BOLIVIA

BOLIVIA

La Paz, Bolivia

Arriving in La Paz is mind blowing. Located 4000m high in the mountains with 2million inhabitants, just houses and buildings everywhere. Look at the pics and video. I have never seen anything like it. Rocked up to the Wild Rover hostel, good crack, next registered for, of course, The World's Most Dangerous Road mountain bike ride. Has to be done, ...when in Rome and all that.

The World´s Most Dangerous Road, La Paz

We left very early in the morning and drove for about an hour up to the top of the mountain some 4500metres high. It was freezing! The bikes were amazing, $2500 a pop. We had about 10 in our group and headed on down. About a quarter of the 42km were tarmac, namely the first bit, the rest was full on off road with drops of 1km to the side. As we went down we would take off more layers because it got hotter and hotter until we were cycling down into the rain forest. I had a feeling of deja-vous ala Machu Picchu.

I did have my own personal problem though, namely irritable bowl syndrome. Serious stomach cramps and pains not to mention the rest. I had obviously been eating too much of those local delicacies again (bring on New Zealand food). Finally we stopped for lunch so i managed to find some toilet paper and ran into the forest to relieve myself. Thank goodness. It felt good and i felt a lot better afterwards. (I hope its not too much information, i just thought you might laugh :-).

To be honest although the roads were extremely dangerous and even more so when you had a lorry coming at you and another trying to over take it, i felt the margin for error was much less compared to the motorbike ride to Machu Picchu. I guess the speed factor was less even though we did bomb it down. Me trying to keep up with this mad Ducth man at the front. funny. Anyway i didn't fall and got to the bottom in one piece and as they say got the t-shirt (free in you completed the ride ok).

San Pedro Prison, La Paz, Bolivia

The second crazy thing i did in La Paz was visit the infamous prison, San Pedro. If you have ever read the book Marching Powder you will know the lovely hotel i am talking about. Me and a mate Zack were sitting on this park bench outside the prison as we were told to by other travellers when this big black guy approached us. I said to Zack, here we go man, i bet he's the one. He was. He asked us if we were interested in visiting the prison, of course we were. Well i couldn't believe it.

We agreed the price and waited in this room off the entrance the size of a small toilet, with a few other travellers who were waiting too. Moments later this guy entered saying he was our guide and these other four guys were our bodyguards. you what! They opened the steel prison gates and we went in. Prisoners everywhere, roaming about. looking bloody dodgy and dangerous. Bolivian prison. Hello.

It was like a maze in there, small corridors just enough for maybe two people to pass sideways. We went through this one corridor called Base Alley. It stank, Stank of chemical poison. For though unfamiliar with the dregs of the drug world, base is a cocaine derivative also known as crack cocaine. Prisoners, continually, hour after hour, day after day, smoking crack cocaine. Not pleasant is an understatement. It was very sad and scary to be honest. They just looked like vacant zombies.

We continued walking and then we saw children in the prison. I asked i guard, whats the crack with the kids. he said of the 1500 inmates, there are 200 families. Apparently its better for the kids to grow up there with there family than to be left in the hands of the non-existent Bolivian welfare system. You cant judge, you just have to take it in. This is part of the world we live in although i am sure the majority of us are oblivious to it.

Another shocking fact, they have a factory in there producing some 1.5tonnes of **** a month. I was astounded. Can you imagine! And i didn't see a police man or guard in site. The guide said they keep guard themselves and deal with any problems themselves. Paedophiles are killed immediately. I met this one man, who looked harmless, well he had been living in this whole, big enough for a bed, that's it, you couldn't stand up in there, well he had been there 29 years. ready to leave in a year. Apparently whether you murder one person or 100, you get 30 yrs. I just couldn't begin to imagine how he lived there for so long. He must be totally institutionalised (like in Shawshack redemption). I wonder if he would have a clue what to do with himself if/when he leaves. Poor man.

I have to say its one of the most scariest places i have visited to date. no kidding!

Well after all that i needed to get back to reality and aside from the bike ride and the prison, the two things i really wanted to see in Bolivia was Park National Maidi in Rurrenabaque the Amazon and the famous salt flats in Uyuni. Well i just managed to (time wise).

Rurrenabaque, Bolivia
I cheated and paid the $100 dollar return flight to the amazon instead of the harrowing 18hr dirt road bus ride. Trust me, it was well worth it. You just have to splurge sometimes. The flight itself was amazing, leaving La Paz, flying not so high over the snow covered Andean peaks and then down into the amazon jungle with its tributaries and carpet rainforest's. That morning i met up with the seven other travellers in my group, a mix of crazy Irish and English. After the three hour awful jeep ride on the dirt road we made it to one of the Amazon tributaries where we boated down for a couple of hours until we got to our camp.

I have to tell you, the amount of animals we saw was astonishing. Cayman like crocodiles everywhere, i mean hundreds. Cocabara's which are a mix between rats and beavers i guess but the size of dogs. Herbivores.

We also went for a trek into the jungle and found both anaconda snakes and adder snakes. At one point i was just standing by the water and then i saw this tiny snake, 40cm long. I said, Diego (our guide) whats that. he said. Luke step back now. Of course i did. he told me it was a death adder. forget its size, its so poisonous it kills a man within 20minutes after one bite and they

have no cure. Ok ok. I shall stick with you.

But it was just great to be out in the real nature. Although we did come across some land that had obviously been slashed and burned. I thought that strange for a protected national park. Diego told me the gov had sold it for money and then the big old trees, some 800yrs old are removed and the land left to waste. The truth hurts. But that is reality. Money talks, bullshit walks. Sad.

All in all i did love the 3 days i had there. The landscape reminded me of the Panatanal in Brazil where i went last year. Very similar. I do hope to see more of the rain forest during the rest of my journey in South East Asia.

Oh and for the boys and girls at home, i learnt a fantastic drinking game from the Irish called circle of death. Trust me, we will be playing it when i get back. haha.

Uyuni Salt Flats, Bolivia

The Salt Flats in Bolivia are the largest in the world. Some 12000km square. Millions of years ago there was a vast expanse of water stretching between the Andean mountains and the Occidental mountains. Over time the water dried up causing this huge white white expanse.

And in the middle of it we visited one of these islands covered from head to toe in Catie.

Check out the awesome videos below.

I did a three day tour, had some cool Swiss girls in my group, Mary and Silvia and Simon. A good group. After the first day visit to the salt flats we drove in a 4x4 jeep and visited green, red, white and yellow lagoons filled with pink flamingos.

They are obviously there for the mineral values the water offers them. i do have some beautiful pictures which you'll see below. Such a stark difference in landscape from the rain forest but just a beautiful in their own right. Plus there´s one of down and dirty in mi andean clothing!

The weather there is quite extreme, in the day 30C and at night -5C but we were all good.

The only bad thing of this trip was coming back. i had paid for a tourist bus to get back and yet when i got to the agency they told me protesters in La Paz had not let the bass pass so i had to get on a local 'chicken bus'. Not fun at all. A 12hr night bus that stank of toilet and pooh. Oh well, i guess this is literally getting down and dirty with the locals, hey.

Back now safely in La Paz, I fly out tomorrow to Auckland New Zealand. Honestly i have really enjoyed my 6 months in Latin America. I do hope at some point to write a page or so regarding my thoughts of the continent, its people and culture. I would highly advise visiting Latin America. It is a rich country in both people, landscapes and culture, if not money. That being said, i feel i am ready for the next phase of my tour of the world. I am really excited about visited New Zealand. i have heard such great things about the country, its people and landscape and i am sure those high expectations will be met. But that's all for now folks. Will be in touch soon. Over and out. Luke.

PERU

PERU
Mancora, Peru

It was another long day of travelling, 12hrs+ when i made it over the border from Ecaudor to Peru to the famous surf town of Mancora. As soon as i arrived i went straight to the beach and found what i had been searching for. Perfect tubular waves, lefties, consistent and smooth. So donned on the rash vest got a board and just surfed for the next two days. i loved it. Surfing is something i have wanted to do all my life, since i was a small boy, its in my blood and heart but i never had the opportuntiy really until Abbie moved to Spain. Anyway, every chance i get on my travels i try and get a few days of surf in. Its amazing for the soul and spirit, trust me.

Huarraz, Peru
From Mancora i took an arduos 18+hr bus journey into the Andean mountains of Peru, Huarraz. I had been looking forward to seeing this part of Peru, the true Andies at 6000m +. Well i certainly experienecd it. I only had three days but i managed to find a group of friends within my hostel to come with me horesriding one day, trekking one day and mountain biking the last day. The horse riding was great and we saw some spectacular views but the mountain biking was my favourite. Me, two others and our execllent guide Pedro put the bikes on top of a taxi and drove up hill to the top of one the mounatins in the Cordella Blanca region, some 4000 metres high. Then set up the bikes and downhill mostly all the way. We cycled for about 5-6hrs downhill on dirt tracks, accross valleys and farms and some very tricky rocky parts. I just cruised, the other couple had some difficulties, it was there first time but we all made it back safely. Sadly i dont have any pics of Mancora or Huarraz, this is about the time when my small rucksack was stolen from me with all my valuables. Shit happens (some say for a reason?). Anyway if i can get some pics from those guys i will post them up here.

Cusco, Peru
Having arrived in Lima from Huarraz, when my rucksack got stolen from beside me at the bus station, well then i went to the police and then the British consulate. I chose the consulate in Cusco, not Lima, seeing as i would have to wait 10days. Cusco is a great place to have to stay for a while. Machu Picchu, party town, head HQ of the Inca civilisation back in the day and generally a very cool place. My parents helped me with money, thans mum and dad, and while i waited for my new passport, well of course i had to visit Machu Pichu, but not any old way.

The boys, ripping it in in the clubs in Cusco. Those poor girls!

The Monster bike ride to Machu Picchu, Peru

I met this Dutch guy Erik (in the brown top above) in the same hostel and he also wanted to go to Machu Picchu, but he like me also wanted to rent motorbikes to get there. Well, ....where do i start.

We rock up to this shop and after some negotiations price wise, they amazingly agreed to take me to a football pitch to learn, practice, get used to riding a 250cc off road motor bike. I have never riden a bike in my life! Erik had only ridden once before. After about an hour i was still very uneasy and nervous but we had to get back. I sat on the back of the bike through the traffic and it was a nightmare. It just freaked me out. After a few more discussoons they agreed to let me rent the bike for three days and go to Machu Picchu. You what! No bike insurance nothing. OK, game on! I did have a helmet, jacket and gloves.

We left the next morning at 6am to avoid the traffic, i was going so slowly, like 30-40k/hr on the tarmac. Man i had to get used to the bike, the roads, the traffic. Anyway, we carried on and had our first stop after about two hours to take a pic and have some water. The guy in the shop said the journey takes 6hrs. Getting back on the bike, well damn thing wouldnt bloody start. Shit man. From then on, each time we had to start Erik's bike we had to push and jump start it. Great. Those things weigh about 300kg i guess. Well we 'manned up' and got on with it finding a slope and continuing on.

The journey takes you from Cusco, up the Andean mounatins some 4500m high through very windy roads (like in the French Alps) and on into cold wet cloud cover until you get over the top and down the other side, into jungle, rain forest and no more tarmac. Dirt roads only. We stopped for some interesting food at asome local place (see my face), soup with chicken claw etc...,i do love Latin American food!

Well buy this time i was getting much more confident with the bike. We had been going some 7-8hrs by now (so much for 6hrs in total) and we were going along the final long stretch on dirt road about 1-2metres wide. Through jungle, into huge massive valley raviens with drops of over 500m on the side. Well, i was crusing at about 60km/hr on the straights by now. Just excillerating but of course extremely dangerous, absolutely no room for error. The level of concentraion is just intense. Your life literally in your hands! After about 12hrs! we finally made it to our destination, Santa Teresa. We parked up the bikes safely, ate, then got ready for the 2hr hike along the railway tracks in the dark (no trains at that time) to Agua Calientes, the twon at the bottom of Machu Picchu. We got to Agua Calientes 20mins before the ticket off closed at 10pm, bought our tickets, got a hostel and slept. We woke at 4.30am next morning and made it on the first bus up to Mahcu Picchu.

Just quickly, when driving reaching the summit of the moutinas to cross over from rain forest to snow capped peaks, our hands got so cold that we couldnt use them anymore and found this hut at the top of the moutina with two women and one Quechuian man in their 60's and 70's who took us in so we could ring out the water from our shoes, socks, gloves, jackets etc. We stayed for over an hour drying by there fire. We didn't have any money left but we gave them what little food we had to say thank you. They pretty much saved us from phnemonia.

The ride back into the busy streets of cusco was easy, over taking lorries etc. So what i am basically saying is that i will def be renting more motorbikes when i am in south east asia. The freedom of the road away from tourists, its hard to beat!

Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu, what can i say. Jeeze. The lost city of the Inca's lis ocated some 2400metres high on a flat plain saddled between two forest mountains, with a commanding view down two valleys and a nearly impassable mountain at its back.

Built in 1460, Machu Picchu meaning Old Peak (the name was taken frrm the name of the surrounding moutains because they dont actually know its real name) was discovered by the American Hiram Bingham in 1911 with the help of a local. It was completely covered by rain forest. The Spanish never found and so couldn't plunder this sacred site unlike most other sacred Inca sites they plundered, hence its pristine condintion, which i thought remarkably (the condition). It is a Unesco World Heritage listed site but actually due to the number of visitors each year (roughly half a million) it is now Unesco's list of Worlds Endagered heritage sites.

The Incas were among the best stone masons the world has ever seen apparently, and many junctions in the central city are so perfect that it is said not even a knife blade fits between the stones. They the classical Inca architectural style of polished dry stone walls of regular shape in which blocks of stone are cut to fit together tightly without mortar.

Erik and i made the hike up to Waynah Pichu some 500m higher and looked down onto the site. Its layout shaped like a condor. Look closely at the pics and you'll see. My favorite spot was where i took both the video and pics. It overlooks Machu Picchu but you also gain a feeling for its natuarl hidden location. There werent that many tourists, i expected more and i defintealy felt a very good energy from the location. Machu Picchu is a very special place, fact, and i advise anyone visiting near Peru to see for themselves. I feel fortunate.

Lake Titikaka, Peru

After finally getting my new passport and one bank card sent to me i was dying to get out of Cusco. It had been 10days and i just wanted to get on the road again, heading for the magical and highest lake in the world, Lake Titikaka. This was also the day of my birthday.

My first visit by boat was to these floating villages that literally float on reads upon the water. Bizzare. The people replace the reads by placing new reads on top when the old ones below desintergrate.

I was with small group of fellow travellers and we sailed on to another island, Amante, where we would be staying with our respective families. To be honest i expected much worse conditions, i mean we did have electirty at night! That being said the toilet was just disgustuing, a hole in the ground that stank like hell (not my first and not my last i am guessng). We walked up to one of the sacred inca citadels high up on the moutain, a beatufil place to be quiet as you will see from the video (execpt for the other bloody tourists).

That night, my birthday night, after eating our very fine home cooked delicaies NOT, we all dressed up in traditional andean dress and danced the night away with the locals in their village hall. We all had a lot of fun and i have to say, no i wont forget that particualr birthday party! haha!

The lake was actually my last stop before headng into crazy Bolivia, my last country in Latin Amercia i will visit before leaving for New Zealand, Asia and India. I can't believe its been five months, time has flewn, but i must say i do feel ready to move on. Once i survive Bolivia...