a self-supported bicycle tour through South America

14^th – 18^thSeptember > Copacabana – La Paz – Oruro – Challapata (104km)

Copacabana was a pleasant surprise I guess not what I had expected. We had been recommended La Cupula, a hostel type place which was perched on the side of one of the hills that surrounded the bay of Copacabana. We arrived to discover there was room spare and so we were shown to our large room complete with our own kitchen; this turned out to be great storage space for the bikes.

We had a day off to simply enjoy the scenery and do some planning for the activities like visiting the Isla Del Sol (Island of the Sun) where the Inca’s believed the sun was created. This consisted quite simply of going down the main drag of Copacabana and walking into on e of the many shops selling tourist tours of various descriptions and buying a ticket. At the end of the day, it didn’t really matter as the whole format is the same with whoever you bought a ticket from. The usual scene; milk some minor tourist setting, get the punters on the boat, drop them off on the island, let them walk to the other end of the island, pick them up and drop them back home. Oh, I forgot, try and get them to spend as much money as you can by fleecing them for walking along a coastal path with some “Inca ruins”.

So yes, I’m starting to sound cynical. But what really pisses me off, is seeing some blue eyed western European dude who believes he’s gone native trying to sell the usual necklace and bangle tat on the side of the path; it just makes a complete mockery of the whole tourism thing.

So that was really the Isle Del Sol in a nutshell. The scenery was however stunning, and it amazes me that no one has tapped into yacht charter business on Lake Titicaca. It is simply a beautiful place and I’d imagine if Bolivia was somehow a little more stable then more sails would be seen across the horizon.

We did meet some couples on the trip which was a laugh, and I think we all felt some of the cynicism I’ve been talking about. Later on in the evening we met up with Gordon and Elizabeth (Zee) and ventured into the Bistrot Cafe which the menu promised served curry and brownies. [Simon]

It was a rather strange set up with the husband asleep on the couch in the corner as we arrived. He was promptly yelled at by his wife from the kitchen to set up our table for dinner. It felt like we were dining in someone’s lounge room, but good food and great company coupled with a speech from Robert (the husband) about the political stability of Bolivia which rivaled Dad Beesley’s worries (he would certainly give you a run for your money Dad) and a chocolate brownie to rival even Jen Jen’s World Famous Triple Choc Brownies we were merry after a couple of beers and slept like there was no tomorrow.

The following day we pushed on to Oruro. We had decided to bus this section after reading on the British Embassy web-site that this was one of the most dangerous sections of road in Bolivia for tourists and that they had received reports of muggings and rapes. We want to stay safe and are prepared to take all precautions. However, after the bus ride from hell through the Altiplano with several nerve-racking stops, we think that cycling it would have been more safe in the end! Lesson learnt. Note to self: must try very hard not to think of possible hijacking/muggings/rapes on night bus from La Paz.

We spent a day in Oruro changing our last travelers cheques - agh! Donations readily accepted…seriously – and getting supplies for the cycle down to the Salar de Uyuni including some more gloves and woollen socks. Did we tell you how cold it is now? Well it is and we have been told that it will get down to at least -20 on the salt lake at night with temperatures reaching in the early 30’s during the day! I think Simon will be catching an Alpaca or two for us to cuddle up to in the tent.

Yay, we are back on the road. Another day of over 100kms and the Mountain Goat is having knee problems and I still have this horrendous chest cough. We have found the best camp site though – a little spot just off the road behind a mound overlooking the train track that overlooks Lake Pooho (a rather apt name considering the Mountain Goat has no clothes on as we speak and is pacing back and forth looking at the GPS – I have reminded him that sunscreen is very important for vital organs!). He tells me he will be covering up soon…he said this an hour ago.

The solar charger for the laptop doesn’t seem to be working so am writing this on battery power. The scenery today has been outstanding despite said sore knee and chesty cough; flat, albeit a little breezy and cold, with a view far beyond the horizon. We are looking forward to what tomorrow will entail.

The passenger train from Oruro has just gone passed. Luckily for me, I had time to jump into the tent whilst the Mountain Goat clambered into his clothes before waving frantically at the terrorists staring out the window. One can only imagine what they would have thought seeing his bare naked bottom in the middle of the wilderness….shall leave that image up to you.

Happy Birthday to my Little Mum for the 18th. Wish I could be there to share a bottle or two of bubbly.[Jen]