Back in 2014 me and my best friend travelled through South and Central America for 10 week and my personal opinion I think South America is by far my favourite continent just because of the diverse culture and the immense beauty. I really can’t wait to go back and explore some more of the continent because in my eyes 7 weeks only is the tip of what to see.
One of the countries I got to see whilst I was in South was Bolivia. Every city I went to was different. I went to Sucre, which has a little bit of European influence in the cities architecture. I got to go into a mine in Potosi where they believe if you pray to Pache Mama, who looks like this scary mummy in the mine, she will keep you safe.
One of the two incredible things I got to do whilst in Bolivia was travelling through the salt flats. I did the typical touristy thing of taking optical illusions of me pretending to be stomping on my friend or running away from Godzilla but three day drive through it is just amazing. Words can not describe it. You will just have to see it for yourself.
On our last day in Bolivia I was in it’s capital city La Paz and decided to do “The Death Road”. You may be asking what is The Death road? No I didn’t go into the famous jail in the capital where the inmates make cocaine and they rule the jail and if you are in La Paz and someone of the streets offers you a tour inside the jail it’s at your own cost because it’s a scam and once you’re in you don’t know when you will get out. Back to what is Death Road. It’s a road going down a mountain leading from La paz to Corocio that is 56 kms from the capital.
In the mid nineties the Inter American Development Bank called it “The Worlds Most Dangerous Road”. The length of the road is about 80kms. People die every year travelling on this road. They estimated that up to 300 died on the famous Death Road in 2006. I know what you’re thinking. What in the world would make you want to ride down a mountain with a potential chance of death? Well this trip had already a few minor thrill experiences so why not add to the list.
I signed up and paid for the adventure the day before and early next morning we got picked up and taken to a meeting point and we waited quite a while until our mini bus took us up the mountain. The view from the top is absolutely breathe taking especially since i have rarely see snow before as I live in Melbourne Australia and went to the snow once when I was quite young.
The first ride down is not as difficult as the road was a smooth surface. After that first check point you’re riding on a dirt road that occasionally narrows with a pot hole hear and there. Near the end of it I was holding onto the handlebars so tight wanting to survive the ride. When I saw my group at the end of the road I was so relieved.
Bolivia has something different for any traveller and if you want to travel somewhere like no place you have ever been to with diverse culture and experiences Bolivia is the country to be.
