had my head shaved to a grade one, so whilst we were sitting there on this rock drinking beer and watching sunset this old lady with sheep in tow literally stops by me sitting on a rock and starts to rub my head and laugh - weird. We did get a photo though.

Next this old lady, and by old I mean over 70 walks past us carying a bag of sticks on her back that must have weighed 30 kg. You don't grow old gracefully in Bolivia.

Had a nice evening on the island (although bloody cold) and got the bus back to copacabana next morning)

Got picked up from the hotel and went to the docks to get a boat out to the lake. It was a tourist boat with another 20 gringos. First stop the floating islands that are famous. To say they have been completely changed by tourism is an understatement. Although still fabulous I wouldn't be surprised if the local population is shipped out ther by boat in the morning and back in the evening when we have all gone. Great to see how they have built an island out of reeds etc, but it is really only there for tourists and the locals would have moved to dry land by now. Won't say much more, good to see but not really my cup of tea.

Went to another island in the lake to be met by a family and we stayed with them. Amazing to stay with an actual family. We ate with them etc and staying in their home. Food is good but basic, but to see the lady of the house cooking round a smoky fire was awsome. I haven't really got the words to describe this, Rach can do better. Best thing was the doors to the house, they only come up to my chest!

The evening was spent at a local dance where we dressed in the locals clothes. However the band was composed of bloody panpipes. I haven't really expressed my hatred of this instrument here, but believe me it gives me the willies so I didn't like that much. Did loads of boring dancing with our families 16 year old daughter and her friend, although it is really repetitive. I felt embarased and Rach thought it was hilarious (i made sure I held onto the camera all night sop she couldn't capture it)

Our guide for the trip was an idiot though. He made the locals demonstrate their farming techniques. This included showing us how they use a pick axe to plough the land! Big wow, hardly breaking news and it was embrassing to watch the locals having to demonstrate this just to get the tour companies to come to their village.

Next morning it was horrible weather and thwe boat to another island was rough. I made a joke about half way accross about how bad it would be if the engine died. I'm not kidding but 10 seconds later it did! The guide was down there with a screwdriver whilst the driver pured petrol neat into the carbouretter. I didn't make my knowledge of marine engines known and tried to sleep whilst all around us people were donning lifejackets. Thankfuly it started, but there was mild panic which was amuzing.

Got to the next island where we were planning to spend the night, but it was so wet and horrible we had a walk, a nice meal and went back to Puno but boat. Stayed one more night there and ate out with more locals specialities (including alpaca which tastes like a cross between lamb and beef)