(by Rolf, in English and German, with photo gallery) As I stood at the top of the world-famous Death Road, a lorry turned off the asphalt surface of the bypass, which was opened in 2006, onto the stones. First the lorry driver waved at me, and then he crossed himself before vanishing into the mist.

A life-threatening challenge.

Crossing oneself is an understandable ritual amongst the courageous truckers in the Catholic country of Bolivia as they turn onto the Ruta de la Muerte. In that moment I fully understand it, as I had just completed the breathtaking journey along what was once the most dangerous road in the world. A road? More like a dirt track. Or rather, a narrow path with just one lane on an almost endless precipice. Even for the seasoned driver of a large vehicle, driving along Yungas Road, as it is officially known, is a life-threatening…