We ve had an interesting few days, remote off roading in the andes! Before that though we met a couple push biking from the states through SA they had done 9 months with another 6 to go! looked seriously hard work in the mountains! We stayed in Vilcabamba a small town that attracts a lot of backpackers and hippies as it apparently holds the secret to a long, healthy life, there is something in the water in the 'valley of longevity' we ll wait and see! We ended up in the hostal from hell with drains that started stinking from the bathroom in the night and every dog in the town barked all night! Heading south to the border we decided to take a less used route towards a more remote border crossing. It led us off road through a stunning conservation area where we stayed in Zumba, the lever protectors had to come off the bikes to squeeze them down an alleyway into a yard but at least they were safe. Really struggling to find veggie food even rice and beans have vanished in favour for chicken and chips which is all there seems to be. Everyone everywhere wearing hats a bit like bowler hats. Hoping the petrol station has a delivery in the morning! Still a lot of poverty, seems to be everywhere from little remote villages to huge cities with slum outskirts. I struggle with the injured, sick and dead dogs and animals, I just have to remember its a totally different way of life.
Make it to the remote Peru border crossing. Pretty straight forward you get a stamp out at one end of the bridge and a stamp in and bike paperwork at the other end. Currency now sols, petrol expensive again but every thing else ok. Stay in San Ignacio, mad front end motorbike and rear end like a carriage taxis everywhere! Feel a tourist here we get huge crowds around the bikes and stared at a lot, dont think they see many blondes here! Getting used to the dogs chasing the bikes, some of them you can tell their gonna go for it while others hide and jump out on you! Living on biscuits, only chicken everywhere!
Wednesday 24th november. Spot a more serious off road section on the map around a national park and decide to give it a try. While trying to find somewhere to camp we meet a local chap on a bike 2 up. He says to follow him not far to a camping spot. The next few miles were the most serious Ive ridden off road with all the luggage on the DRZ ever, hard work! Eventually we arrive at a small village in the middle of know where, apparently we were on the wrong road. Javier is the chap and he invites us to stay with him, his wife and daughter in their house, he had built it out of the local mud bricks. We meet most the village and his family. We feel a bit wary when its nearly dark and he insists on taking us for a walk in the hills but its only to show us his veg plot and seedlings! They have electric but its off more than on so we eat in his little kitchen by candle light, best ive eaten in a while, rice, potato and cheese, tim not so sure about the meat though! Such kind people, we sleep on a straw matteress on their daughters bedroom floor. We give him some petrol for his bike and a little money for food, although it took a while for him to take it. More serious off road, my arms ache now, but find the right road. Roads slightly improve and I have my first tumble on a sandy bend, the roads are really twisty and up and down with sand and gravel on the bends. The locals hats have got much bigger! Stay in another odd town and drink some strange local spirit with the local old blokes.
Decide to head towards the coast for some proper food. The road is horrid, loose gravel, sand and twisty. Road works hold us up but tim manages to get the bikes around them, just! Thinking we would make it on these slow roads to the next town before dark, more road works, they just shut the one and only road for a couple of hours! Make it in the dark to Chongoypae, very odd place. Park the bikes in a chicken restaurant and end up with donuts for tea as the local fairs in town.
Back on the tarmac riding through proper 'mad max' landscape, totally barren with lots of rubbish and people living in it, bizzare! Stop in Huanchaco on the coast, nice seaside town, bit touristy and more expensive but food fab, really good fish so making the most of it! My bikes playing up a bit when starting, so spending a couple of nights to sort it and take in the local old city arcitechure in Trujillo and some ruins of mud pyramids and temples. Will try and sort photos soon!