The truckers are back.
After a harrowing journey through the narrow highways of the Himalayas, the truckers will take on the deadly terrain of Bolivia and Peru in the second series, IRT Deadliest Roads: The Andes.
Here, the team manoeuvres their vehicles at an altitude of 15,000 feet, as they get past thin ribbons of road and the legendary turn called Dead Nun’s Corner.
We caught up with Lisa Kelly, 31-the only female truck driver to complete the previous season — who Esquire magazine named the ‘Sexiest Trucker Alive’ a couple of years ago.
Tasting freedom
For the Alaskan driver, the Himalayas was a challenge worth taking.
“It was definitely tough as there was too much traffic and the roads were far more narrower.
Then there was the language barrier,” explains Kelly, adding that she had a tough time navigating through the mobs as they were awestruck by a woman driving a truck.
“But it was kind of fun to do what you want as there are more rules in the States,” confesses the professional truck driver.
Peru diaries
There were some scary moments too.
“In the Freefall highway in India, an accident had taken place.
I was asking the camera crew how many times I would have to drive through it because I couldn’t take it anymore,” she shares, adding that driving through Peru and Bolivia was equally difficult.
Kelly says, “We had a hardtime breathing while moving our trucks.
A couple of us even got sick.”
Trucks rule
Kelly is happiest manning her truck, even when compared to driving her car.
“I spend more time in it than anything else.
Moreover, you have options like lockers which lock all dry tyres together,” says Kelly, who believes it is her physique that helps her fit in places where her co-drivers couldn’t.
“If something needs to be fixed, I can get underneath a low trailer and fix it,” she says, adding that the ‘daredevil’ tag fits better than ‘sexy’ driver.
Danger calling
“I like racing motorbikes in the weekends and skydiving.
I am also learning to fly an aeroplane,” says the adventure junkie who is also planning to visit Antarctica.
Kelly wants to try out truck racing as well.
“I did a little bit of that last summer, and it was fun.
I am also training my horses to pull wagons,” says the driver, who incidentally, does not even own a TV.
IRT Deadliest Roads: The Andes airs Fridays on History at 9 pm.