Into the wild Bolivia
In the South Western part of Bolivia there are no roads. The vehicles that still venture out there are leaving tracks on a surface of salt, sand and stone. I will follow those tracks while leaving my own tire tracks from a bike which is not made for tough terrain. I do not even know if I am made for tough terrain. To survive in the wilderness I will need two weeks of provisions, which I bring with me together with a lot of anticipation and a little anxiety.
When the road ends it seems as if the world ends. I keep pedaling out onto a salt desert where everything is white. It appears as a flat and eternal landscape of snow that never melts away. Everything is silent and devoid of life. In the middle of all the whiteness I eventually reach an oasis, where I meet a weather-beaten cycling couple who are heading for the wilderness as well. We continue together to a surface of sand and stone. We pass volcano areas, altitude deserts and lagunas in red, green and blue. Flocks of flamingos are standing in the water, wild vicunas are grazing by the horizon and an Andean fox is sneaking around the hills. It is all very wonderful, well-preserved and wild.
Our cycling style is also wild. The wind pushes us in different directions, but when it is blowing with all it’s force against us we can barely move at all. We are using all our force in the opposite direction, on bicycles that are heavier than usual, at an altitude that is higher than usual. In some sections it is impossible to pedal and we push through sand and over stone before collapsing in a tent that turns stiff by frost. We can freeze in the bitter cold during one night and unfreeze in a hot spring the following day. The nature is sometimes our opponent, sometimes our assistant. It works the same way the other way around, we can act with or against our environment. Out here the effect we have on each other is apparent as we are so fragile. At the same time that I have been leaving tracks from my tires in the wilderness, it has also left some traces in me and when we eventually reach civilization I look just as weather beaten as my cycling companions.
Peace
nästan ofattbart spännande! jag känner en stark dragning till den vilda, människoöde naturen du beskriver. Ska sova och drömma stärkande drömmar inspirerade av din beskrivning!
God natt!
God natt kära Anna.
I am so totally impressed Hanna that you are riding through this region….and so totally jealous. Keep up the good work and ride safe.
Gabe
Thanks Gabe, it has been a really nice ride and it is really nice to have you here. Best of luck to you in Australia or Colombia.
Hi Hanna is Guillermo Bustamante from Ecuador. I havent seen your blog for some time and I realize that you hav not stopped in your long trip!!!!CONGRATULATIONS.
One month ago I went with my sons (13 and 11 years old) to the jungle, Napo river. We went down to the river 8 days to reach the Amazon river, Iquitos. then we fly to Lima and then we went to the white cordillera (Huascaran). We visited Pastoruri mountain, Llanganuco lakes, and we went donwn to the coast trught the cañon del Pato (I saw your photos and I realize that you also were there) in Trujillo we visited Chan Chan. really nice. All of the road we did by bus.
When are you going to finalize your trip? I think you are getting tired after one year out of your house but the experiencies that you have learned are the most valuable of everithing. Best Look!!!
Hello Guillermo,
Yes, I biked through the tunnels in Cañon del Pato and also past the Pastoruri mountain. They were probably the most beautiful Peruvian roads I rode on and I am really glad you got to enjoy them with your sons.
I hope to finish the trip in the Argentinian city of Ushuaia, at the bottom of the continent. I have now spent two years away from my home, which feels quite sad but I still love to cycle here and I think I can do it for a few more months. As you say, these experiences feels very valuable to me.
All the best to you and your family in Ecuador
Hi Hanna! Best regards from La Paz. It was nice to have you here.
Cristian
Hi Hanna, I´am very, very impressed by the quality of your photographs. It shows your talent to see extraordinary situations and to detain them in the right moment. That´s the stuff that keeps you on trucking, I guess.
Sabine and I have returned to Germany save and healthy and plenty of new energies. From up there, we are following with curiosity your trip in South America and are wishing many other great shots.
Have a good time, we will keep our fingers crossed!
Alexander (and Sabine)
Hello Cristian and thank you for having me, it was so nice to be in La Paz with you and the other cyclists.
I am flattered by your kind words Alexander. I am also glad to read that you and Sabine are still full of energy, an energy that I really admire in the both of you. It will be lovely to have you joining me here on the blog until you will get back on some road in the world yourselves.