Dr Feelgood

It´s 0100, and we´re five or six in a taxi with seats for four. I think the driver is also a doctor. From what I can remember, unsurprisingly, we´re the only group in costume at the small grimy club, but we are well received for it. Later in the morning, we´re in another taxi where the driver is taking us to another club, Ruta Triente y Seis. At what I´d guess to be 0800, we call an end to the spectacular madness and are walking back through the streets, still in full costume.

After waking up a midday, I´ve wandered across town looking for lunch. I have the crudely drawn Post-It Note picture deeply etched in the front of my mind. I´m very slowly working my way through a soup. The reality of the fifty metres and seventy degrees has dawned on me. My thoughts are very different to those of yesterday. I´m staring at my arm as I angle it to show myself what seventy degrees is. Now I´m imagining a near sheer vertical flat face of ice. I´m thinking this is almost terrifying beyond the capacity for rational thought, but in the slim remaining capacity, in theory, the guide will go first and setup a rope, so I can only die if the whole cold icey face comes off. So, it´s really just a question of whether I have the balls.

I´m walking across town to Alfredo´s office. For the past two hours I have thought absolutely nothing but wary, slow-moving thoughts this ice traverse, but without any inclination towards a yes or no. I remember Jerome´s words - "sometimes you live, sometime you die" - and ask myself what he, or Wolf, or Steve would do. With that, about twenty minutes before I reach the office, I conclude I have to do it. More than anything, I just can´t chicken out. If Alfredo says I can do it without ice climbing experience, then that´s what will happen. I have an odd feeling in my chest. It´s probably the immense terror of this reality.

The office is closed. The climb is already scheduled with a group for the day after tomorrow, but the death road is a full day tomorrow. Whilst I´m waiting, not sure whether to hope that the office opens, I visit another operator, again asking for something for more technical than Huayna Potosi. They show me an ice climbing route, less terrifying than Alfredo´s option, and ask about my experience. They strongly advise that it´s almost reckless for them to take me on their ice climbing route without experience. That´s all I need to be talked out of Alfredo´s plan, and his office remains closed. It´ll be the tourist mountain for me.