MBChB student Lucy tells us about her experience on the 16-day APEX 7 research expedition to Bolivia.
I am not the outdoorsy, adventurous type. The cold, the lack of amenities, the
discomfort – this is not where I thrive. Or so I have told myself for as long as I can
remember.
So why, at an altitude of 4750m, on the other side of the world and with 90
people (the majority of whom were strangers to me less than two weeks prior) am I having
the time of my life?
Skipping Ben Nevis and heading straight to Huayna Potosi (6088m)
was a questionable move for my fitness levels but one of the coolest things I have done.
This summer I had the opportunity to join an incredible group of students and doctors
on the 16-day APEX 7 research expedition to Bolivia. This was the seventh expedition of its
kind, investigating the impacts of high altitude on many variables including but not
limited to gene expression, cognition, and fat metabolism; the results of which
influence medical practice and mountaineering worldwide. As one of the research
participants, it was my job to let the high altitudes of La Paz and El Alto take its effect on
my body.
The altitude of La Paz is no joke, sitting at an elevation of 3650m above sea level, it is the
highest capital city in the world. After a mammoth journey lasting about two days and a
long transit in Miami, my first sites of La Paz were my hotel room and bed. The effects of the altitude felt almost instantaneous as I lay still in bed, heart racing. I was so sure that this would be one of the best sleeps of my life, only to find myself wide awake after about 4 hours – poor quality of sleep being, unfortunately a key feature of adapting to altitude. We had five days in La Paz, adapting to the altitude while exploring the city, watching a Bolivian football match, experiencing some Cholita wrestlers beating each other up and even a visit to the British Consulate!
Then, after much anticipation, it was time to leave civilisation and head to the Refugio, our mountain base camp home for the next week. As we hit the winding rocky mountain roads, I said my goodbyes to family and friends, watching my signal dropping more and more as the settlements became few and far between. Just as apprehension was starting to build, I saw it… Huayna Potosi sitting in the distance, hidden from view until now. It looked surreal, like a postcard and I couldn’t wait to get there.
Arriving at base camp, was like acclimatising all over again. Water was being chugged
like we were on a desert island, as we fought our impending headaches. There was also
much excitement for the hot drink and snack selection on unlimited supply which was
sure to get us through the freezing nights. These temperatures in which I felt very
prepared for setting out my new 4 seasons sleeping bag and wearing every piece of
clothing I had. I never would have guessed that just days later I would end up getting
fried by the sun and come away with an award for the worst sun burn on the trip, oops!
After all the hustle and bustle of La Paz, the Refugio was a complete contrast. As soon
as my research commitments were over, my days were spent, sat in the sun, soaking up
the views and bonding with my teammates. A full week away from signal and the
outside world was such a unique time to think about life and reflect, replacing all my
usual doom scrolling time – I have never read or knitted so much in my life!
To my surprise I had no problem filling my days – one major challenge however, staying clean=and smelling fresh. My one and only hair wash of the week was one of the higher maintenance washes of my life, involving a team, lots of running back and forth to refill a bucket and some serious brain freeze by rinsing it all off in an ice filled stream.
From starting the week in Refugio, counting down the hours until I returned to civilisation to ending the week desperate for more time, was not where I saw this going. I never could have imagined how stepping out of my comfort zone could teach me about myself but also be so much fun. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to join this expedition and can’t wait for the many more adventures I will have because of this.
