There was excitement in the air as our minibus left downtown La Paz and headed for the mountains. Our small team consisted of Jason from California, Matt and Peter from New Zealand, and myself. None of us had done any ice climbing before, or been close to 6088 meter of altitude, the height of Huayna [ Read More ]
After arriving in La Paz last night I had found a nice hostel in the city center. The roof top terrace was a great place to spend a few hours reading a book while enjoying the views over this spectacular city. Right outside the hostel there was a market street with women in bowler hats [ Read More ]
Distance: 102.15 km Ride time: 6:32:15 Average: 15.62 km/h Altitude: 3650 m Total: 28274 km I was having breakfast at the market in Patacamaya as I was chatting with a local. Talking about the trip, my new friend was telling me that I would be safe in Bolivia, but once I got to Peru I [ Read More ]
Distance: 125.90 km Ride time: 8:19:32 Average: 15.11 km/h Altitude: 3787 m Total: 28172 km The road from Oruro to La Paz is one of the busiest in Bolivia. Furthermore it is in construction, as they are extending it to a proper four lane highway. I’m certainly getting closer to civilization. In the beginning of [ Read More ]
After spending a month in very rural parts of Argentina and Bolivia I was now in a big city again (Oruro, population 250.000). I liked it! Plenty of restaurants and even a cafe at the central square where you could enjoy a cappuccino. Travelling in Bolivia provides some very good value for money. You could [ Read More ]
Distance: 118.97 km Ride time: 8:07:38 Average: 14.65 km/h Altitude: 3558 m Total: 28046 km At the breakfast table at the hostel I was discussing today’s plan with the owner. “No problem, you will make it to Oruro today, it will take you 8 hours”. I’m not sure how he knew (he didn’t look like [ Read More ]
Distance: 77.23 km Ride time: 5:22:47 Average: 14.39 km/h Altitude: 3631 m Total: 27927 km When I was cycling in Australia I remember thinking that after arriving in South America it would probably not be safe to camp anymore. Then, in Patagonia I was always wild camping, but I thought that when I came to [ Read More ]
Distance: 70.47 km Ride time: 5:51:59 Average: 12.13 km/h Altitude: 3711 m Total: 27850 km After the interesting stay in Salinas I was leaving town as the party was ending. Many people were waiting at the central square for buses to take them back to their home villages – I was leaving by bike instead. [ Read More ]
Distance: 35.16 km Ride time: 4:08:05 Average: 8.51 km/h Altitude: 3732 m Total: 27779 km Cycling across the Salar de Uyuni had been a unique experience, and some of the easiest cycling in a long time. I was now leaving the flat parts of Bolivia behind and headed straight into the mountains again. Not only [ Read More ]
Distance: 84.96 km Ride time: 5:22:47 Average: 15.83 km/h Altitude: 3707 m Total: 27744 km In the evening I had heard one Jeep making it’s way across the Salar, but apart from that it had been all silence. Of course most of my wild camping spots are like this… yet sleeping in the middle of [ Read More ]
