Paragliding and Quadbiking in Bolivia

After recovering from death road we decided to go paragliding in the morning and quad biking in the afternoon. I was paragliding earlier on this trip in Mendoza so I knew what to expect but the setup in La Paz wasn't near as good as Mendoza. It took us about an hour to get to the jump site, the later half was on very steep gravel paths up the side of a mountain. This would be fine if you only had to do it once.

View from the jump site

Niall was first to run off the cliff for his 15-20 minute flight. They were tandem flights and there was only one instructor so we all had to wait for Niall to land and the instructor to drive back up. When I went in Mendoza we all went at the same time which meant we could fly close together and take photos of each other, plus there was no waiting around. All of that said it was worth the wait the flight and the scenery was amazing.

Me paragliding!

Nice view

Next was the quad biking, they wouldn't let us hire them by ourselves we needed to take a guide with us. Initially it was a bit strange driving on the road passing out cars on a quad bike but you soon get into it. After about 10 minutes on the road we went offroad going up the mountain and stopping at various viewing points. Our guide was getting frustrated with us at times as he wanted us in single file and didn't want us passing out, speeding, skidding, having fun or doing anything that wasn't driving in a straight line. He said it was too dangerous. This I thought was a bit odd as I felt his driving through traffic, passing out cars, taxis and busses blindly was more dangerous. He'd catch us passing out, he'd tell us to stop then he'd catch us again and this cycle was repeated.
We stopped at another "view point" which was a gravelly ledge with a seriously steep drop on either side, its the sort of thing that would be cornered off and you wouldn't be allowed anywhere near if it existed in Ireland or anywhere outside Bolivia. Our guide encouraged us to walk out on it, take photos and at the end he even drove one of the quads to the edge and suggested we pose for some photos.

The view from the ledge

Posing for photos on the quad bike by the edge!

Don't look down

After this he explained how the next section was dangerous and that we must go slow in single file with no passing out. Meanwhile Anna had just discovered that she could spin the wheels when taking off so she was was practicing this and as soon as we left she ran into the back of our guide. Luckily neither were going too fast so there was no damage.

No fun allowed

We were well behaved for the next few minutes until Niall decided he had enough of being in last place and that he wanted to be at the front. He shot past me on the outside as we were approaching a u-turn, Anna realised this and went as fast as possible on the inside, at which point I decided I wasn't going to be left behind so I picked up speed and got back into the race. At this point our guide looked back and saw the 3 of us side by side coming straight for him as we were entering the u-turn. He started shouting. Niall turned off to the right and hit the brakes. Anna sped up and decided she was going to win, thus passing out the guide. As soon as Anna passed out the guide he braked hard as did I but obviously not hard enough as I went crashing into the back of his quad. Second crash of the day, just after he told us to take it slow. He wasn't happy and all we could do was laugh. Luckily there was no damage to the bikes and he mellowed out after we bought him a bottle of coke. I get the feeling that we were possible more well behaved compared to some of the groups they must get.

Group photo after the crash

Freezing on Death Road in Bolivia

After our biking difficult enroute to Machu Picchu we decided that we'd ensure we got good bikes for Death Road. Also we decided we'd book a hostel in advance so we wouldn't be forced to change rooms everyday. Good decisions except we didn't actually do any of that. We arrived in La Paz with no hostel booking, ended up having to stay in separate dorms and we booked death road for 8am the next morning with the hostel tour company. They showed us photos of their bikes and they looked decent.


Death road, also known as el camino de la muerte is a 43 mile stretch of road leading from La Paz to Coroico in the Yungas region of Bolivia. It is estimated that between 200 and 300 travelers have been killed on the road and as a result it was has been become known as death road. The danger is due to the extreme drop-offs of around 600 meters, the single lane road (no wider than 3.2 meters), the lack of guard rails and the varying weather conditions that hinder visibility. According to wikipedia at least  18 cyclists have died on the road since tours started operation in 1998.


Our tour didn't get off to the best of starts, the bus broke down on our way to the start point. We had an hour wait for a new bus, luckily the weather was good and we had a nice view of the city.

Waiting for a replacement bus

Eventually another bus arrived and we got moving. We arrived to our starting point. The weather was pretty good. No wind, no rain, only a few clouds and some sunshine. All the signs for a good day.

Death Road Tour Group

Soon we were biking down death road. The weather got progressively worse as we descended. Rain, mist, mud and freezing temperatures. Visibility was deteriorated and we got colder, wetter and muddier.

Low visibility

The bikes weren't so bad, good tyres and decent suspension. The brakes were the problem and its a critical problem on death road. They kept failing, we constantly had to stop to have them repaired. We had two spare bikes but pretty soon they were replacing bikes that had brakes which could no longer be fixed.

Bike repairs enroute

It was a great ride down although we couldn't really push the bikes hard due to the lack of brakes. By the end my brakes were beyond repair and the gears were busted too. My bike was replaced with one of the bikes that had already been replaced but at least I had working gears i.e. the chain didn't keep falling off and I had a back brake! It was a pity the weather was so bad as the views are supposed to be great. Athough the mist did provide the opportunity for some good photographs.

Zero visibility

We all survived, no deaths just 5 very cold, wet and muddy people. No one told us to bring a change of clothes so we had a 3 hour bus journey back to La Paz in cold, wet and muddy clothes!

Death Road Survivors

A famous boat, two models and a music video

After Machu Picchu and Cusco we made our way to Puno, a small town on the shore of the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca. It sits at 3,811 m above sea level on the border of Peru and Bolivia. Lake Titicaca is the highest commercially navigatable lake in the world.

Sunset on Lake Titicaca

Anna had some work on a boat where it had been agreed that we could stay. We arrived late so we decided to check into a hostel and find the boat the next day. In the morning we took a taxi to the boat. We didn't know much about the boat other than we were welcome to stay. We didn't know if it was a sail boat, a passenger boat, a cargo ship, if we'd have beds, hammocks of if we'd sleep on the floor. Turns out the boat, Yavari, is quite famous, not only is it mentioned in the guidebooks but it is also one of the main attractions that people come to see on the lake in Puno.

Yavari on Lake Titicaca

Yavari is the oldest iron hulled ship in the world. Its history is quite interesting. Yavari was built as a gunship in the UK in 1862 at the request of the Peruvian government. The ship was built in kit form with no piece weighing more than 3 ½ cwts, the maximum carrying capacity of a mule. The parts were then shipped to the port of Arica, a Peruvian port bofore the war of the Pacific. After this they were transported 40 miles by railway to Tacna and from here mules carried the parts the remaining 220 miles to Puno over the Andes. This journey was expected to take 6 months but actually took 6 years. Yavari went through various transformations over the coming years until in 1987 the Yavari Project was formed in an attempt to restore the boat. A full history of Yavari and details of the Yavari Project can be found on their website. Yavari is now open to the public daily from 8am to 5pm and also operates as a Bed and Breakfast on Lake Titicaca. Yavari does not sail at present but fund raising is underway to raise the required money to get Yavari sailing again. Fund raising details are available here.


Part of Annas work was photographing some of the Yavari merchandise that is available to purchase on the boat. This was going to be much easier to do if there was someone to model the clothes and hats. Luckily Niall and I were volunteered to act as models.

Yavari clothing models

The second day on the boat the Captain took us to lunch in a local restaurant so we could try Cuy a local Peruvian dish. Cuy is a deep fried guinea pig. We arrived a little late and all but one of the guinea pigs were sold so Niall and I shared a dish.

Cuy - deep fried Guinea Pig

After lunch Niall and I decided to wander down by the railway line by the lake. After walking for about 20 minutes we accidently stumbled upon a Peruvian band filming a music video. We kept our distance as we didn't want to disturb them. As soon as they spotted us they called us over and started chatting. First we were speaking with the singer and the guitarist but soon the director of the video joined in. The Spanish was fast and the accents strong but my general understanding was that they wanted us to join them in the music video. We agreed and at the end I gave them my camera so we'd have a photo of the occasion.

Niall and I with the band

The band performing without us!

A pilgrimage to Machu Picchu

For most people the trip to Machu Picchu is a pilgrimage, generally on the original Inca Trail. The Inca Trail needs to be booked in advance, about 3 months in advance, something we didn't do. As a result our options were to do the Salkantay Trek or else the Inca Jungle Trek. We opted for the Inca Jungle Trek which is more fun and less effort than the other treks. The trek is a 4 day trip but you stay in hostels, eat in restaurants and do a mixture of hiking, mountain biking, white water rafting and zip lining. More appealing that 4 days hiking and getting wet sleeping in tents.


So our pilgrimage to Machu Picchu started with a 1 and a half hour delay. We waited at the hostel for them to collect us but they didn't arrive. It being Latin America we weren't too concerned as they are always fairly relaxed with time. After an hour we decided to call, they said they'd be there soon and to stay at our hostel and not to move to another why. Strange, why would we move! Everyone else was on the bus when it arrived, they'd be driving around for an hour looking for our hostel as they had the wrong address. Interestingly we found out later from the others that they were all told that the delay was our fault as we had changed hostel.


Our driver was crazy, it must have been his first time driving ever. A few close calls on the road as we made our way to the summit to start the downhill mountain biking. As we approached the summit we encountered lots of snow and ice on the road but our driver appeared to be coping well with it. Then it happened, another car approached us on the road and he freaked out, veered to the right and hit an ice block. There were rumors that his mother was killed or injured by an ice block and he intentionally hit the ice block but the rumors are unconfirmed. Anyhow he decided to ignore the incident and continue driving until everyone started shouting at him. At which point he stopped and realised that he'd burst the tyre. So we started our downhill mountain biking from there as the bus wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Burst tyre

Once the bikes were ready to go our guide pointed out that our bikes (us 3 and another random guy) were over to the left. There was a noticeable difference in our bikes and those used by the rest of the group. We'd all paid the same amount of money but booked through different tour companies. Obviously our company didn't care to provide decent bikes, oh they got gloves and safety vests too but we didn't get anything. So began my downhill biking on a bike that didn't have functioning brakes, gears that didn't work and a chain that kept falling off.

Luckily someone gave me a spare pair of gloves. Niall is freezing!

Bored waiting for a bike repair

The views were amazing and the 5 hour cycle downhill was great despite the unusual start. Most of it was on regular roads so the low quality, badly maintained bikes weren't so bad. For the last two hours we were on a gravel path which was actually fun although we were constantly interrupted by road works.

Road works ahead

As a result of the road works we arrived too late to go white water rafting. They offered us the option of going at 6am the next morning. We decided against it as this would be before our 8 hour hike and we would just get changed at the side of the road and start the hike carrying our wet clothes and towels.


The hike itself was great, a little challenging in parts but we were stopping regularly for drinks and rest so it wasn't quite a pilgrimage. The scenery was great, some stunning views and some of the paths were very steep, narrow and challenging.

Some parts of the trek were quite steep

Single file only

nice view

Shaky unstable bridge especially when you jump on it!

Thankfully I'd hired out some hiking boots in Cusco as I don't think my converse would have survived. It was obviously a well traveled route, there were locals waiting along route to sell us drinks and food.

A family selling drinks and snacks at the end of the bridge

When we booked the tour we were told about the route we'd take, what we'd do, where we'd stay and what we'd eat. One of the details was that we'd take a cable car across a river near the end of the hike. The cable car wasn't quite what we were expecting although it did get us across the river safely.

Peruvian cable car!

After the day of hiking we spend an hour at some hot springs. A nice way to relax after a long day of walking, followed by dinner drinks and another night in a hostel. Next morning was a late start and zip lining. There were 6 lines in total, some longer and faster than others. It was my first time to do zip lining and its a nice way to see the country side flying above the trees but its not really an adrenaline rush as its all very safe and secure.

zip lining above the trees!

More hiking, a short train journey and we reached Agua Calientes, the closest town to Machu Picchu. We had to get up at 4am to catch a bus to Machu Picchu, the other option was to walk but we decided against it. Later when we met the others from our group we were glad of this decision, no one of them enjoyed the walk. We got one of the first busses so we avoided the worst of the queues to enter Machu Picchu.

Morning Queue to get into Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is as impressive as all of the photos I've seen. We had a guide who took us around, explaining what was what. Unfortunately we were unable to climb Wannu Picchu. The rules had changed since we booked our tour instead of queuing for a free ticket you now have to buy your ticket. We'd not paid for a ticket as it wasn't possible when we booked and the tour agency didn't pay the extra for a ticket for us.

Machu Picchu

My attempt at the classic Machu Picchu Llama shot

Journey to the Middle of the World

A popular tourist attraction close to Quito is the middle of the world (Mitad del Mundo). I didn't know this myself until I met some other backpackers in the hostel who had already visited. The site contains a 30 meter tall monument marking the spot where the equator passes through the country. Most people go here for the photo opportunity, I decided to do likewise.


The options for getting there were a $15 USD taxi each way or else the 40 cent public bus. I choose the public bus. This epic journey involved 3 local busses and about 2 hours of traveling to get there. Like the hundreds of tourists who visit the site on a daily basis I got a photo of me standing on the equator.

Middle of the world

The site itself contains a small town called "Ciudad Mitad del Mundo". The town is a big tourist center containing restaurants, shops, a museum. The monument was constructed between 1979 and 1982. The strange thing about it all is that modern GPS systems now show that the equator is actually 240 meters north of the marked line but no one seems to mind.

Not quite the middle of the world but close

Mountain Biking on Cotopaxi in the Andes

In Quito I found a company offering downhill mountain biking trips on Cotopaxi in the Andes Mountains. They provide all the equiptment, 2 guides and transport you to the parking stop at 4,500m. From there you bike down stopping for lunch on the way. There is a support vehicle following at all times so if anything goes wrong you have backup.

Parking at 4,500m

In Quito they said that Cotopaxi is the largest active volcano in the world but wikipedi says otherwise. Eiher way its pretty high and the downhill mountain biking was excellent. It was cloudy the day I was there so the snow capped peak is only barely visible.

Cloudy Cotopaxi

I wasn't prepared for how cold it would be when we got to the starting point. There was a strong wind, low visibility and some sleet. Luckily I was able to stay in the car until the bikes were ready.

Preparing for the ride down

Once we got moving we were decending fast and it warmed up quick. The skies cleared and the sun came out. The decent was great, fast paced and challenging. Tough on arms and wrists due to the terrain although the suspension helped somewhat. We crossed rivers, passed wild horses and stopped near some inca ruins for lunch.

Better weather as we descend

Super Mario Bros in Colombia

I took this photo in Cali in Colombia but I've seen the restaurant a few other cities in Colombia also. It appears to be a restaurant chain but the name and logo looks very familiar to Super Mario Bros. I don't think you'd get away with this sort of branding in Europe or the United States.

Mr. Bross in Colombia

La Peluquería and the killer hairdressers

Before leaving Bogota I decided to get my hair cut. This was an experience unlike a haircut in Ireland. I went to a place called La Peluquería. The place is a combination of a cafe, art gallery, museum, cultural centre and hairdressers although on their website they say they are not really any of these. If you want to get your head shaved its free!

Entrance to la peluquería in Bogota

They don't have any mirrors so you can't see what they are doing to your hair. The girls who work there and cut your hair are known as Peluqueras Asesinas which translates as killer hairdressers. Based on some of the photos I've seen on their website and blog it looks like they went very easy on me.

No Mirrors!

Colombia surprised me

Colombia surprised me. I met lots of people traveling who told me not to go to Colombia because it was very dangerous. You hear lots of scare stories, people being kidnapped, hostels being robbed, the best I heard was from some backpackers in central america who were avoiding Colombia because it was too dangerous. They heard that someone was traveling in a taxi with his hand out the window and someone passed on a motorbike with a machete and chopped off his hand. The reason they chopped off his hand was so they could steal his wedding ring. I questioned the how true this story was, they'd heard it from a friend who'd heard it from a friend who knew someone else who had been to Colombia. So I suppose I can see why some people shy away from Colombia when they hear scare stories such as this combined with the general reputation Colombia has in Europe as a dangerous drug ridden country.


After the boat trip from Panama to Cartagena I spent a month traveling around Colombia. From Cartagena, a very touristy pictureesque colonial town, I went to Taganga, a small fishing village close to Tayrona national park. It was a welcome break from big cities especially considering I would spend the next few weeks traveling through the major cities in Colombia.

Taganga Beach

Fishermans end of Taganga Beach

My next stop was Medellín, a city that up until 15 years ago this city was a no go area for tourists mainly due to Pablo Escobar. Now (according to my guide book) Medellín is one of Colombia's wealtiest cities and a model of excellent urban planning. This is backed up by what I saw, a very modern safe wealthy city with excellent public transport and great public parks.

Cable Cars are part of public transport in Medellín

Most backpackers who visit Medellín do one of the many Pablo Escobar tours on offer. These tours take you around the city showing you the important sights including the rooftop where he was shot dead by police and finally finishing with a house visit to meet his brother. I didn't take the tour due to a combination of laziness but also I think it is a bit weird to do a tour that is almost celebrating the life of someone who terrorised a city for so many years. Some locals that I spoke too were disgusted by the fact that toursts came here to do tours that more or less celebrate his life. Ignoring the violence it is an interesting story, in 1989 he was Forbes magazine declared him the 7th richest man in the world and in 1986 he attempted to enter Colombian politics even offering to pay off the countrys USD$10 billion national debt.

Medellín today

Bogota was my next stop. I ended up staying for a week and a half, its the sort of city the grows on you. Its a litte more gritty than Medellín, not as clean and proper but not in a bad way. Lots of alternative music, clothes, people and street art.

Bogota Street Art

Street Art in progress

I like the stencil above the wall

On the Friday night I went to see a Colombian group, Systema Solar, play in Bogaloop, a venue similar to whelans or the village in Dublin. I went during the day to buy the tickets and only for I saw the actualy stage I would have been questioning if I had the right place at all, it looked more like a squat than a music venue. No name outside and the place was covered with street art and graffitti, inside and out!

Systema Solar in Bogota

Bienvenidos!