Hmmmm...Neal in Iran perhaps...

My latest purchase....just to get my Mum a bit nervous ;)

http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Iran-Andrew-Burke/dp/1740594258/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196118993&sr=8-1

Cheers,
Neal

I am baaaaaaaaaaack in the US of A!

Hi All,

I am baaaaaack!

The view from my backyard...downtown Atlanta is in the background...close but it feels a long way away :)

Got in late last night. Fall in Atlanta is beautiful...I forget every year what a pretty place I live in.

Thanks for the interest and support during my trip...travelling alone, it was nice to have my blog and a thread on TB to always feel somewhat connected to folks.

I REALLY enjoyed the my adventures. Bolivia is TRULY an amazing country. The people there were very kind and friendly towards me. I was a bit scared before I left and you do want to keep your wits about you but I think it is a very safe place to travel to. I am already planning a return a trip. My plan is then to continue cycling south for a few months to the bottom of Patagonia. Its heading into the rainy season right now so April onwards would likely work. If anybody is interested just contact me off board...I am not looking to be a tour agent but I'd love some company for the mtn bike and climbing portions prior to biking and I am happy to help anybody with advice etc elsewhere. .

After six weeks of not just travelling there but MANY great conversations with fellow Bolivian travellers and a bunch of tour leaders/operators I really feel like i know the place. Again, it is an amazing place to visit for anybody that lusts for a bit of adventure...its also extremely friendly and inexpensive

Thanks Again & Cheers,
Neal

PS I owe a bunch of folks pics an email...please give me a day or two to wash my bike and clothes before thinking too badly of me! :)

Day31. More chilling and Packing in Sucre for a 2 Day Trek and the Trip Home

Update: Trekking Pics

Photobucket Album

Hi All,

I had a fun last night...Sucre has a lot to offer the weary traveller...so I did wake up a bit late...oh well, I´ve had may share of early starts on this trip :)

I had a few things to do...I had to found a bike shop and paid US$2 for a suitable cardboard shipping box for my bike...I´ve now got my bike all packed away. I was really happy with it and I was sad to be packing up. I've promised some TLC when its unpacked in Atlanta...I'd like to see it make it all the way to the bottom of Patagonia! Hopefully next year ;)

I also had to find a way to get to Santa Cruz for my 10am flight on the 20th. The strikes, blockades, 15 hours bus ride and tight time frame made the bus quite unattractive so happily I was able to buy a plane ticket for about US$50 that leaves Monday morning. I´ll get another fun night in Sucre plus a bit of time for shopping in Santa Cruz. Its a great deal!

I am all packed for a 2 day trek which starts tomorrow morning...I´´ll get to get up high again...its weird to think Sucre sis a bit below 10,000ft but after 30 days a around 12,000-14,500 ft it feels like sea level. I´ve gotta get out and do some serious road bike climbs once I get back to Atlanta before my blood readjusts :)

I am off to enjoy another 5 star meal for about US$8....its going to be rough adjusting back to US currency ;)

I hope everybody is well!

Cheers,
Neal

I hope everybody is well

Day 30: Chilling and Neal teaches English (GASP!) in Sucre

Hi All,

I got up about 7:30am and quickly found a great breakfast (with 4 Lattes!), internet and also called work in the US (Teresa is doing great things for ETG!)...while having breakfast I met my friend Webke from Germany ...she is spending a few weeks in Sucre teaching german and English. She asked me (as a native speaker!) to help with her conversational and essay class. She has a small group of six young (17 year old) female students. It was hilarious!, conversaion was based around their drinking partying...it seems teenage girls are the same everywhere.

Around 3pm I am meeting for coffee with some of the great folks I meet a few weeks ago in Rurrenabaque (jungle trip) and we are planning a 2 or 3 day trek on some of the Inca trails in the area...it is suppose to be great trekking and I think it will be a great way to finish of my time in Boliiva. I have ridden almost a 1000miles on over some very tough and treacherous terrain so a bit of time on my feet will be good :)

My plan is to pack up my bike and gear for the plane, terk for a 2/3 days and then catch an overnight bus to Santa Cruz (my first use of public transport in Bolivia). I fly out of Santa Cruz on the morning of Nov 20th.

I hope everybody is well!

Cheers,
Neal

Day 29: Made it! - Potisi to Sucre, 154km/11 hours - 5 Blockades, a nasty headwind but I got there ! :)

Hi All,


Blockades and a significant military presence greeted me as i woke Potisi this morning...


You can see the final climb/push i had to do on my bike to reach this friggin city in the sky :)


My last views of Potisi...the whole town is based upon mining the big hill in the background...today 20,000 of the 120,000 residents are miners...they have been mining that hill for silver since the 1500's...its like a big piece of Swiss cheese.


My first of five blockade I had to "chat" my way around...I was nervous as I'd heard they can can get pretty serious and stone folks that try and sneak by!

I didn't know if the blockades would let me pass but I did my very best to be charming and all 5 blockades between Potisi and Sucre let me walk my bike on through...


The blockaders were a friendly bunch (at least to me) and wanted me to play some football...



...and to do a bit of "friendly" boxing against there local studs....modesty and a late start prevented me from knocking one of these guys out ;)



All the other traffic was not so lucky and were stopped, with folks sleeping in or under buses or just giving up and trying to walk to their destination.


The ride was nice...the more I descended the more green the countryside got...I've pretty much had my fill of high desert :)

This part of Bolivia is at a complete stand still....frustrated locals and tourists hoping to make connections etc are stuck where they are until the strike/blockades are over....its good to be own my bike - I had tractically no traffic for 100miles of riding ;)


Here is one of the many excellent Tour de France type descents...a strong wind and heavy panniers made it more technical then i´d like...Neal doesn't really like techncial on the best of days :)

All in all it was a pretty demanding day... a late start (8:30am) and a nasty headwind had me pushing hard all day...also the bloody 1:250,000 topo map is a piece of garbage!....it certainly makes the trip look easier then it is....what small portion of my ride that looked flat was actually a section of huge rollers....climb 500ft....decent 500ft, repeat until you pass out :( There were many awesome decents (it began with a 45km decent!) and a couple of brutal 750+m (2500ft+) climbs....this just went on and friggin on!...but I "love" to climb...or so I say ;)

I got to Sucre at 7:30pm - 45 min after dark (again!) but it wasn't so bad....good roads and a bit of road lighting made the last 10km (all climbing about 600m total) not too bad....although the rain did put a damper on my spirits for a while. I rode through town and found the Hotel Sucre....US15/night and the place is awesome! Beautiful courtyard, rooms, showers, TV....I am thinking longterm :)

The wonderful Hotel Sucre...CNN (in English!), hot showers and a beautiful courtyard....my room is on the left.

I had a wonderful meal and drinks at the Joy Ride Cafe...one of the many very nice nightcubs/bars a short walk from my Hotel...I do like this place :)

I got to bed about 11:30pm...my bed was calling (read: screaming ) at me!

I hope everybody is doing great!

Cheers,
Neal

Day 28: Leaving Potisi for Sucre - well NOT quite yet!;)

UPDATE: Well its 2pm here & I am still here....panniers are fixed,bikes packed but I am still not feeling 100%. I think 4+ hours ofhard riding and then likely camping out above 13,000ft could leave me in pretty bad shape so I've decided to hunker down in Potisi one more day. I now know where to eat and where to go & I've got Cinemax in my room. I expect i'll feel 100% tomorrow morning and may be able toreach Sucre tomorrow night...its 180km of but I've been told the road is quality.

Cheers,
Neal

________________________________________

Hi All,

Well is 9am and I hope to be on my bike by 11:30am and get a solid 60-80km in on the way to Sucre. I think i'll makeSucre a bit of a base and I´ve been invited to do a 2-3 day trek on a remote portion of the Inca trail. It would be great way to finish off my trip.

My bike is iin need of repair..I managed to break one of the panniers so purchased some heavy grade wire yesterday and will have a go to fix after breakfast. I've been told the road to Sucre (180km) is MUCH better then the hell road from Uyuni to Potisi I rode a few days ago...if so my makeshift repair should be fine.

Anyway...I am off to find food!

I hope everybody is well!

Cheers,
Neal

Day 27: Silver Mining, Holding Lit Dynomite in Potisi

UPDATE: For an all too real understanding of the mine please consider watching this documentary or at least the trailer...its 100% accurate IMHO

http://www.thedevilsminer.com/Trailer/Trailer.mov

Hi All,

Yesterday was an interesting day! :)

I got up early for a big breakfast....4 eggs etc...and found a mine tour that left at 2pm. Potisi is a mining town...it's silver bascially funded the Spanish empire from the 1500's on. Back the3n the indigenous people were forced into the mines for 6 months at a time...thats 6 months without seeing daylight! Friggin incredible to think people can treat people that way!

These days Potisi has 20,000 miners (all men) aged from 12 to about 30that would 12 hours a day and often 7 days a week in the mine. The chew coca leaves and drink pure alcohol to stave of the discomfort...they typically don't live for more then 10-15 years after entering the mines...lung disease is the big killer. All this to make about US$6 a week and provide the rest of us with pretty jewellry. After spending a few hours undergraound with them I will never look at silver and copper the same way...folks pay a terrible price for it.





I got hooked up with a tour group with an Aussie, Dutch, English folks - very good people!

The tour cost about US$10 and we were also told to buy some gifts for the miners...we brought a" grab bag" containing a stick of dynomite, coca leaves, detonators and some food and perhaps pure alcohol.

We got kitted out and taken to the mine with 2 guides...the mine is a wicked place...often 3 foot ceiling and lots of exposure to danger...deep holes 30-40ft deep with just a narrow ledge or plank to walk on. Far more dangerous then any caving section in any adventure race i've ever done.


There is about a 30ft drop :(



Another 30-40ft drop...no discalimers get signed in Bolivia



The mines seem cray dangerous...tonnes of loose rocks held up by a few timbers


Bacically you hammer and chissel a hole for a stick of dynomite and blast away :)





We got introduced to a few miners and got to see how the worked...bascially following a silver rich seam as best they could by drilling holes for dynomite with hammer and chissel and then carting out the minerals by wheelbarrow. They get paid per tonne of minerals they extract.

The guide was very imformative and we learnt about the history of the mine and how the Conquistadors had used religion to enslave the locals...they were told the devil lived in the mountain and they must not risk risk angering the deveil. To this day they still make offerings (ciggarettes, coca leaves etc) of to an idol of the devil in the hope of making him happy and therefore having him have a good "relationship" with the Challpata (sp) Mother earth which would produce more silver in the mine.

The trip was fill of adventure...we got to light our own stick of dynomite underground...while standing around the corner to shelter from the blast as the minors do...the resulting shockwave was terrifying.




Yep, there is a stick of dynomite (balled up) surrounded by Ammonium Nitrate to give it some extra kick...and yes the fuse has been lit :)






We also got to light a stick above ground...you get to carry it on the hopes you make youtube's top ten dumbass videos...the kind where some dumbass losses his arm ;) I do have a short video of the resulting explosion...but its a pain to upload on a slow connection...no flying limbs so it would be a hit on youtube :(

Anyway...Bolivia is not your typical country and certainly offers your not so typical adventures! :)

All the best and cheers,
Neal

Day 25 & 26: Uyuni to Potosi - 2 days/208km/10lbs of body fat!

Oh the long and climbing (shit) road to Potosi....

Hi All,

Day 25:

Well I finally dragged myself away from Tonitos (after my second breakfast) andgot onthe road at 11am...I had been told by many local folks that the ride to Potosi was going to be tough. I thought I ride till 6pm (look for a safe place to stay) see how far I got and then ride the remainder in a day or 2.

The ride started with a long climb from 12,500ft to 14,000ft. My belly was full of good food and my legs still strong so it went pretty well.

I would stop and look back over the Salar and vow to return...again, an amazing place.

After about 18km I crested the climb and mistakenly entered an almost abandoned mining town (Pulacayo)....this place was spooky! I saw all of 2 people....one of whom was a crazy and drunk old ....he just keep screaming at imaginery people...very Stephen King feel tothe place. As soon as i realized my mistake I was outta there!

A deserted playground complete with vintage car???

Where old trains go to die!

The remainder of the day went well... a few more similar climbs but my legs and lungs did well.

The desert scenery is getting a bit tiresome :) but it still impresses me...I do wish for better roads....ass bruising ruts or and/or deep sand tends to wear down my morale but if it was easy everybody would ride... wouldn't they? ;)

Around 5pm/65km I entered a river valley that was almost green :) as I followedthe road downhill there was actually patches of water and a tree!....amazing!

Along with the water came a smallviliage. By now it was about 5:30pm...I´d rode a pretty tough 78km and decided to call it a day...it gets VERY cold at night and often extremely windy so I wanted 4 solid walls.

The villiage had a school so located the professor...with my limitedSpanish I asked him fora place to stay and I

made a small donatio to the school.

x

He led me to a small1 room hut that had a foam mat and an oil lantern...perfect! I set about cooking a meal and checking out the villiage.

Simple but it proved quite cosy :)

I met two young girls herding up Llamas just on nightfall...cute girls although that dog wanted a piece of me!

I got asked to dinner with the Professors family and thhought I'd contribute my food to the meal....I had a Mountain house mal (Pasta Permavera) anda some dehydrated mashed pototoes.

Day 26:

I woke early, around 6am...I had felt pretty sick during the night and had taken some flu medicine ...it got me some much needed sleep. I had some coffee and deep fied bread with the professor's family and was on my bike just after 7am...I had 130km to ride and thought I´d be able to knock that out in 12 hours....oh silly me! ;)

I´ll post somedetails and some pics when I feel up to it....I arrived a 9:30pm after pushing my bike up and down some huge hills in almost complete darkness. I was completely physially and mentally spent when I finally arrived in Potisi that I strugged to even eat...I found a hotel and forced myself to find food...I fiound a pizza place but could only eat 3 slices and drink a litrer of beer before struggling back to the hotel. I stopped and called my Mum to let her know I was safe but I was way too tired to chat.

This morning Iam feeling better but unsure about riding tomorrow... I had a big breakfast (4 eggs etc) and am off soon in search of a big lunch. I will do a mine tour....Potisi is a mining town and the local minors last about 15 years before dying of lung disease...conditions are attrochious....all this so we can buy our fancy copper cookware :(

I hope everybody is well!

Cheers,

Neal

Day 24: Pizza, Pasta, Vino Tinto & Recovery in Uyuni

Hi All,

This key board is trash so just a short note.

Uyuni seen as I climb towards Potosi...a small town of 14,000 sitting next to the Salar de Uyuni....just visible in the distance.

Uyuni is surprizing appealig and even a much bettter place to hang out and recover before the grueling ride to Potosi thanks to a great Pizza place called Tonitos...its much much more then just great Pizza...it great gourmet food....pasta, bread, coffee, cheese, wine etc....all 50ft from my room...its been wonderful!. It owned and operated by Chris and his lovely wife...Chris is originally fro the Bost area and his wife from Uyuni...together they are a powerful combination. I´ve had multiple dinners and breakfasts to try and put some much needed meat on my bones....I am guessing I have dropped 15 lbs in the last 3 weeks....hard rides above 12,500ft , little food and getting a bit sick will do that for you ;)

Anyway Tonitos is an amazing place and it was very tough to leave...a constant turnover of interesting people from all over the world completed the package very nicely. I very much hope to return!

This guy is Hiro (like the charactor from Heroes) ... a great guy...we "chatted" in Spanish....our "common" language :)

These two American guys are 2 years into their motorcyle tour of SA...off to the Salar today.

I hope all is well with everyone.

Cheers,

Neal

Day 22 & 23: 2 days/145 km on the Salar de Uyuni...the Weirdest

Just a couple of teaser pics...much more to come :)

I got up early to enjoy the sunrise from Isla de Incahausi with a coffee

The Salar de Uyuni is that flat and that big :)

My Yoga teacher would have been so proud!

Sunset looking back on to Isla de Incahausi

Isla de Incahausi looking back on my ride from Tahua (base of the Volcano)

Day 21: Salinas to Tahua 40km7/3.5 hours: Neal Goes Back to School

Hi All,

I was pretty shattered following my 14 hour ride the daut before so I decided to take it easy and ride to the edge of the Salar de Uyuni and spend a night living the highlife in a ritzy Hotel de Sal. A hotel made completely of salt. It was going to be costly (US$75) but I really craved a good meal, hot shower and comfortable bed. It is a community owned hotel so I could also justify the expense as the money went back into the local community.

I met a great French couple and we exchanged road info...they were travelling North and me South. They told me about their 4x4 experinces..the roads south of uyuni were so bad they have had to dig out their 4x4 3 times...and once had to wait to morning...tough travelling.

The innkeeper (forgot his name grhhh) was a great guy and drew me a map and suggested the fastest typical route to Tahua. Of course I ended up not taking his advice and taking the route less travelled :)

Bacically I would ride to the otherside of the Volcano passing a few small and isolated villiags on the way. The ride started very well...a gentle downhill on a very ridable road and then across a flat semi-salt plane.

I turned left instead of right (as the Hostal keeper had suggested) and had to climb up from the salt flat to cross a series of ridgelines...I definitely took the tougher path.

The payoff came when a reached a small village after about 25km of riding. I decided to call in to check I was on the right path and rode up to the school. I was immediatly greeted but about 20 smiling kids, their teacher and a young Cuban girl. Again, my digial camera proved to be a big hit and getting it back from the kids was the biggest challenge.

It was just on lunchtime and i was invited to join them for lunch...I knew the food might be a bit suspect but I was honored to accept. Lunch was served in a simple adobe building adjacent to the school...it had a dirt rock floor and no windows. Lunch consisted of a Quino ( a local grain)soup , rice and some basic vegatables. I can't say it was really tasty but it was very nourishing and the company was excellent!

After lunch I was usherd to the classroom where I got to see how little in the way of teaching supplies they had...their world map was hand drawn but DID include New Zealand! I made a small donation to the school and will endeavor to send a few items like a Spanish Atlas, World map and basic stationary once I get to Potosi. It is going to be tough to get the items delivered...I hope there is a way....the village is not served by any mail service :(

I was very sad to leave and felt guilty arriving at my posh Hotel de Sal knowing what the US$75 would buy for those kids. It ddidn't stop me enjoying a hot shower, buying a red wine and napping for the rest of the afternoon...I was definitely still feeling the day before. Later that evening a Swiss tour group arrived and they were very freindly and enjoyed their company for dinner. The next 2 days I'd spend riding and camping on the Salar de Uyuni so I definitely needed good food and rest.

I won{t forget those kida and that school and hope I fufill the promise I've made to myself to try and get them better equipped.

Cheers,

Neal

Day 20: Challapata to Salinas 140km/14 hours...YEP! 14 friggin hours!!!

Hi All,

I woke early in Challpata and grabbed a quick breakfast of hot tea and deep fried bread...from a Bolivan "drive thru" if you like and at 7:45am began what was going to be the toughest day of my trip thus far...

The previous night I had studied my maps (1:250,000 1964 rev topos, the best money can buy). I decided I´d had enough of sealed roads and knowing where I was....time for a little adventure :) Instead of taking the standard route to the Salar de Uyuni I would head west to approach the Salar from the North. Heading west meant leving the main road and travelling by jeep trails for well over 100km...unfortaunately I didn´t have a topo for the second half of the trip, I only had a rough map in my Lonely Planet to go by - but I was thirsty for adventure so i went for it.

The first 12 km were cake or perhps a sip of cold Pilsener...a slow decent on the main sealed road to a town called Huari....famous for the beer it brews that bears its name....from there I would bike off the beaten path for the first time.

Immediately I was faced with a choice between three trails...I took a bearing and choose wht looked to be the most direct route to my first goal...a small town called ??????? about 30km away. It was rough going...after about 8km a found myself in a very small village and my jeep trail split again...I rode over to a small school yard to ask for help.

The kids and teacher were very excited to see me and were fascinated by my digital camera...I spent about 15 minutes chatting (as best i could) and taking pics and videos

After each one 'd had my camera over to the kids and it would dissappear in a crowd of kids only to be rescued by the teacher. It was just the morale boost i needed. I got dubious directions (the teacher pointed due west and not at either trail!) to the next town and dragged myself away and rode on the "most likely" trail.

My chosen trail soon split again and again till I was often just following a single pair of tire tracks...it was like a braided river. I have often been in simialr situations when adventure racing and knew that you just made sure your general direction was good and hoped for the best.

I also came across the occational llama herder and would try and get confirmation. I was riding across a the flat lake bed of the retreating Lago Lago...flat riding but occassional deep ruts and sand. I rode past a few abandoned adobe villiages and decided I check one out...it looked totally deserted.

After walking into a few of the huts I turned a corner to met a old lady that immediately reminded me of the old witch from the first Conan movie...she had made a home in one of the huts & she was NOT happy to see me...I rode off without looking back...I had visions of her casting a spell on me and feasting on me that night. It really was quite a bizarre encounter, it left me totally creeped out and unnerved.

After about 20km the various trails converged and I could just make out a village on a hill top in the distance.

I immediately felt a lot better...even if I was in the wrong place I needed food and water.

Happily i found myself on course and found a roadside stall that offered a basic soup that made an OK lunch for about $0.15.

I was able to get some good directions and even then nearly took the wrong trial out of town...luckily there was a road sign that saved my dumb ass :)

The quality of the road improved...it was now a real road! (I passed several road crews) and I made pretty good time. My map showed a village about every 30km but I knew the map was unreliable at best and that Hostels wouldn't exist till Salinas...if I didn´t make it there I'd be camping or knocking on someone's door.

After about 15km the road quality deteriorated...it was typically very corragated but there was often an alternative route running parallel...it would offer a smoother ide but occasional deep soft sand. I´d switch out every 1 min or so trying to find the lesser of the two evils.

After about 70km I was getting a bit concerned about my water supply...I regreted not starting with more then my 3 water bottles... I was down to a bottle and a half and a mechanical or injury would leave me in a bad spot. Around the 70km mark I came across a very small villiage and decided I'd try for some water. I had be warned that the smaller villiages were very pretective of their water supply...it hadn´t rained since March!

Fortunately this village had a well and theywere happy for me to fill up my water bottles.

Its the first time I'd use a bucket/well to get water since a race in Vietnam in 2001. I did screw up and poured the excess water back down the well - NOT the thing to do but they smiled at my mistake :)

I meet two felow cyclists along the way...one whose tracks I´d followed for hours...I enjoy these chance encounters and usually remember to offer some water...that has always got a smile and thanks.

I had this Volcano as a land mark...I believed/hoped Salinia to be about 30km north of it.

At 90km and 4:00pm (after 8 hours of hard riding) I arrived at the last village shown on my map thinking I was only 30km from Salinas with a good chance of making it there before dark - sadly I was mistaken. There were some Bolivian mining enginneers set up in the village that laughingly informed me I had 53km to go and there was no way I'd make it today. I knew I should stop there the night...90km/8hours of hard riding is nothing to be ashamed of but the dark (dumb ass) force in me can be strong and I elected to press on...resolved to prove them wrong. I figured I had 3+ hours of daylight left and if I kicked ass I'd get within 5-10km of Salinas and could limp in the remainder with my headlamp. Painful but I'd be rewarded with a decent meal, a cold beer and a warm bed :)

I was hoping to see the road improve as I neared Salinas but it detoriated...

Then it forked (there was no fork on my basic Lonely Planet map!)...I had nobody to ask and a taking a bearing was useless so i just guess, figuring I'd ride/walk 145km and if no Salinas I'd camp and just sleep on it in my tent.

By nightfall (7pm) i was horribly behind schedule and had about 25km to go...i knew every minute of daylight was precious but so was sunset.

I could help but stop many times and takephoto's...it is not a decision I'll ever regret.

It was awesome to be alone in the desert and watch the sun set and the myrid of stars come out.

The euphoria of sunset was replaced with realization I was a long way from anywhere...riding/walking a crappy road with a crappy LED headlamp...not even knowing I was heading in the right direction...all i had was the word of engineers i'd met and the painfully slow turnover of my bikes odometer...143km was a LONG way off :(

To make matters worse by batteries died around 8pm and I only had the dim light fom my camera to locate my replacements and swap them out...by this time the temperature had plummented, the wind was howling and my hands were shaking (you don't know how cold it is tl you stop!). I messed up replacng the headlamp cover and had to hold it one hand...making riding that much more difficult. During the day I could pick a line to avoid the deep ruts and sand but without a decent light I was forced to walk even the downhills...progress was painfully slow.

By 9pm I was about 5km out and bitterly dissapointed I hadn´t seen the lights of the village on the horizon...I understood Salinas to be a sizable village so I began to serously doubt I was heading in the right direction...I pressed on and every crest in the road was filled with anticiapation but reslted in disapointment. If the wind and cold weren't so bad I may well have stopped but it was easier (and warmer) to keep pushing my bike.

At 9:45pm, 142km & 14 hours after i had set of from Challapata I crested another rise and was greeted with 5 small lights. It seemed too small to be Salinas but I was knocking on one of thosedoors regardless.

As i approached Salinas revealed itself to me...tucked from view in a small valley. I was happy :)

A few folks were still up and directed me to the Plaza and Hostel. I was elated to find it no only still open but they were still serving meals and cold beer.

I walked in with my bike, sat down and started ordering...

2 plates of soup and 4 large beers later I headed to be, leavnig my bike in the restaurant downstairs...I just needed a room and a bed. At 3am I was woken by a poundng at the front door...I'd end up sharing my room with 4 snoring Boliivans but I think I gave as good as I got!

I was both proud of my stubborness but also acknowledged my luck and bad judgement...I really should have quit abot 5 hours ago!

All is well that ends well - it was an interesting and epic day and why I chose to cycle around Bolivia! :)

All the best & cheers,

Neal