31/7/2013 Desaguadero, PE to El Alto, BO
D99, T6.5, Av18.44, Max78, Tot17148, 7080
Another altiplano mid winters day,
Up at 0600, curtains pulled revealing the beginnings of a brilliant sunrise over lake Titicaca.
This hospedaje, for the money has been one of the best in Peru, with magnificient lake views, comfortable beds and above all was warm.
From here we sauntered along to the Peruvian immigration. We didn’t remember we had our watches set to Bolivian time, so we were ahead of ourselves.
The immigration office was just opening.
Formalities in Peru took no more than 15 minutes.
It was different in Bolivia, in many ways. Immigration took sometime and they only gave us 30 days this time and told us to visit the office in La Paz to have it extended.
Only one of us could line up at time, the other had to watch the bikes.
Once in Bolivia, what a difference, all the retail was on the Peru side, it was a nice hustle and bustle.
The street in Bolivia was wide and largely unoccupied by markets.
It was still very cold out of the sun at 0900.
Leaving the town gravel took us up to a large line of trucks waiting to get through the border.
The road now changed to asphalt and offered easy riding.
Mountains were always visible to the left.
We were both riding fairly hard, averaging over 20km/hr. Stopping to talk and have a quick rest every 10km.
South of Timbillo, there was a large area where a market was in progress, we stopped here. Buying bread, Deirdre had peanut butter in her rolls whilst I opted for the mashed banana option.
We sat here in the sun for half an hour.
The road was still flat ahead. Riding along with Deirdre some 150m behind. A guy on the side of the road yelled “accidente muerte su amiga”. I freaked and looked back. He was having me on, the bugger.
Bolivia has so far proved to be a place of many different reactions from people on the side of the road. Some very friendly, though many return greetings with little enthusiasm.
Again most truck drivers were great, but some even though they had a clear road for miles refused to even move a metre away from us. It was quite dangerous. Often we were forced onto a loose gravel shoulder.
I will admit they did give us warning. In the end when we heard a truck behind we just pulled off onto the shoulder.
Some drivers acknowledged this gesture.
From a high point we could see the spread out nature of El Alto, a city on the eastern approach to La Paz, it was so Bolivia. That of brown earth and hollow brick houses spread for miles across the altiplano, all this backdropped with a huge mountain range.
We stopped at a tienda and bought water in the hope of camping.
However both sides of the road were very urbanised now. Our only hope was a disused or half constructed dwelling. The girl did tell it was a bit dodgey here at night.
Arriving on the outskirts of El Alto, both sides of the road were littered with builders waste, plastic bags, shoes, dead dogs and any other imaginable piece of litter.
Admittedly the builders waste was probably there for fill, possibly when the road is duplicated. Others were taking advantage big time of the situation.
I can’t imagine a pile of old leather shoes offering the best stability for a new road.
Once in El Alto, we couldn’t believe the first Alojamiento was a ground level affair.
At 25 Bolivianos it was great, our room was huge. We could have clocked another kilometre in the room to give us 100 for the day, truth was we were both worn out.
Once settled we headed into town to get the last of the days hot sun.
Some chicharrone was enjoyed.
We now had only 15km to La Paz, an easy day is ahead tomorrow, though traffic will be heavy we guess.
D99, T6.5, Av18.44, Max78, Tot17148, 7080
Another altiplano mid winters day,
Up at 0600, curtains pulled revealing the beginnings of a brilliant sunrise over lake Titicaca.
This hospedaje, for the money has been one of the best in Peru, with magnificient lake views, comfortable beds and above all was warm.
From here we sauntered along to the Peruvian immigration. We didn’t remember we had our watches set to Bolivian time, so we were ahead of ourselves.
The immigration office was just opening.
Formalities in Peru took no more than 15 minutes.
It was different in Bolivia, in many ways. Immigration took sometime and they only gave us 30 days this time and told us to visit the office in La Paz to have it extended.
Only one of us could line up at time, the other had to watch the bikes.
Once in Bolivia, what a difference, all the retail was on the Peru side, it was a nice hustle and bustle.
The street in Bolivia was wide and largely unoccupied by markets.
It was still very cold out of the sun at 0900.
Leaving the town gravel took us up to a large line of trucks waiting to get through the border.
The road now changed to asphalt and offered easy riding.
Mountains were always visible to the left.
We were both riding fairly hard, averaging over 20km/hr. Stopping to talk and have a quick rest every 10km.
South of Timbillo, there was a large area where a market was in progress, we stopped here. Buying bread, Deirdre had peanut butter in her rolls whilst I opted for the mashed banana option.
We sat here in the sun for half an hour.
The road was still flat ahead. Riding along with Deirdre some 150m behind. A guy on the side of the road yelled “accidente muerte su amiga”. I freaked and looked back. He was having me on, the bugger.
Bolivia has so far proved to be a place of many different reactions from people on the side of the road. Some very friendly, though many return greetings with little enthusiasm.
Again most truck drivers were great, but some even though they had a clear road for miles refused to even move a metre away from us. It was quite dangerous. Often we were forced onto a loose gravel shoulder.
I will admit they did give us warning. In the end when we heard a truck behind we just pulled off onto the shoulder.
Some drivers acknowledged this gesture.
From a high point we could see the spread out nature of El Alto, a city on the eastern approach to La Paz, it was so Bolivia. That of brown earth and hollow brick houses spread for miles across the altiplano, all this backdropped with a huge mountain range.
We stopped at a tienda and bought water in the hope of camping.
However both sides of the road were very urbanised now. Our only hope was a disused or half constructed dwelling. The girl did tell it was a bit dodgey here at night.
Arriving on the outskirts of El Alto, both sides of the road were littered with builders waste, plastic bags, shoes, dead dogs and any other imaginable piece of litter.
Admittedly the builders waste was probably there for fill, possibly when the road is duplicated. Others were taking advantage big time of the situation.
I can’t imagine a pile of old leather shoes offering the best stability for a new road.
Once in El Alto, we couldn’t believe the first Alojamiento was a ground level affair.
At 25 Bolivianos it was great, our room was huge. We could have clocked another kilometre in the room to give us 100 for the day, truth was we were both worn out.
Once settled we headed into town to get the last of the days hot sun.
Some chicharrone was enjoyed.
We now had only 15km to La Paz, an easy day is ahead tomorrow, though traffic will be heavy we guess.
