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**saralou** · #**286** 5 Dec 2013

Great we will email you when we arrive. Sara

**saralou** · #**287** 5 Dec 2013

Last night we had a short sail to the nearby Rabina with its red sand beach.

We went to the bridge for a visit to the captain and a chance to steer the boat.

This afternoon’s walk was to see the huge land iguanas and flamingos here.

For the last island we sailed to Santa Cruz last night. Here we visited the Darwin Research center and its turtle and land iguana-breeding center.

**saralou** · #**288** 5 Dec 2013

Then we had time to walk in the village and see the fish market in action.

This afternoon we drove across the island to see Giant turtles in the wild. On the way we stopped at a huge lava tunnel.

For our last evening we went into town to a street crowded with tables and open-air restaurants. Here we had a huge table reserved for us. We had a choice of either Langouste or grilled fish for dinner. Daniel and Joao went to the supermercado for a bottle of vino tinto.

**saralou** · #**289** 5 Dec 2013

Then we sadly said goodbye to our gang as we all parted ways in Guayaquil and Quito. We checked back into our home in Quito the Casa Helbling again. The next day we picked up the parts for Lulu from Rick’s Motorsport Electric that Tim and Glenda had kindly delivered. Daniel replaced my stator and got Lulu running again.

The best news of the day was that our friend Orvar (kingdom of Sweden) who we met and travelled with in Guatemala and El Salvador arrived at the “Helbling” today too. We had to take him to our favorite restaurant Uncle Ho’s.

Finally and for the third time we headed out of Quito. There was an amazing view of Cotopaxi on the way south.

We opted to go the entire 450 km and 7 hours to Santa Ana de los cuatro ríos de Cuenca, or just Cuenca. There are thousands of “North American economic refugees” who now call it home.

We spent one night in the Southern district of Baños de Cuenca in the home that is now a hotel of the original family that discovered the hot spring source. The next day we relaxed in the hot springs and volcanic mud. Well deserved after a long ride on the Pan Americana. Then we moved for a night in the historic center of this very nice colonial town.

We met this Ecuadorian touring his own country in the main square.

Well we have 20 days to be in Santiago and 5500 km to go, so we must leave beautiful Ecuador. Today was the 354 km ride to the surf town of Mancora Peru. With the border crossing this takes about 7 hours.

The southern part of Ecuador is barren until near the coast where the rice fields and banana plantations abound. It was cloudy and threatened to rain all day. It did not, but the irrigation sprinklers that were hosing the highway did douse us.

A common site here in the south is to see them cooking whole pigs with a blowtorch. They slice off pieces as it us ready.

**saralou** · #**290** 5 Dec 2013

About 15 km from the border there is an ecological reserve. Where it ends at 5 km from the border you will see a 3 story white building of the Transit authority on your left.

Just after this the highway is divided and becomes 4 lanes. Before the division turn left and go to the 2 story yellow building, which is the Ecuador aduana. Here they will ask for your permit, driver’s license, and passport. They will stamp your permit and return it and take photos of your plate, bike, and VIN.

Next continue on the 4-lane highway to the frontera. Pass the Salida de Pais and Welcome to Peru signs.

You will eventually come upon the new border complex. This is a new concept in Latin America where they have the entry and exit procedures together in fancy new digs. Enter on the left of the first building. There are also no touts, “helpers”, or sketchy people hanging around here, but many guards who will gladly direct you where to go and in what order. The guard at the entry will ask you if you stopped at the aduana to cancel your permit and then direct you on past the first crosswalk (where you will come at the end to get your Peru permit).

Keep going and park on the left side in the stalls between the second and third painted crosswalks. Crossing the third crosswalk (seriously the guards get mad if you don’t) will take you directly to the migration office with the tables and chairs outside. Go in and go to the front of the Salida Ecuador line and ask for tourist papers. Go out and fill these in and then get in the Salida line with them and your passport for an exit stamp. Then they will direct you to the desks at the left with the second paper where they check in the computer? to see if you have been bad or good? Then in the same room go to the far right to the Entrada Peru for an entry stamp. Now walk back to the first crosswalk past the very new clean banos to the Aduana. Here they want your original title, passport, and Driver’s license and get this NO COPIES OF ANYTHING! They want the value of your bike and you sign a paper that states you owe them X amount if you do not cancel your permit. Another novel concept is the SOAT kiosk is in the same room. You can buy it in Sole or USD (31). We made it out of Ecuador and into Peru in under 90 minutes for country number 13!

**saralou** · #**291** 5 Dec 2013

We were a bit surprised by the barren landscape, but not by, as we had heard all the garbage everywhere.

We were headed to the surf town of Mancora mostly because it was a good stopping distance and not the place itself. It is a crappy beach town full of touts and drug dealers. We did however meet up with 3 of the people from our Galapagos cruise for a small reunion. Unfortunately Rita had been robbed at gunpoint the night before and lost all her money and passport! So far not so good for our opinion of Peru.

We did however get a nice place to stay with very friendly staff that was very interested in our trip. They also warned us as we had heard from others that the police here are very corrupt. Now I’m really feeling great.

That said we passed by a number of police on the first 2 days here and no issues. We also passed a few riders headed north.

Arriving after 400 km to just outside of Chiclayo we found a hotel run by an Englishman and his Peruvian wife.

This town however looks like you are in a mad max film. There are falling down brick buildings, wires everywhere, and garbage. It is basically then sand from here for 2000 km.

This guy was transporting buckets of raw chicken in his wagon.

Despite rumours we did not encounter “bad gas” here.

**saralou** · #**292** 5 Dec 2013

We are on a mission, but decided on a shorter 200 day today so we could visit the ruins near Trujillo.

We were stopped at a police check at one of the nonfunctioning tollbooths, but he had a trainee and so he really just wanted to show the guy what temporary import permits for bikes looked like.

We stopped for lunch in the first decent town we have seen in this country on the beach at Huanchaco for some ceviche. Then we headed to town and our hotel.

We were interested to visit the Moche ruins at La Huaca del Sol y Luna. This site has been excavated for the last 25 years from what looked like a big pile of dirt. It is the ruins of the capital city of the Moche culture and was occupied from 100 to 800 AD. There is only excavation here and no restoration; so all the murals are original colors. There is also a nice museum full of artifacts.

The ruins are an adobe brick stacked at right angles and in sections, which experts believe was a way to combat the frequent earth tremors. It was abandoned when the masses lost faith in their religious leaders who could not combat the destruction by the frequent el Nino phenomenon with their human sacrifices.

The town itself is very nice with a bright yellow church and polished concrete on the square.

**saralou** · #**293** 5 Dec 2013

Today we had another 415 km ride thru sand and at times very strong winds. The idea was to get up and leave at 5 am to drive the 150 km to Lima so we could get to the city on the Pan Americana by 7 am when it will not be grid lock.

We did leave at 545 with the sun rising as we headed south.

There were areas that were so foggy I could not see Daniel who was just ahead of me on the road.

We arrived on the outskirts of Lima at 715 and we left the other side about 90 minutes later. I would hate to try this at rush hour. In general the drivers in Peru are not too bad the taxi drivers especially in the north are very aggressive. If stopped behind you at a light they will go right drive on the shoulder and then try to cut in front of you. The worst part is that they will then pull over 50 feet ahead and let out their fare.

There was still just more sand south of Lima, but at least some hills as well for a change of scene. We were stopped at a police check today and all we got was a handshake, a where are you from, and a welcome to Peru. Oh he also said never drive at night in Peru and be very careful on the way to Nazca because of the strong winds. The sand at times was blasting us a bit, but luckily not for long.

We stopped for lunch at Pisco and wondered if a typhoon had hit the beach the town was such a mess. That forced us to decide to press on just over 600 km to Nazca. We stopped at “the Lines”, but did not bother with the tower as you really can’t see much from there and the flights are too expensive at 110$ each for 30 min.

We spent the night in the swiss hotel here and got off to another early start for the 400 km to Camana.

Filling up with gas we added our sticker to their collection.

We stopped to lube the chain and have a stretch.

The first 80 km out of Nazca were very windy as well, but after that the road moved onto the coast where there was almost no wind and the first nice scenery we have seen in 5 days.

We arrived in Camana and asked for a hotel and we were directed to the Hotel Plaza de Armes, by which they mean the hotel on the main square and not the name of the hotel. I have a thing for apple pies and this one was very good.

Dan is considering trading the bikes in for this guy.

No big surprise another day of sand and wind on the 460 km to get to Tacna.

This is actually quite a nice city with a good vibe finally.

**saralou** · #**294** 9 Dec 2013

The next morning we heard there was a strike of the civil servants in Chile, not what you want to hear on the day you plan to cross the border to Chile. We drove the 20 km to the border area.

First you arrive at the Peru immigration building and pull in and park in the lot.

At the front of the building there is a small door to the right into the migration office, but first go to the door just to the left. There is a desk there where the guard will have you fill in your information in a ledger and then give you a triplicate form to fill in for cancelling your permit. You take this, your passport, and the tourist paper you got when you entered the country to the officers inside the first door (past the x-ray machine). Here they will stamp your passport and the triplicate form.

Go back out and move the bike (not sure why) past the booths and park on the road at the side of the building.

Enter the door marked CIT and get your permit cancelled. They want your permit, passport, drivers’ license and the triplicate form. They will enter this in the computer and hand you one of the forms.

We met this cool German Girl Anni who is living in Peru, but is on a 3- month ride to Ushuaia.

Now drive to the Chile side.

Pass the booth to the left and park ahead to the right.

This is where our 320 km day starts to go south. First we arrived at the border at 845, but in Chile its 1045! The first thing is easy you go to the migration window to get an entry stamp. They also give you a declaration to sign saying you have no food or fruit or large sums of cash, but no one ever looked at ours. Next there was a massive line for the Aduana for luggage check. All luggage is x-rayed. This took 2 hours. During this time they told us to move the bikes to the back of the car line which really made no sense, since we are standing in the Aduana line. They finally agreed to let us park them at the front.

When we got to the front of the line they let us move the bikes there and we were told we had to unload everything. This is a joke really, because when they asked what was in the bag I had forgotten in the bottom of my pannier and I said bike parts they said OK and didn’t even look.

Finally they lifted the gate and we moved to the aduana for vehicles. This is a very quick procedure. You fill out all your own info on a carbon form and they stamp it and give you a copy. Now proceed to the exit gate and show your form. 4 hours total!

Finally headed south in Chile.

There was you guessed it more sand and some wind, but there was a couple of cool canyons.

We unfortunately had 2 30 min road closures on the Highway and so we were racing the sunset at 8 pm Chile time to get to Pozo Almonte. The last 50 km with the sun setting and the wind howling the temperature dropped to a nippy 9 degrees. We arrived just at dark with some gas left still, but no Pesos and very empty stomachs. At the gas bar there was an ATM that luckily worked with our card. The attendant suggested the Hostal near by where for 50$ you get a small simple dorm room with a bathroom. The best was the secure parking lot.

**saralou** · #**295** 9 Dec 2013

In the morning we headed the 435 km to San Pedro de Atacama.

On the way there is an aduana stop and no gas at about 165 km from Pozo. Here you have to go in with you permit to get it stamped (we are not sure why) before you can proceed south. The next gas station from here is in Calama in 150 km, and this is why there was such a huge line up for gas when we got there.

Then we headed out into the Atacama Desert and had spectacular view of the valley of the moon and the volcanoes as we drove into this adobe oasis at San Pedro. We arrived about 330 and it was still getting hotter. This town is almost only hotels, tour offices, and restaurants.

The original church was built here in the early 16 th century.

Funny enough after a tour of the town we see Anni checking into the hostal 200 m from ours. She joined us for a tour of the desert the next day where we visited the oasis at Vally Jere.

We then the Lagunas Chaxi (with the flamingos from a distance because the entry was 5$ each) and Cejar (of which you will not see a photo, because it was 4$ each just to take a picture) out in the middle of the Solar de Atacma.

**saralou** · #**296** 9 Dec 2013

Dan’s bike was having issues starting, but we thought it was just sand in the starter. This evening we went to the Valley of the moon for some very lunar landscape and an amazing sunset.

The colors were amazing this is how it looked.

The plan for today was get up at 330 am and drive the 100 km or 2 hours to the huge geyser field. Well we did get up at but at 4 am when we tried to leave Dan’s bike would not start. UGH! Back to bed to sort of sleep. Luckily we have a GS911 and it quickly diagnosed a problem with the clutch actuator switch. He cleaned it out and fixed the problem.

**saralou** · #**297** 9 Dec 2013

We retraced our route to Calama and then headed south originally to Antofagasta, but it was only 250 km. There were several ruins along the way.

This is a sign you do not see very often and just after the traffic was crawling for 10 km following the biggest dump truck ever. It took up two lanes and nearly took out several barriers and signposts.

Another milestone today we passed the tropic of Capricorn.

There are many of these geoglyphs along the roadside.

75 km south of there is the famous hand in the desert so we stopped there for some photo op’s.

Instead of back tracking the 25 km to the road to the coast we continued south, “because the will be another road”. Unfortunately there was not and we were stuck on the Pan Americana where, there was really nowhere to stop unlike the coast road until we reached 630 km at Taltal. This is quite a nice beach town. There is a pretty square and waterfront area.

30 minutes after we arrived at the hotel Claudinie and Fatima from Brazil arrived. They had been in San Pedro also and left about 30 min after us this morning. Together we enjoyed a great fish dinner and Spinglish conversation.

**saralou** · #**298** 9 Dec 2013

We were all going the same direction and to Bahia Inglasia just 240 km away.

We tracked back to the Pan Americana for about 100 km and then exited to the Camino de Pan de Azucar. Someone had told us about this great road last year. The route is off road, but very solid and the views are amazing. This then heads to the coast and meets up again with the #5 highway.

Just before this you cross the playa in strong winds and blowing sand.

Arriving in Bahia we finally found a place with cabinas that had kitchens to spend 2 nights. This is a beach town just south of the city of Caldera.

Since all 4 of us are wearing these helmets we had to have had lunch at the Shark restaurant.

Some really great new friends!

**saralou** · #**299** 9 Dec 2013

Heading south 411 km we aimed for La Serena. This was a pretty boring ride down the #5 until the last 45 km along the sea.

I love a welcome drink.

**saralou** · #**300** 9 Dec 2013

Sadly we had to part ways with our new friends, but we will meet them next year in Brazil. We headed along the route of the Estrellas (stars) along which there are numerous observatories on the mountaintops.

We stopped at a huge dam for a break. There was this wind chime sculpture making the most horrific noise.

Next we entered the wine growing region and headed up the long winding Elqui Valley to Pisco Elqui about 107 km east of La Serena. This is the home of the Pisco distillery (national drink is the Pisco sour: 3 parts pisco, 1 part lime, and sugar over ice). It is along the route of Gabriela Mistral (noble winning Chilean poet).

Back tracking to Vicuna we then headed off road on the route of the stars. There were some areas where the road was red.

Heading up over the mountains there were some very steep climbs and sharp switchbacks.

About 3 and after about 180 km we spotted a small shelter on the top of a hill and decided to camp there for the night to watch the stars. Unfortunately it then became cloudy, so we did not see too many starts, but it was quiet in the many hours we were there only 4 cars came by and a heard of goats.

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