July 18, 2006
Day 293
Today started the same as yesterday. Another early wakeup, another expensive taxi to El Alto. We bought tea from the same lady as yesterday and waited in the freezing pre-dawn cold for the bus to show up. While waiting, I met an interesting man from Puno, Peru who said… Read More »
July 17, 2006
Day 292
We were told that a bus would leave for Pelechuco from El Alto at 6:00 this morning, but we couldn't buy tickets in advance. It was not a good situation to be in, but we didn't have a choice if we wanted to leave for the trek from Pelechuco… Read More »
July 15-16, 2006
Day 290-291
I spent this weekend recovering from my blisters and my fallen toenail from last week's trek. Before I begin my long trip to Ecuador, Craig and I will do one last trek. It will start in Pelechuco, a full day's journey from La Paz, and end in Apolo, a… Read More »
July 14, 2006
Day 289
Going down "The World's Most Dangerous Road" on a bicycle is a popular tourist attraction in La Paz, but most people go with an expensive tour company that provide guides and lots of safety. However, Craig, Louise, and I decided that we could do the trip on our own… Read More »
July 13, 2006
Day 288
The only walking we had to do today was an easy two hours downhill to Chairo, an old mining town with only a few dozen residents. From there, we rode in a truck up to Coroico, a nice little town, which at 1600 meters, is a… Read More »
July 12, 2006
Day 287
We knew we had a long day ahead of us, so we set out before sunrise to try to get to the other side of the valley before it got too hot. The first few hours of our trek were downhill, but once we got near the bottom of… Read More »
July 11, 2006
Day 286
Craig, Louise, and I started our trek of the Choro Trail today. The trail was an old Inca road that was largely forgotten until the 1970's when Hilary Bradtt found and popularized it. To get to the trail head, we took a bus to La Cumbre,… Read More »
July 10, 2006
Day 285
Craig and I were both sick today, so we decided to take the day off and start our trek tomorrow. I was feeling really run down all day, but I finally got some drugs in the afternoon and felt much better.
July 9, 2006
Day 284
Craig and Louise got into La Paz this morning, and we met at a backpacker bar called Oliver's Travels to watch the World Cup final between France and Italy. There were a few early goals, but after that, the game wasn't too interesting for me because I felt so… Read More »
July 8, 2006
Day 283
I fell asleep sweating, but I woke up in the middle of the night shivering. The bus had gone from steaming hot to freezing cold within a few hours as we reached high altitude. My jacket, which had served as a nice pillow, became necessary to keep myself from… Read More »
