From Anchorage to Ushuaia by Bike

We met with the small Microfinance Institution (MFI) that our host Nicolas started a couple of years ago. We also met two of his clients: a carpenter and a shoe-maker. It was another example of a successful MFI that really cares about its clients, but it always needs money in order to offer more services to more people.

Last Sunday we got mountain bikes and rode down “the most dangerous road in the world.” It gives us goose bumps just to think about it! It started at 4600m above sea level and finished at 1300m. The first 20 km were paved road that we shared with the traffic, and then there was 40 km of dirt road, with no cars in sight. Nearly everyone drives on the new paved road that goes into the valley, finished only 18 months ago. The old road was incredible – but not really that dangerous on the bikes. Much less dangerous than some of the other roads we’ve been on, like between Huancayo and Ayacucho in Peru. On the other hand, we had trouble imagining how two trucks would pass each other on the road. As we went down, the vegetation increased dramatically. At the bottom we arrived in what Nicolas calls “paraiso” (paradise): a lovely little village with a good climate where lots of things can grow, including bananas, coffee beans, coca plants, oranges, and lemons. Nicolas offered us a luxury cabana to stay in – thanks Nicolas!

Back in La Paz, we met with a large MFI that charges much lower interest rates than any of the others that we had met so far.

Nicolas kindly took us back up to El Alto (4100m), above La Paz. We left from there on our bikes, heading towards Oruro, which took us three days to get to (not two, like we’d planned). The altiplano is anything but a flat plain! What looks like flat is actually a series of low hills. The first day we covered 96 km, going from 3750 to 4100m in altitude – not too shabby!

Yesterday, however, there was a light headwind all day and we ended up camping in the wild after 82 km of flat road. We weren’t as cold that night as we were expecting, even though the temperature dipped below zero and there was frost on the tent and ice in our water bottles. As soon as the sun came up in the morning, the air warmed up and it was quite comfortable.

We just crossed a symbolic mark: 15,000 km travelled since Anchorage. We’ll celebrate with “foie gras” that my parents brought us when they came. This morning we saw some vicuna (part of the llama family). The wind may have held us back yesterday, but it also meant some spectacular views of the little whirlwinds that followed us the whole way along.

Tomorrow we will leave our bikes and take a 4 day bus trip through the towns Potosi and Sucre.

PS. It’s hard to find a good internet connection in Bolivia. So be patient, the photos will be up soon.

Sébastien 28/08/09 à 18h