RTE sends Irish stars to conquer 'Death Road' in Bolivia
Camogie star Ashling Thompson and Paralympic gold medallist Ellen Keane are set to take on some of the world's 'worst and most dangerous terrain' in this week's Uncharted with Ray Goggins.
On this Wednesday night's RTE One show, the athletic pair travel to Bolivia to the start of the fabled 'Death Road' to meet Ray Goggins.
This hair-raising descent of the world's most dangerous road is just the start of an incredible seven-day challenge, trekking close to 100km through the dense cloud forest of Bolivia.
The trio will have to negotiate raging rivers, punishing terrain and wild jungle as they climb ever higher into the Andean mountains.
As the trio climb higher into the mountains, the altitude starts to affect them all.
On meeting Ashling and Ellen in Bolivia, Ray warns: "We are going to negotiate some of the worst and most dangerous terrain on the planet - it's going to be hardcore, you are going to be at altitude so it's not going to be for the faint hearted. It will be hellish at times.'
Crossing a makeshift wire bridge over a fast flowing river, Ellen says: "I had to figure out how to get across a little differently to everyone else.
'Ray was not offering help too soon which was really reassuring to me because it meant that he believed I could do it.
"When you are a person with a disability, everyone always expects you not to be able to do something or to always need help, and I don't like that narrative.
'I can do anything that Ashling does, I just have to do it a little differently. I think that's a really important lesson for people to learn that it doesn't matter how something is done, as long as it is done at the end of the day, that's the most important thing."
Opening up around the campfire three nights into the trip, Ray questions Ashling about her anxiety.
She said: "I was constantly tipping away with the camogie but I had a fairly bad car accident and camogie was the thing that always kept my feet on the ground....when that was taken away, I completely lost control of my life."
Ashling added that camogie later saved her.
"Something clicked in my head...eventually I got called back up to the Cork squad and all of a sudden, my life completely changed."
The pair form a strong bond throughout the trip, with Ellen telling Ashling: "I actually don't know what I would do without you, I'm glad that we are here together"
Ashling on Ellen as the expedition intensifies: "The resilience she shows, nothing can stop her, anything is possible when it comes to Ellen Keane and I love it"
On the fifth day the majestic peak of Huayna Potosi is revealed. This is the final, most brutal of challenge of them all.
In two days, the group will need to traverse sheer ice walls, snow fields and mountain glaciers as they to attempt to summit the 6088 metre peak. It will be the toughest test of their lives.
Uncharted with Ray Goggins: RTÉ One | RTÉ Player Wednesday, May 28th 9.35pm.
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