Death Road
Should I put some exclaimation marks after that title????
Bolivia lays claim to hosting ´The Most Dangerous Road in the World´. With a tag line as dramatic as this (probably the most dramatic since I stood on the ´Middle of the World´in Ecuador), I therefore had to rent a bicycle and put it to the test. Given that I am here today writing this entry, I would have to say that I don´t know if it is THE most dangerous, but I definitely wouldn´t accuse it of being safe. It is basically a narrow, bumpy dirt road that runs down the side of a mountain. The danger part is the lack of guard rails protecting you from the 600m cliffs that await clumsy cyclists and drowsy truck drivers. Actually, lack of guard rails is somewhat of an understatement.......there is basically just nothing. The scenery is spectacular, but when you´re cruising down the side of this mountain, the dirt path in front of you seems to hold more appeal.
It rained on us in the morning, so we got off to a cold start. The fog unfortunately covered most of the scenery in the morning, but it also provided just a white background next to the path, as opposed the the giant cliffs that were only a few feet away. Definitely helped with the butterflies. The fog eventually burned off, and we got some awesome views. Along the path, you could stop to check out grave stones for people who hadn´t managed to negotiate the 90 degree angle turns. Word from the guide was that the worst accident was five years ago when a bus went over.
Afterwards, we hit a little village for a cervasa, and then they took us to a resort in the mountains for showers and a nice buffet. All in all, twas a cool day.
I got to hook back up with Abi here in Bolivia......she is the little dark haired English vixen that I met while sandboarding in Peru. She seems to be able to handle my bad habits of being late for everything, and preparing for nothing. I´m getting ready to head back to Chile, as I will be leaving for NZ soon. My stomach has recently been somewhat of a disaster over the past 2 or 3.......ah, months. My roll of toilet paper now sits next to my passport in the ´important items´ pocket of my pack. I guess its par for the course down here in Bolivia ville. Thankfully the throwing up part isn´t accompanied with nausia, as I turn in to the biggest baby when it comes to nausia. This instead is just a stomach pain, that is followed by a good heathly power puking session. Mmmmm. Definitely shedding off all those unwanted pounds.
Oh yeah, I also went to Bolivia´s local version of the WWE wrestling. Could be one of the strangest things that I´ve seen in the past while. We got to eat popcorn and throw rotten mangos at midgets and Inca women who were trying to pull of body slams and suplexes. At one point, some of the locals actually started throwing food at us......the Gringos sitting in the VIP section.
Strange.
I did indeed go to the Amazon basin a few days ago, but still working on uploading all the pics of gators. Yeah baby!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8ab2nqp.5167qqd1&x=1&y=-86dxvr
Bolivia lays claim to hosting ´The Most Dangerous Road in the World´. With a tag line as dramatic as this (probably the most dramatic since I stood on the ´Middle of the World´in Ecuador), I therefore had to rent a bicycle and put it to the test. Given that I am here today writing this entry, I would have to say that I don´t know if it is THE most dangerous, but I definitely wouldn´t accuse it of being safe. It is basically a narrow, bumpy dirt road that runs down the side of a mountain. The danger part is the lack of guard rails protecting you from the 600m cliffs that await clumsy cyclists and drowsy truck drivers. Actually, lack of guard rails is somewhat of an understatement.......there is basically just nothing. The scenery is spectacular, but when you´re cruising down the side of this mountain, the dirt path in front of you seems to hold more appeal.
It rained on us in the morning, so we got off to a cold start. The fog unfortunately covered most of the scenery in the morning, but it also provided just a white background next to the path, as opposed the the giant cliffs that were only a few feet away. Definitely helped with the butterflies. The fog eventually burned off, and we got some awesome views. Along the path, you could stop to check out grave stones for people who hadn´t managed to negotiate the 90 degree angle turns. Word from the guide was that the worst accident was five years ago when a bus went over.
Afterwards, we hit a little village for a cervasa, and then they took us to a resort in the mountains for showers and a nice buffet. All in all, twas a cool day.
I got to hook back up with Abi here in Bolivia......she is the little dark haired English vixen that I met while sandboarding in Peru. She seems to be able to handle my bad habits of being late for everything, and preparing for nothing. I´m getting ready to head back to Chile, as I will be leaving for NZ soon. My stomach has recently been somewhat of a disaster over the past 2 or 3.......ah, months. My roll of toilet paper now sits next to my passport in the ´important items´ pocket of my pack. I guess its par for the course down here in Bolivia ville. Thankfully the throwing up part isn´t accompanied with nausia, as I turn in to the biggest baby when it comes to nausia. This instead is just a stomach pain, that is followed by a good heathly power puking session. Mmmmm. Definitely shedding off all those unwanted pounds.
Oh yeah, I also went to Bolivia´s local version of the WWE wrestling. Could be one of the strangest things that I´ve seen in the past while. We got to eat popcorn and throw rotten mangos at midgets and Inca women who were trying to pull of body slams and suplexes. At one point, some of the locals actually started throwing food at us......the Gringos sitting in the VIP section.
Strange.
I did indeed go to the Amazon basin a few days ago, but still working on uploading all the pics of gators. Yeah baby!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8ab2nqp.5167qqd1&x=1&y=-86dxvr
posted by Ryan D. MacIntyre | 4:19 PM
7 Comments:
that looks killer....literally! next time your in whistler I'll take you for a bike ride that'll compare....pretty insane.
how much more time do you have to travel?? will you be going back to T.O.? do you think your parents will over discover the truth about your sexuality?
nik nik Whoopie!
Sly
Holy cow!!! Where do you get this desire for adventure and risking your life...didn't get it from growing up in the John...must have rubbed off from all those Torontonians. I am so glad you only tell us what you are doing after the fact.
Looking forward to hearing about and seeing the pictures from the jungle, that is... now that I know you didn't get eaten by an aligator or bitten by an anoconda.
I can't tell you how thankful I am that you spared us from the pictures of midgets wrestling.
oh snap! I forgot about the midgets!! send them on!!!
Been too busy to blog but I'm back!
That lip of yours still not the best - are you sure it's not a yeast infection?
My words of advice could not be more appropriate on these frightening bike excursions through the mountains.
"Stay Calm, Be Brave, Wait for The Signs"
Dude, your losing it!!
I mean cool stuff and amazing pics, but these are things we sit around and have a few beers and show pictures with your friends...
I told you before you are traveling on a Christian tour with Larry, Michel and Johny, you are doing bible readings and you are a model of health and purity.
Aldy
Hey dude - been awhile. I see I've missed a lot...I suspect this will be good holiday reading when I need my much needed "away from the fam time."
I gotta give your props for all your cool shots - stellar! I tried wakeboarding this summer and freakin' loved it! Though you looked like you might have done a bit better than 5 foot shorty over here lol!
I am anxious to see the jungle pics. Can't wait to see it for myself. Planning a trip w friends soon.
Take care buddy, keep smiling.
Jods
MIDGETS PEOPLE!!! lets go, i want dwarves, I want little people, I want the vertically challenged!!!!
oh, and uhh, we need another update....lets go RMAC its not like you have a job to go to!
later
Sly
Post a Comment
<< Home