Dicing with the Death Road

Returning from Sucre I booked a ticket with El Dorado again as the journey and bus there were good. My ticket for a full cama bus leaving at 7.30pm cost 180 Bolivianos.

The bus looked a bit older than the last one but the inside was nice and the seats really comfy, although I had a dodgy one that didn’t want to lock into place. The first couple of hours went by well and I enjoyed looking out the window at the stars and full moon. However, after stopping in Potosi at about 10.30pm I noticed the heating wasn’t on anymore. I covered myself with my llama jacket and waterproof and hoped it’d come back on. I was wrong and the next nine hours were spent in a half sleep absolutely freezing it was awful.

At 7.30am we stopped just outside of Viacha and I was greeted by the sight of an old man evacuating his bowels in a field opposite. Fifteen minutes later and we still hadn’t moved, at first I thought it was due to heavy traffic, however it was some sort of strike/protest.

 

I stayed on the bus along with most of the other passengers until the steward, who I later found out from another passenger was drunk for most of the journey and ignored people asking for the heating to be put back on, came on the bus and told us all to get off because the road could be blocked all day.

He said we should walk past where the road block was and from there we should be able to get a taxi. Faced with no other option myself and the seven other foreigners on the bus teamed together and started to walk. It wasn’t long before we found a taxi willing to drive us to the La Paz bus terminal for 190 Bolivianos. The eight of us and our luggage squeezed into the six seater car.

To get around the road block we had to drive on a track next to the road and through a village. About three miles down the road was another bigger blockade and we had to do some more off-roading including manoeuvring around barrels and a large fire. The road from here was clear until we hit the outskirts of El Alto and it was chaos with people all over the main road. We took to the backstreets, which quickly got clogged and it took us about an hour to get back on the Autopista. From here it was plain sailing and we got to the bus terminal without any problems. The 21 mile journey, which should take 40 minutes, took us 2.5 hours.

At the bus terminal I got another taxi to Villa Fatima so I could get a bus to Coroico. It cost 25 Bolivianos. At the bus station in Villa Fatima I got a ticket for 20 Bolivianos. This is where I made the mistake of not asking if it was all on the new road.

The journey went well and as we climbed out of La Paz it felt like we were up in the clouds. I then saw a turn off for the notorious Ruta del Muerte (Death Road) and was surprised when I noticed the bus slowed down and turned off to go down the road. Many tour operators in La Paz run mountain bike excursions on the road and this was not something that really interested me when I was there so I was even less keen to experience it in a bus.

As soon as I realised there would be no turning back the panic inside started to rise and I realised that I was totally at the mercy of the driver. Any mistake by him could result in us tumbling over the side. It also didn’t help that I was on the window side of the bus closest to the edge.

 

As we rounded some bends you could see how much of the road had just eroded away leaving a sheer drop, there were also precarious sections when we had to cross under waterfalls. Needless to say I did not enjoy the journey and being sleep deprived and hungry all added to my general feeling of dread. Thankfully we made it and re-joined the new road. When I wasn’t being scared I tried to appreciate the views, which were stunning.

I stayed at Hostel Chawi in Coroico, the hostel is set in stunning gardens and if it had been better weather I definitely would have made more use of the sun terrace overlooking the valley. I was the only person staying at the hostel so I had the eight bed dorm to myself.

Despite only being 70 miles from La Paz the climate in Coroico is almost tropical due to the town only being 1,200 metres above sea level. The town is very pleasant and provides some much needed respite from the chaos of La Paz. There are some nice walks around Coroico and during my stay I went on several wanders into the valley.

I also took the opportunity to get my hair cut and selected a small hairdressers on one of the streets leading up from the main square. I only wanted to get my undercut redone and after a bit of sign language and mixture of Spanish and English, I entrusted the barber with my barnet. He did a really good job and all for just 10 Bolivianos.

After my nail biting journey to Coroico I made sure when I left to ask which route the driver would take. When I was told it would be the old road my heart sank and after establishing that no vehicle would be taking the new road I resigned myself to the fact that it was my only option and I would have to brave it again. I later found out that there had been a landslide on the new road hence why the old road was being used.

 

I felt a little happier as the vehicle was smaller than the bus before, but it was a bit unnerving when the two people next to me crossed themselves as we got on the road.

During the journey I found myself with a newfound respect for the drivers who have to use the road every day especially when there were tourists on bikes hurtling past us often in the middle of the road. I can understand how accidents do happen and I suspect some of it must be down to the number of inexperienced people using that route. Thankfully both my dalliances on the road ended well and I have no desire to ever go on it again.