The day that could have been

January 18th, 2007 started out like any other. We were lazing in our room at the youth hostel in La Paz, Bolivia when all of a sudden an apollo 25 paper spacecraft came soaring in through the window. Folded into it was a note issuing a challenge that may have changed our lives:

"Go a block and a half down the street and pick up a small package that will be waiting for you there. It is to be delivered to an oasis high up in the Bolivian altiplano. Your route will cross some of the most difficult terrain that you have ever encountered. Llamas are the animals best suited to carry you on this journey - they will be waiting for you in the Plaza San Fransisco. You will not be disappointed with the reward that you will receive should you succeed. Good Luck."

Not being ones to turn down a challenge, we hopped out of bed and quickly collected the parcel and our llamas. Downtown La Paz proved a difficult place to learn to ride llamas. The aggressive, honking drivers frightened our steeds, who nearly threw us off several times before we finally reached the city limits.

But this was not to be the hardest part - before reaching the oasis, we had to ford a raging river filled by the monsoon rains, cross a snowy pass at 4800m and fend of swooping condors. Throughout these hardships, we were chewing coca leaves to relieve our altitude sickness.

At long last, when we thought that we could not go on any longer, the oasis appeared.

In the middle of the clear blue lake, two princes were floating in a totora boat, fishing and enjoying cold beer in the warm sunshine. When they saw us approach, they paddled in to shore and and congratulated us. They invited us to feast with them, and took the package that we had carried from La Paz. In it were four Whopper Combos from Burger King.

As we ate, they told us about the reward for our success: we would be granted a guided cycling tour through some of the most spectacular mountains of Switzerland!!!!

After our meal, we laid back for a nap in the warmth of the oasis. When we finally woke up, we were back in our hostel and it was January 19th.