Huayna Potosi

While in Arequipa I attempted to book to trek to one of the mountains that served as a backdrop for the city. The mountain I had my eye on was over 6000 meters high and I was told that I had to properly acclimated to even attempt the challenging hike. Having only been at a high altitude for a few days I couldn't make the ascent despite my desire. For the next few days having meals on rooftop patios I stared longingly at those mountains. When I got to Bolivia I was pleased to find out there were other magical mountains I could hike. I gave myself 5 days to acclimate in La Paz (the highest capital city in the world) before heading out to Huayna Potosi for a 3 day trek.

Huayna Postosi is 6088 meters and a beautiful yet intimidating spectacle. The 1st day of the trek was training on how to ice climb using crampons for traction and ice axes for rising up through icy terrain. The second day we climbed to Alto camp which was a tiny shack at 17,000 feet. 18 of us crammed into this small space and after some soup went to "bed" at 6pm because we were waking up at 1am to reach the summit by sunrise. That night my head felt like it was in a vice from a lack of oxygen. I got no more than 2 hours of sleep but was still charged by the upcoming ascent. We awoke as planned at 1am and hit the ice at 2am. The climb up to the summit was completely in the dark and probably better that way as had I been able to see the terrain we were hiking through I might have had second thoughts. ..We reached 200 ft below the summit right at sunrise which was a treat. Above the clouds there were priceless vistas to gaze at.

We were so close yet so far away from the summit. Completely spent some people decided not to summit. If it were not for my guide I am not sure I would have made it to the top. He continued to push and challenge me to keep my eyes on the prize. When I was finally at 6088 meters a sense of peace and accomplishment washed over me having completed one of the most challenging feats of my life.

Now all I had to do was get done the mountain...

"Death Road"

On my way to Bolivia I read about "death road" which some say is the most dangerous rode in the world. There are an average of 100 deaths per year on this narrow and mountainous road. In fact, the week before I took a ride down the 3000 meter Yungas road a tour guide had died. The road itself isn't that dangerous rather it is the mix of bullish bus drivers, sleep deprived truckers and tourists that create the drama. With proper equipment, a good guide and a wee bit of caution the bike ride is a lot of fun and death can easily be avoided.

Publish Post

Adventures at the Bolivian Border

Travel teaches patience and resilience. About 12 hours into what was supposed to be a 12 hour bus ride we arrived at the Peru/Bolivia border. My follow passengers and I "checked out" of Peru and then walked over to the Bolivian immigration center. The line was moving like clockwork until it got to me. The Bolivian official ask if I have a Visa and I said no. With a smirk on his face he informed me that I would have to pay $135 to enter Bolivia. I had read about these sorts of scams in the Lonely Planet and assertively said no and acted confused(this is the sage advice of the LP). After 10 minutes they still would not budge. Neither the travel agency I booked the bus ride with or my trusty lonely planet said anything about this Visa charge. I decided to involve my bus driver to get to the bottom of this situation. After a few minutes he came back and affirmed that without paying the fee I could not enter Bolivia. I resigned to this reality however there was one major catch...The closest ATM was over 2 hours away??? and I had about $15....Seems strange that there wouldn't be a ATM at such a important crossroad? By this time the bus driver was getting very impatient as my dilemma had been holding the bus up for about 30 minutes. He and his co-pilot decided I was screwed. One of them started fishing for my pack under the bus and the other went onto the bus to get my other belongings. Apparently I was getting kicked off the bus and left at the Peru/Bolivia border! In a desperate manner I jumped on the bus and broadcasted my situation to the people on the bus and asked if anyone would find it in there big heart to loan me $135 until we reached La Paz. Luckily to gracious couples (one french and the other Peruvian) pitched in and I was able to get my Visa and continue onto La Paz. Dios Mi0!!!!

1 footnote:

My trusty Lonely Planet is outdated by 3 years and this new visa charge was incorporated in 08 by the President of Bolivia who decided his country would charge an equivalent fee that Bolivians have to pay to enter the USA.

3 pairs of underwear???

This backpacking trip was the 1st of its kind for me from both duration and location perspectives. I had backpacked for a month out west when I was young and have done plenty of camping in my days. However, preparing to travel in South America for 2 months carrying everything I needed (as opposed to wanted) proved to be challenging to venture as I began to fill my pack. So I called upon some of my friends who were backpacking vets and done a few tours of duty to give me some solid advice. When one my buddy Seth told me to only bring 3 pairs of underwear for 2 months I almost fell out of my chair! I began to lay out my clothes based on his and other advice...2 pairs of pants, 4 pairs of socks, 2 long sleeved shirts, 2 tee-shirts and so forth... I was uncomfortable with having so few things for what seemed like such a long time. One thing I reminded myself of when packing is that I had to bear the weight of all my stuff and so packing light was smart. When I arrived at Denver airport I was curious how much my pack weighed. If felt like a ton as I strapped it on and walked through the terminal. I tossed it onto the scale and when it settled it weighed 32 pounds. I had a triumphant smile on my face. After 2 weeks of traveling I am thankful for my minimist approach. It is teaching me many lessons.

This reminds me of a link I had posted awhile back. Check it out: http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html

On my back I carry all I need, this packs weight is freeing.

12 dias en Peru

My backpacking adventure started with a dizzying flight itinerary. I flew from Denver to Atlanta to Lima and finally arrived in Cuzco after about 24 hours of travel time. I spent a day in Cuzco which is a nice travelers mecca before heading on a four day trek to Matchu Pitcchu. The trek was incredible! On the way to MP we mountain biked down a 12,000ft high mountain, rode the highest zip line in all of South America and soaked our tired muscles in hot springs. The evening of day 3 we arrived at Aquas Caliente the town at the based of MP. That night we had dinner and retired early as our hike up to MP began at 3am. The hike up was grueling however we all were fueled with adrenaline by the anticipation of viewing one of the wonders of the world. MP lived up to all its hype and was breathtaking. While there we also hiked Wyna Pitcchu which is the mountain in the background of the picture above. It offers amazing views of MP from above. After the MP experience we headed back to Cuzco for a day of R&R including a blissful massage for 3 USD.

At this point, I was traveling with my pal Seth who had limited time in Peru so we wasted no time and got back on the road. We hopped an overnight bus to Puno which is where Lake Titicaca rests, the highest navigable lake in the world. The next day we spent on a boat cruising the lake and exploring the surrounding islands many of which are man made with natives living on them that we got to spend time with. After an action packed day we caught yet another bus to the southern town of Arequipa where we got our 1st showers and beds for 3 days. Arequipa is a charming city which many comforts that we partook in gleefully after being knackered from our travels. While in Arequipa I tasted many of the Peruvian fare; pollo la brasa, ceviche, llama and guinea pig (yes you read that correctly guinea pig). After two days in Arequipa Seth departed for the States and now I am preparing for a 14 hour bus ride to La Paz, Bolivia. Peru has been great and I know a return visit is in my future.