Breakfast overlooking the pool
I left the hotel under cloudy skies and good weather for travelling. Once out of the confines of my cosseted environment, I was immediately hit by the other Peru. The squalor and poverty. As one leaves the city you are greeted by an array of garbage that is scattered along the side of the road for mile after mile. Obviously it is the plastic that mainly remains. Immediately upon leaving the city the landscape was desert, with a few scrublike bushes here and there.
The road was well surfaced and for 90 miles I had no turns or twists in the road, it was fast but a little dull. I was able to look at the stark landscape and and watch the string of settlements along the road. God know how they live, as nothing can grow here and there is no industry or even tourist trade. Below is a shot of a dwelling with a few ponies and small animal
Along the 90 mile stretch of road I spotted a small wild cat, a stork and numerous vultures living off the waste scattered along the road. After the 90 miles I hit civilization in a large town called Chiclayo, which really is an oasis in the desert.
I have not figured out the reason for this large town in the wilderness, but the buidings indicate it has been here for some time. After fighting my way through the noisy and aggressive traffic of Chiclayo I was out on the open road again and even more desert, it could easily pass for North Africa or Saudi Arabia. Flat as a pancake except for the sand dunes (sorry no picture of these). The main hindrance today was the strong wind, with no shelter it was pushing my bike sideways and blowing sand across me and the road.
I felt pleased that I had plenty of fuel with me as I went 120 miles between filling stations. I was also praying that I didn't puncture as the environment would have been inhospitable to change a tyre in.
By 3.30pm I reached the City of Trujillo, whic is large and busy. The drivers are truly aggressive as the stubbornly refuse to yield and will seek to push you out of their way. They seem to think that hitting their horn is sufficient warning that they intend to cut you up. I'm like a man possesed screaming at them in a language they do not undrstand. I found the hotel after 20 minutes or so, and very nice it is too.
Tomorrow a very long day, to the outskirts of Lima (320 miles) and not a clue what the road or the terrain is like. If anything like today it will be at least 7 hours of riding.
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