26.10., 27.10., 28.10.Caraz – Huanuco – Huancayo, 750km
Although, I’m better prepared than last time – I got everything ready, socks, T-shirts, face mask – it was cold and shitty anyway.
About half of the route, for example Cerro de Pasco to Junin and further on, is on a huge plateau at a height of between 4,000 to 4,400m. It rains and the wind is blowing cold. It is a horror to drive in these conditions. It is the rainy season in the mountains, which lasts from October to March, six months of rain, six months of sun, as I was told.
In Huanuco I went to a bakery in the evening. I wanted to buy a few things. I showed with my fingers that I wanted to have 2 pieces of pastry. The lady behind the counter started to put some pieces in a plastic bag. I show again: 2.
She: “Si, 2 Soles.”
I: “No, 2 pcs.”
“Si, 2 Soles”.
I stopped arguing and watched her putting more pieces in the bag. For 2 Soles, that’s about 0.6 EUR cents, I got 20 pieces of small round pastries. So, breakfast is saved for the next few days. Since then, I always ask for the price and how many pieces it would be, when I buy pastries.
The road to Hunancayo is a real disaster. It is littered with potholes, sometimes it only consists of gravel. I drive through villages whose roads consist only of earth .. muddy, soaked by the rain. I can hardly keep up cleaning the visor with a piece of cloth. It’s drizzling lightly. The, otherwise dusty, roads transformed into dirt muddy roads.
On the last 100km, the road is a single track again in steep mountains, interrupted with dips where the water is running downhill. I drive with not more than 25 kph.
Even the street mutts are dumber in Peru. More dogs are chasing me than in other countries. Sometimes they run right in front of the motorcycle. You have to take care that you don’t run over them. Some of them are chasing cars too. The result can be seen, when they are lying smashed on the street. Sometimes I go slower, so that they do not catch me but just let them chase me for a while.
I reached Huancayo completely dirty, tired and exhausted. I don’t feel good and have a light fever. The next morning I check in for a second night and stay in bed. I can’t even eat.
Eating out is a bit different. They bring the food, as soon as it is cooked, to your table. Sometimes the main course was on the table before the soup. I would not recommend beef. I ordered it twice and was disappointed twice, it was like leather. Maybe I just had bad luck.
In Huancayo there it was, the moment where I thought: Why? The moment when you want to put your bike in a corner for a week and not even look at it.
29.10. , 30.10.
I feel better again.
When leaving the hostel, Hostel Samwy, by the way, a very, very nice family, the woman warned me of corrupt police. Until now I can not confirm that. It was quite the opposite. I was stopped a couple of times, and so far the Peruvian police is the friendliest of all countries I crossed. On the second day or so, I got stopped and they told me to drive slowly, because radar guns might be used on the road further on, or telling me about other motorcycle travelers passing by.
Police here can be easily recognized. Even from afar you can see them. They stand in white Nissan SUV, either an open or closed rear, crossways to the road.
I’m fed up with the mountains and drive back towards the coast. For today I planned only a short tour of about 250 km. This could mean 5-6 hours of driving on these often winding one-lane mountain roads.
The weather god is well-disposed towards me. It remains sunny. Today I wore 3 T-shirts, in addition to long johns and my cap under the helmet. The ride is bearable in the sunny weather. First I have to go up to more than 4,700m.
Then the road leads along the Rio Canete. The further I get down the valley, the warmer it gets. I enjoy the ride and the scenery. Halfway a bridge is repaired. I have to cross the river. The river is wide, the water runs strong. I’m going through. It is deep. The water reached almost to my knees. I’m almost on the shore .. almost. I fell into the cold water. Two workers approach quickly and help to lift the bike and move it up to the street. My panniers are leaking a little bit from falling a few times.
A little further down the street I stop and have a break. I spread my wet clothes and stuff at the side of the street. They dry quickly in the bright sun.
In Lunahuaná I checked in for 2 nights. I need a day off to rest my tired bones.
The next morning one or two of the other guests must have looked at and tried to lift my bike. The alarm goes off. I do not know who it was. When I got out, they were already gone.
My bike got cleaned from the dirt of the past few weeks. It had to be done again. A smaller older guy did the work. Whenever he pushed the bike a little bit, I jumped out of the chair, because I was scared he would fall, getting buried under the bike.
I cleaned the motorcycle clothing at least a little bit and performed some minor maintenance as well.
Then I jump in the pool. I did not expect that I would need bathing trousers in Peru. It’s a great relaxing day.
During a walk through the village, I passed a hairdresser and I jumped in. It was a small simple hut, a chair for adults and one for children. On the mirror is a sticker, I translate it like: “This is a catholic house. We are not interested in information from protestants or other sects.”
The woman is working in the classic style. Comb and scissors are the only tools. She is looking a bit grim all the time. After finishing she wanted 4 Soles / 1.1 EUR for the haircut. When I gave her 5 Soles, she started smiling all over her face.
31.10. , 01.11.
I’m back on the Panamericana traveling south. The landscape is still the same. The Pan-American Highway is close to the coast, a long dirty band which runs through a desert landscape and less attractive towns and villages and you are constantly fighting against the wind.
After Ica, more inlands, it becomes more beautiful, the distances between settlements are larger. The desert has more appeal, and it is not dirty along the road. Often you drive in an inclined position there. It’s always a small challenge when you overtake a truck. For a moment it is windless, just before the wind hits you again with full strength again.
After the winding roads of the last days it’s almost relaxing to drive just straight ahead for a while. With good music, you can even let your mind wander.
There are small trees planted on the side of the road, which are tied with ropes, so they are not blown down by the wind. They look like barren creatures who try to reach for something with their branches.I passed some cyclists on the road. At sea level in the desert and in the mountains at about 3,500 meters. Fully loaded they kick into their pedals.
Maria Reiche can be seen everywhere in Nazca, maybe the glory vanished a bit.
Today is Halloween. When I went out in the evening to have dinner, I could hardly believe my eyes. Parents, let’s say, the mothers, are running with their dressed children through the streets. Clusters of people form, where a business is offering candy. The streets are packed with people.
As it is hard to see the large Nazca lines from the ground, I go into the air.
Can some of the ladies please explain to me, why you need a whole bag with hygienic stuff on a half hour scenic flight in a small plane? And then she started to get angry, because they took away liquids at the security check.
Thank you for reading, Jürgen.