After two hours on the Death Road, we pulled into Coroico, once a gold-mining hub, now a languid resort town. Wedged into an emerald-green slope, it has a balmy climate and panoramic views of undulating hills, along with good-value places to eat, drink and sleep. Coroico is a difficult place to leave, but after spending a day recovering from the nerve-wracking journey, I headed into the surrounding countryside to learn more about how the region has helped to shape modern Bolivia.