Day 32 - Biking down the world's most dangerous road! (La Paz to Yolosa)

I had my breakfast at 'Hostal Solaris' at 7am and met some of the other travellers going on the crazy mountain bike ride, including an Aussie girl, a Dutch guy, a Spanish couple and two Israeli guys. We were all given a bag full of equipment, including helmets and gloves and the 'Hostal Solaris' team strip!

We set off at about 8am with the bikes loaded on top of the minibus; we had two guides to look after the seven of us. We drove out of La Paz for about an hour before we reached La Cumbre at 4700 metres where the start of the downhill ride begins. (We saw plenty of other tour companies with their mountain bikers all ready to begin the big descent.) We were given a briefing on the rules of the road before being presented with our bikes, mine seemed to be the odd one out and was in quite a bad way with a loose bottom bracket and very loose cones on the rear wheel! I complained and told one of the guides it was a bit shite! They soon presented me with another as a replacement which was much better; however it was clear they don’t really maintain any of their bikes on a regular basis. 

It was great fun for the first hour descending on the tarmacked road and cycling as fast as you could by tucking into an aerodynamic position! There was a guide at front of us on his bike and a guide bringing up rear with the support van. We had to stop at a police check point, to make sure none of us were carrying any drugs! We later stopped for a sandwich and drink, which I thought was a nice thing provided by the company. After more descending on tarmacked road, it was soon time for the real descent on unpaved road to begin. We were all given further rules of the road before heading down. It was great fun riding under some of the waterfalls along the way and getting completely drenched! The lead rider (guide) was taking photographs all along the way, although as I spent a great deal of time right on his wheel during most of the trip, I may not be in very many!

Biking down the world’s most dangerous road

Biking down the world’s most dangerous road

Biking down the world’s most dangerous road

Biking down the world’s most dangerous road

Biking down the world’s most dangerous road

Biking down the world’s most dangerous road

Biking down the world’s most dangerous road

Biking down the world’s most dangerous road

Biking down the world’s most dangerous road

We finally reached Yolosa (1800m) at about 2:30pm (not really sure why we didn't ride all the way to Coiroco?). We all handed our equipment and clothing back, whilst having a quick beer at the local bar. The restaurant (our planned lunch stop) was only a five minute drive away, and when we arrived we were told we only had an hour for lunch and a shower before we had to head back to La Paz. Apparently we were running late and we should have had much more time to relax. I could only think it was due to one of the Israeli guys who was incredibly slow riding down the road and we constantly had to wait for him! The food served was ok and so too were the showers, it was just a shame we didn't have long to really enjoy the surroundings.

Yolosa - Biking down the world’s most dangerous road

We arrived back in La Paz at 'Hostal Solaris' just after 7pm, and we were told to come back at 8pm for our tee shirts and our DVD! We all said our goodbyes and I headed back to my hotel, to find my window (internal, overlooking the landing) open and so I panicked a little! When I entered my room all seemed ok after checking my backpack, although some things had been moved around. When I confronted the hotel owner, she blamed the cleaner. I said it’s not a good idea for the cleaner to leave the window open, especially when there is a sign in my room saying 'The hotel is not responsible if items go missing'! I don't think she really understood and she just said in the 6 years she had been running a hotel she has never had anything stolen!

I later went back out again to collect my tee shirt and my DVD before having my last meal in Bolivia, which was nothing special, just a very dry ham and cheese pizza!

I am certainly not looking forward to getting up at 4am to catch four flights, La Paz >Santa Cruz > Miami > Heathrow > Newcastle!!! What an amazing time I have had in Bolivia though :-)

Christmas decorations in La Paz

Day 31 - Rurrenabaque to La Paz

I made my way to the Amazonas office for 6am where I met the Swiss couple again. We finally left for the airport at about 6:20am. We all boarded the plane and we took off more or less on time! (The Amazonas plane was quite a bit smaller than the TAM one I’d arrived on, and it was quite a magical flight!)

Rurrenabaque to La Paz

Outside the airport I found a minibus to take me to San Francisco Plaza, where I walked to Hotel Montanes and checked in again. On arrival I wanted to air my tent on the roof and the lady owner seemed to have an issue with this as she followed me up to the roof and told me not to leave it out any longer than an hour? I left the tent out on the roof and visited the wonderful little restaurant with the friendly staff next door for some breakfast. Here I bumped into Daniel (who I’d spent 4 days with on the Salar De Uyuni tour) and we had a chat, he said he had a great 3 days on the Isle Del Sol.

After breakfast I returned to my hotel and started to walk up the stairs to the roof to collect my tent, but the lady owner appeared and told me she would collect it for me? She then insisted I had to roll it up in the corridor inside the hotel rather than the roof!? Strange lady, I just did as just asked!

I then decided to visit Viacha Tours and explain how my jungle tour didn’t exactly go to plan over the last few days. I spoke with a young girl who clearly understood some of the issues I raised, however she asked me to come back later in the afternoon when the boss would be around. I decided to take a slow walk over to Burger King for a treat (I’d noticed it when I first arrived), however I was a little shocked at some of the prices, they appeared more expensive than the UK!

After my visit to Burger King I made my way back to Viacha Tours, were I could see the boss was sat down. I raised some of my issues again, whilst noticing another man also sat down who seemed very interested but kept quiet throughout. It turned out he was from Mashaquipe! In just a few minutes the two men had a chat and the amount of 400 Bolivianos was agreed that should be refunded! I was more than happy with the outcome, and so decided to ask Viacha Tours about doing the famous mountain bike ride down the world's most dangerous road in the morning! I ended up booking it with Solavio Hostal/Tours for the exact sum of 400 Bolivianos.

I then decided it was time I did some Christmas shopping and visited all the shops around the Witches Market where I purchased a poncho, hats, scarfs, a mask and quite a few other things! I had my evening meal at the restaurant next to my hotel again before heading back to my hotel room to prepare for my departure at 6:45am tomorrow (as I have to be at the Solavio Hostal at 7am for breakfast, before heading off at 7:30am).

Some souvenirs & Christmas presents!

Day 30 - El Bala (including a raft ride) & back to Rurrenabaque

After a bit of a sticky night in my tent, I awoke shortly after 6am. My guide and cook were already up and so were the Swiss couple. We were told we would be going on a small hike before breakfast to see some macaws a little closer than the ones we saw yesterday. We finally reached the spot where we could view the macaws high up in the trees (on a cliff edge) however we were still quite far away.

My hand this morning! :-(

Owl butterfly in the Jungle

When we returned to camp, there were a couple of locals already present and one I recognised as the 'administrator' (the boss!), who had arrived by boat and had clearly brought some provisions (and later I would discover a few logs!). The breakfast was ok and we all had a pancake each, but I noticed the cook was frying some plantains and I asked if I could have some? I was swiftly told they were not for me! I then noticed the cook was preparing some meat and so I thought this was the lunch for another tour group, but I was then told it was for the boss and his mate! After a while I was presented with a plate of fried plantains, result!

Breakfast cooking in the Jungle!

After breakfast we packed our things and headed down to the river bank, where there was the boat waiting laden with logs. We had to leave our backpacks on the boat, and then lift off the logs and make a raft so we could all float down the river, and back to the mashaquipe camp! Our guide did most of the work, lashing the logs together in a very clever way whilst we held the logs for him. It only took about 30 minutes to make the raft and then we headed off down the river following the current (with our guide using a large stick to make sure we did not get stuck in shallow water!). It was very relaxing and very enjoyable, however after only one hour in the sun I severely burnt my legs (where I had my trousers rolled up).

On the raft!

We arrived back at the mashaquipe camp at about 11:30am. I was shown my original cabin, the bedding was missing and the cleaner (who was around) did nothing about it, and I wasn’t sure why? I was also a little annoyed on behalf of the Swiss couple who were told after arriving back they could hang around the restaurant area (until the boat arrived at 2pm to take them back to Rurrenabaque), rather than rest in their cabin! (I think they actually paid more money than me for their tour package!)

Airing my tent out! (mashaquipe camp)

Whilst all of us were having our lunch it was clear more tourists had arrived, (and all the tourists that had arrived with me were heading back to Rurrenabaque at 2pm, the same as the Swiss couple). My guide told me he had to look after some of the new tourists now and that I could probably find a new group to join and go on another jungle walk in the afternoon. Initially I really couldn't be bothered and was a little tired and so I told him I would think about it whilst having a lie down in my cabin.

It wasn't long before the heavens opened up and I began to wonder if it was worth staying in El Bala any longer. I headed back to the restaurant area where my guide and a few of the others were lounging about and I happened to mention I was thinking of leaving, as I was concerned about my flight home to England on the 5^th, and thought there might be a few issues with flights out of Rurrenabaque due to the weather. I finally decided to leave El Bala with everybody else when the boat arrived at 2pm.

Heading back to Rurrenabaque

I arrived back in Rurrenabaque at about 3:30pm. I said my goodbyes to the Swiss couple who were catching the Amazonas flight at 5:45pm. I told them hopefully I would see them shortly as I was hoping to change my Amazonas flight I had booked for tomorrow to today?

Unfortunately at the Amazonas office I was told the remaining flight at 5:45pm was fully booked, but I could change it and fly tomorrow at 7:15am at a charge of 30 Bolivianos. I decided to pay the 30 Bolivianos and fly out in the morning. (If it is delayed, I still have some time to play with!)

I later had something to eat in Rurrenabaque and walked around the market. I was looking for a cheap watch as mine had stopped about 2 hours after I was stung by a wasp in the jungle, (very strange!) and a pair of trousers as I only had the one pair. However I failed to buy either and returned to my hotel with a bag of washing powder! On my return I bumped into the Swiss couple who told me their flight had been cancelled, (yes  cancelled and NOT fully booked!?) and rescheduled for tomorrow at 7:15am!!!

Rurrenabaque

The Beni River - View from Rurrenabaque

I will be up at 5:30am, as I have to be at the Amazonas office to catch their bus at 6am to take me to the airport. I really hope the flight is not delayed!

Day 29 - El Bala & a trek in the jungle

I was up at 7am and met the Swiss couple and our guide for breakfast. The other teams had already had breakfast, and were just about to leave and head off into the jungle. The Swiss couple decided to speak with the guide about camping out in the jungle as this wasn't mentioned by the tour agency they had booked with. The guide told them they didn't have to camp if they didn't want to, but in the end they decided to go ahead with it. I offered to take and pitch my tent for them; I think the guide was grateful of this!

I decided not to query my tour package, although I clearly knew I wouldn't be camping a second night as I have to return tomorrow as the Swiss couple are flying back to La Paz! I am also wondering if I will still have a single cabin waiting for me on my return? I also decided to charge my tablet in the restaurant area (as advised when I first arrived), but the 'administrator' made a point that I was using all the power and asked how long I planned to charge my tablet! It seemed strange as it was daylight, and in the restaurant they had the lights on! I later discovered the 'administrator' was the boss, and he had ten brothers all involved in Mashaquipe, (so my guide told me!)

The four of us left at about 8:30am and headed into the jungle, we all had to carry plenty of water as we would need it for the return trip the following day. Again we saw plenty of insects along the way, and a few tiny frogs. I managed to grab a few close up photographs of some butterflies but that was about it.

Insect in the Jungle

Pupa in the Jungle

Spider in the Jungle

Butterfly in the Jungle

We finally reached our camp site (not a camp site as such!) at lunch time, where there was a lady in a make shift kitchen already preparing our lunch. We were all amazed at the amount of flies and wasps around the place, (because of the food). We all sat down to some rice, lettuce and an omelette, which didn’t satisfy any of us! After lunch the Swiss couple were shown where to hook up their mosquito nets (given to them and some mats by our guide). I think they were a little shocked at the sleeping arrangements! I offered my tent, but they declined.

Butterfly in the Jungle (Near my tent!)

Whilst our guide was at the kitchen area I informed the Swiss couple I was still hungry, they laughed and agreed the meal was dreadful, and we deserved better as we had all paid a lot of money for this tour. We decided to head back to the kitchen area and tell our guide. He looked a bit disappointed, but he did ask the lady to make us some coffee and popcorn, which filled a very small hole!

After our extra feed and at about 3pm, we all headed off into the jungle again where our guide informed us we were heading to a popular view point. It was quite a tough ten minute climb followed by a twenty minute hike to a wonderful view point where we spotted some red and blue macaws flying around in the tree tops. However there was a moment of sadness when we all saw the memorial remembering a young Israeli guy who fell off the edge and died in 2007. After soaking up the wonderful views we headed back to the camp for a rest before our evening meal would be served. We were all hoping for a massive feed as we were all still very hungry!

The Tuichi River in El Bala (which joins the Beni River) 

The Tuichi River in El Bala (which joins the Beni River)

The Tuichi River in El Bala (which joins the Beni River)

We had our evening meal of pasta under candle light at around 7pm, which wasn't a bad feed. Our guide informed us that after our meal we would be heading into the jungle again to seek some insects! We finally headed out at about 9pm and the lady cook also joined us! It wasn't long before we spotted a tarantula up a tree which was quite big! We also spotted a very bizarre insect that resembled a leaf and before too long we were seeing quite a few tarantulas!  After about an hour we headed back to camp, where we all had some hot chocolate before everyone went under their mosquito nets and I went inside my tent for the night.

Leaf insect in the jungle at night

Tarantula in the jungle at night