On our way to Cochabamba we encountered major roadworks with a new bridge over a gorge. The bridge was not open yet and the diversion was around a 'road of death' dirt track clinging to the edge of a vertical drop with lots of lorries and we would be on the outside! I walked the bridge but was told we couldn't get the bike through. I carried on and found we could get through to the dirt road the other side so after asking again we took the easy route!
After leaving Cochabamba the road twists and climbs rapidly so perhaps the last thing you might expect to find is a protest by people in wheelchairs. But thats exactly what we found with people pushing them up. Imagine that on an alpine pass with lots of lorries added into the mix. The police were regulating overtakes and we gave them a few coins on our way past. The ones at the front had a tow rope attached to a car! In this area we also found a dog in every layby, scavaging on the rubbish and soliciting for food! They looked in quite good nick so it must be working for them!
The road levelled out at about 3800 metres and we encountered the worst tarmac road we have ridden so far. The lorries had made many ruts, some as much as 300 mm deep. It was ok to ride although many cars and trucks had broken down.
Two Bolivian bikers we met in Tupiza told us about a great way to bypass El Alto and La Paz. Two massive cities that we wanted to avoid. The bypass worked well but the road to Copacabana on the otherside was completely dug up so we followed other vehicles trying to bypass it via many dirt and rocky side streets. It was hard and dusty riding but we got through unscathed. This is very common, not a thought about a diversion!
Getting fuel is interesting as tourists are supposed to be charged about 8 odd bolivianos per litre (local rate 3.74). However, some charge less without a receipt and pocket the difference. Occasionally we get charged the local rate - one time ironically at a town inside a blockade!
At one petrol station we were told there was no gasoline but they served the next local vehicle. When I asked, they agreed to serve us but at a high rate and by the book. It took ages. Their computer didn't register Ingleterra (England) so we tried Aleman (Germany) and this did the trick. They also had to write out 2 receipts, one for the normal rate and one for the extra! No wonder he didn't want to serve us!
At another, the conversation was comical and went a bit like this:
What is your (vehicle) plate,
I show him our number plate,
Its not Bolivian,
No
9 Bolivianos per litre, you need a receipt, how many litres?
I don't know, full please
8 Bolivianos
I don't know, full please
6 Bolivianos
Ok thats fine
We then get the tank filled with no receipt and i wasn't even haggling! Even the woman pump attendant, who was watching the negociations, was laughing!
We decided to go to Sorata, a remote town along a challenging mountain road. It offers climbing and walking so we thought it might be a bit set up for tourists.
We had a good ride there, climbing up into cloud and mist at 20 mph and then descending down to the town below.
The road was paved but land slides meant many corners were covered in rocks and mud. We arrived and had to negociate a steep muddy cobbled road to a small square.
However, one road to the main square was dug up and the other closed so we couldn't get to any accommodation! The other routes from our direction were steps only because it was so steep, so back down the muddy cobbles to our original location about 2 hours away! In the clouds and mist again we were following a car, a mini bus and a bus (its amazing where the buses go). A 4x4 came up behind us and over took us. It then proceeded to overtake each vehicle and even the bus! We were doing 20 mph along steep switchbacks with vertigenous drop offs and he couldn't see a thing - the worst driving we have ever seen!
We crossed Lake Titicaca by 'boat', well a raft with an outboard really. We knew what to expect but still had to be careful riding onto the knackered wooden planks.
We were then at the front and had the dubious task of turning the bike around before riding off! These rafts take anything - lorries, buses etc.
And then helping some locals pull a long plank up onto the shore.
