Tails from deepest darkest Perú

We had an easy modern border crossing from Ecuador to Peru. It was very modernised on both sides , friendly police / army, always keen to ask about the motorcycles , "Dinero? Dinero ? " they ask. I always try and keep the figure down so as to appear not to be riding something that’s worth more than their parents house. Second hand Harley, maybe siete mil dollars (seven thousand USD) about £5,400. In reality it’s an old, nearly knackered motorcycle so I suppose that’s about right but both bikes are obviously something they don’t see every day, let alone a girl on such a big motorcycle, so there’s always lots of attention. An hour and a half after arriving at the Ecuador  exit border we are set lose into Peru, our 13th country after leaving the UK (13th,huh unlucky for some ). Now let me just take you back, way back and we are sat around a table in Mexico with James & Anna, a couple we’d met a while before ,this was our second get together and we’re all eating fish & chips ( yes I know English style as well). We’ve limes in our beer as well except Jyl and the general chitchat brings up Perú . These two motorcycle travellers have already ridden South America and are heading North so the conversation gets on to Peruvian drivers and we learn that in all their travels  (and they have been about ), they feel the Peruvians are the worst drivers.

So with this in the back of our minds we head into are third South American country.

It doesn’t take long to realise James & Anna could be right, the first town or built up area we pass through turns to total anarchy  and general madness but maybe it’s not all that bad . I personally have ridden Albania, just after it opened up to us Westerners and gone deep into Russia including Moscow, maybe James and Anna had got it wrong?  Then the next town the road turns into a construction site, or is totally non-existent the closer to the centre you get and the realisation starts to sink in ,Peru  is gunner be an interesting ride.

Drivers have absolutely no tolerance for any one it could be a dog in the road or a pregnant mother with 4 kids and a donkey trying to cross the road or even two gringos on motorcycles, the Peruvians will show no mercy ,they will not give way or let you pass.I filmed a crossroad or four way junction in a busy town (I’m sure it’ll appear on YouTube shortly). It was so entertaining and a pretty little traffic official just stood there ,whistle in her mouth, watching the madness
So we’re not to deterred yet, it could be worse. I think back to my first ride through Albania, roads in some cases  were also none existent but you had to get involved, drive like they do a little bit of aggressions seemed to work there .Here in Peru ( and obviously the bigger the city the worse they get), they’ll pass you within an inch of your handle bar and push you of the road to stop behind the car that you were behind and they’ll then sit at the red light for as long as they take to change .It’s not really an issue bad drivers are all part of the adventure we adapt and survive (or try to ) but there’s more to the Peruvian people than that ,to me they seem a lot blunter than any we have come across even walking down a pavement can be dangerous. The people old or young have no concept of "excuse me" or "after you", they just walk and even a six foot five English man is politely stepping of the side walk for old ladies and drunken fools is only putting his life at risk as he dives back on the side walk to avoid the cars, lorries and scooters that can only sound their horn and hope you move ,rather than give you an inch.
 

Bad driver’s , aggressive street walkers, whatever!! We have to get on, Perú is a country with lots on offer for us and we will do our best to visit the unusual, the slightly extreme, sometimes total odd and sometimes the off the tourist trail places . It’s one of these place we are heading for when we find ourselves riding an absolutely mind blowing road ,almost traffic free ,single track and in beautiful mountains .We climb up, we descend, we climb up again . "It’s fantastic " I said to Jyl as we stopped to take pictures and videos of the beautiful scenery .This could turn out to be an all-time classic ride! It reminded me (as we started climbing yet another set of hairpin bends ), of a little road in Montenegro that I’d been on twice now, once with Jyl. The R1 from Trojica to Bukouica, an old road ,single track now bypassed by tunnels and it just climbs the side of a mountain.A truly wonderful ride. So here we are in Peru , on a road that seems 10 times better .Then after a brief drink stop ,cough ,splutter ,cough, splutter ,the best Harley conks out in the middle of nowhere we already knew we would be late arriving in our pre- booked hostel but now it’s possible we wouldn’t arrive at all. Fuel issue ,dirty tank ,fuel system cleaner added and eventually after much coughing and sputtering it cleared and we carry on still climbing and descending on this don’t look down road. I was a truly amazing road .We summited on the 08b at 32000m late in the afternoon and  we both knew then that we would be out riding well after dark. Eventually we got out of the mountains but still a long away to go as dusk turned to dark but it seemed ok we both agreed to carry on there was nowhere to stop anyway. The road was good  though snaking along the side of a river valley we witnessed mountain side fires in the pitch black of knight and the stars were out. Our destination slowly came closer. All we had to do was take it easy . Then as if by magic and only approximately 15 miles from our destinations the road turned to our worst nightmare ,construction ,deep gravel ruts , bike busting bumps and potholes , single track steep drop offs and where did all this traffic come from all of a sudden , buses,  lorries , crazy fast drivers. I wouldn’t have been a good place to be even in the daytime let alone in the pitch dark.

 

Then it all went pear -shaped with oncoming traffic,  cars behind and a bad section of deep gravel. I heard Jyl go down behind me what followed scared me the most .She was under her bike and screaming like it hurt. It’s not good I thought to myself as got off to return to help her !! Now there’s always a point to these long and sometimes pointless ramblings of mine and here we are at last. Jyl was down and in pain no more than three meters behind me. By the time I’d got my stand down off the bike and  back to her there where three Peruvians around her  keen to help. Between us we got the bike of her and in her own  time we all helped her up but it was pretty obvious she wouldn’t be completing the 10 miles or so ‘to the hostel. It has to be said, we were in a bit of a predicament. Before it could be decided what was the best thing  to do the young lad that was one of the three people in the pickup directly behind Jyl's mishap had offered to ride her bike to our hostel while the driver of the pickup was more than happy to deliver the wounded Jyl to the hostel . One of the many things that went through my mind as we raced through the night on the final section of this incredible ride was maybe I’m wrong about these people. An amazing ride comes to an end. You could see the excitement on the young lads face. I’m sure it was his first ever and maybe even his last ever ride on a Harley but for sure it wasn’t his first ride on a motorcycle, he handled Jyl's fully loaded Sportster very well. A proper late night commotion outside the hostel, two loud motorcycles and a pickup pull up and are knocking on the door .The shocked owners didn’t really know what hit them. As soon as they open the door Jyl crawled in and planted herself on the reception floor with her back against the counter. Otto & Ingrid take over with the help of the young girl from the pickup who explains the situation . Plans to go to the hospital were considered but it was late so a ground floor room is decided on. As Otto disappeared into the night we get the injured Jyl onto the bed and her leg up ‘ at this stage we are both hopeful that it’s just a sprained ankle. Otto returns with a bag of ice and Ingrid with some pain killers. Phew that day's over. It must have been nearly 1 am by the time we got to settle down. Let’s hope she can move in the morning. The answer was no .Otto made arrangements for a taxi to the hospital so keen to help, he came with us to the hospital and took care of all the administration and hospital bills telling us not to worry he’ll put it all on our final bill .Wow talk about kind and helpful. We stayed here for  10 days in the end . Jyl received VIP treatment, breakfast in bed ,healthy meals delivered to her by Ingrid , the maids'  good company and  Netflix  while I was  of doing the tourist things. We  couldn’t have asked for a better place to be. 45 days in a lower leg plaster cast, a broken ankle, well that’s going to change the plans somewhat .We decide our best option is to move to Lima , then at least we can get some much needed service items done  on the motorcycles while we wait. There’s a good chance parts may need to be ordered and these could take up to 45 days.

 

.Otto is on the phone again Jyl's been all over the internet we’re looking for transport ,van  rentals ,any which way we can ,even flying ourselves to Lima is a possibility but we’re both not too keen to part company with our bikes and gear. Otto realised this and kept on the case .Eventually after days of phone calls Otto came to the room and asked me to come with him outside was a tourist van I think maybe a 16 seat minibus I was doubtful but the driver is insisting that he is prepared to remove the seats and two motorcycles can be transported to Lima along with the cripple and myself .It’s just what we want ,a price is agreed and a date set a day before our departure date the driver is back with a collegue and a different van .No worries ,they’ve come to check the bikes sizes etc and then disappear to remove the seats. They returned in the morning, the van disassembled and an extra driver they plan to drive the 22hr trip to Lima non- stop. They left the row of four seats just behind the driver in for Jyl to lay on and filled the leg space up with our bags then they put a mattress over the seats and bags for Jyl to lie on .Not only had they gone out their  way to make space for the bikes they’d really put some thought and consideration into it for Jyl's comfort .We left at 9am and arrived in Lima for breakfast  the next day.Thanks to two wonderful lads who worked hard to get us there .So my first impression I’ve had to  reconsider  after dealing with such resourceful and helpful people I’m definitely warming to the Peruvians although there driving manners do need to improve.

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So we are currently living in Lima until we can get back on the road .I’s an inconvenience and our heads were down for a while but there has been no talk of giving up or returning home we both still have a desire to complete this trip .

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Like a single drop of rain

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