Marking the 20th anniversary of the 'Babulj' Mountaineering Club, a lecture titled 'Bolivia Expedition: Ascent of Huayna Potosí' was held on Wednesday evening at the local community centre. Martin Turković shared his experiences from the South American adventure with the audience over the course of more than an hour.
Turković had promised to undertake an expedition in celebration of the club's anniversary, and the choice fell upon Bolivia and Huayna Potosí. 'I did not plan to go alone, but I promised to undertake an expedition for the 20th anniversary of the Mountaineering Club,' he said. He added that his brother and friends had intended to join, but due to life circumstances and unforeseen difficulties, they were unable to participate. 'This is my second time in South America,' said Turković, who had previously visited Peru, where he had climbed Mount Hualca Hualca, a peak approximately 5,600 metres high.
During his stay in Bolivia, Turković found himself in the midst of major protests. Shortages of fuel, medicine, and food, coupled with political unrest, led to blockades of roads and towns. At the high-altitude camp, situated at approximately 5,300 metres, he met a climber named Santos, who was also preparing for the ascent, and the two decided to proceed together.
Speaking about the ascent, Turković noted: 'I would not say conquering, because peaks are not conquered, but climbed.' He recalled the local people's perspective, noting that they refer to Americans as 'gringos'. For the locals, he said, the name Croatia is largely known, but when he mentions Luka Modrić, they immediately understand that it is Croatia.
The ascent of Huayna Pósi brought Turković a new personal altitude record – for the first time, he crossed the 6,000-metre threshold.
