216 CultureShock! Bolivia
There are no stalagmites or stalactites. Beyond the lake, you’ll
need spelunking (caving) equipment. Vampire bats allegedly
nest in the deepest recesses of the cave.
As you near the lake, the bat squeaks get shriller. Shadows
sweep by your eyes. If you don’t blink, you will see the profi le
of a bat. As your eyes adjust to the relative darkness, you will
perceive other bats as they slumber from a hanging position
on the roof of the cave. At this lower altitude, the farmers of
San Pedro would have to contend with mosquito infestation
if they were to lose their bats.
After watching the bats, Marcus had forgotten about my
fi rst broken promise. We emerged from the hot cave with a
nagging thirst. We walked back uphill to the pathside stand,
bought a papaya drink and waited for a truck. To this very
day, any time I sip a papaya drink, I remember that soothing
moment in a silent paradise.
The girl at the shop said there would ‘probably’ be a
truck or two coming by. “Maybe later in the afternoon,” she
added. We had a two and a half hour trek back, with only
two hours of sunlight remaining. We started back uphill,
this time with the sun emerging from the clouds behind
us. Promise number two might still be fulfi lled if just one
truck appeared.
At the halfway point, Marcus had gained a second wind
and no longer asked about the awaited truck. After 18 km (11
miles) of hiking, we turned a bend and there she was: Illampu,
undraped, her smooth white form tempting us to move ever
closer. After the next two bends in the path, with the sun
behind us still peeking through clouds, we had our fi rst view
of Illampu and Sorata below her within the same frame. The
San Gabriel River roared its approval from far below.
The bats were down below, cleaning the gorge of
mosquitos. And we were ready for a long sleep, knowing
that Illampu would continue to play hard to get and would
probably not expose herself again while we were in Sorata.Accommodation in Sorata
Hotels around the plaza are priced at backpacker rates.
Residencial Sorata is a funky work of hotel artisanry, a maze