Enjoying Bolivia 207Nearly 400 m (1,312 ft) lower than Illimani doesn’t sound
like much, but it makes a great difference. Peter’s guide,
Yossi Brain, a hero to those of us who have hiked in Bolivia’s
highlands, died in an avalanche in the remote Cordillera
de Apolobamba.
The Apolo Terranaut
The Apollo astronauts knew what was awaiting them on the
moon, but modern day terranaut, Australian Andrew Valder,
had no idea what was in store for him beyond the bizarre
town of Apolo, deep within the misty shroud of Bolivia’s
Madidi National Park.
The Bolivian government claims success in protecting
vast areas of its country by designating national parks. Thus
far, protection of these treasures of nature has not been a
demanding feat. Sunday drivers fi nd most Bolivian national
parks inaccessible. Even your normal breed of adventurous
backpackers do not arrive in droves to these remote and
inviolable places.
When Andrew Valder fi rst came to South America from
his native Australia, like Peter Hutchison, he had never even
heard of Bolivia. In his twenties, he had become disenchanted
with the artist-and-repertory company where he commanded
a high salary. “Sick of the lifestyle of the music industry,”
he growls, “its afterhour social requirements,” he quit and
travelled to South America.
He made contact with an NGO called TREX (Tropical
Research and Exploration), through a Norwegian agricultural
research acquaintance. TREX managed to secure enough
funding for travel expenses alone, but no salaries, from the
British Embassy and a US organisation called Conservation,
Food and Health.
The area that he was to explore with three companions,
the Madidi National Park, was reputedly a haven for the
greatest variety of bird species of any region in the world,
as well as remote ruins of ancient Inca villages camoufl aged
in the profuse foliage. This northern Bolivia region includes
highlands, valleys and lowlands, from snowy mountain
passes to wild rainforests.