La Paz
to Rurrenabaque.

The prison tour in La Paz was an eye-opener, not your normal safe tour; it had some edge.

After a cheap night out in town, it was time for the bikes again and a blast down a mountain and into the Amazon.

Goneriden

This week’s route

La Paz - Coroico - Rurrenabaque

1La Paz
2Coroico
3Rurrenabaque

Week 28 routePeruRegional context

Approximate route using modern roads · OpenStreetMap contributors · route via OSRM

Memorable moment

Memorable moment.

From the snow-peaked mountains of Coroico to the Amazonian jungle of Rurrenabaque: a 15 hour bus ride (at least), a 10.5 hour 4WD ride, or 6 hours on a Goneriden bike.

Another day of radically different roads and landscapes. Mountain-hugging tracks, freshly graded roads scattered with marble-like river-bed rocks, slippery muddy tracks and more. But the real adventure for the day was avoiding animals.

After several close shaves, and only 30km short of Rurrenabaque, there appeared to be a group of middle-aged pigs playing games on the road. After seeing them all clear to the side, speed was increased and, darting out of the grass on the verge of the road, came a suicidal pig. Any last-minute avoidance measures were to no avail. As the pig squealed, Jamie and his bike came crashing to the ground and slid along the potholed road.

The local people who had been standing by the road disappeared quickly into the jungle; this wasn’t the normal Bolivian friendliness. Initial assessment of damage showed only one crushed pannier and no other major injuries, apart from the pig. By this time there were a number of Porky’s concerned friends and family gathered around, trying to nudge him off the road and calling for the stretcher.

If it was normal here to pay for any animals you hit, then the opportune time for the farmer to approach would have been while both bike and Jamie were laying on the road; there would be no chasing into the jungle to pay for a week’s worth of pork for the Goneriden crew. Let’s hope the pig had a good doctor. Bacon anyone?

Original Week 28 account

Pictures of the week

Three moments from the road

It was a photo finish between Justin and Martin.

Goneriden, go, go, go, ....Goneriden, go, go, go...Gonerdien, go, go, go.

Quote of the week

"It was so projectile it splashed back in my face." – sorry Georgie, but you said it.

"Just stop at any hostal or I am in danger of shitting in your taxi!" and "I'm staying here; can you show me to my room." – Lurch, after a big night out, using some creative talking to find himself a toilet and a bed for the night.

Competition

See if the group of 9 of us could spend the whole kitty, to which we all contributed £4 at the start of the night, at 6pm. It seems this was too much; there was still money left at 3am when the last drunken members staggered home.

Highlight

San Pedro Prison, La Paz, Bolivia

The gates opened and we were shuffled into San Pedro Prison, La Paz, Bolivia. Inside, the prison has no guards and is run by the 1300 inmates. A group of around 10 of us were escorted by our guide, an English-speaking convicted drug trafficker, and 6 'security' personnel, all of them prisoners.

The place was like a small town and being able to take a tour and find out about life inside was unreal; the real highlight, however, was being let out again.

Risk activity

Not having any ID to leave with the guards when entering the prison, they used it to identify you and let you out.

Lucky Martin doesn’t look Bolivian.Risk factor5/10

Lowlight

We were a bit disappointed with the 'World's most dangerous road' from La Paz to Coroico, which dropped 3 km down in about 50 km.

'Bollocks' was the word used by Martin.

The next day, though, after putting our brains in a box, we explored some more and were rewarded with some excellent tracks and, of course, pretty scenery.