Dani

Our last week in South America. Visas to Colombia were denied, because we were applying through the Quito consulate instead of the Kuala Lumpur consulate. We couldn’t wait around anyway and headed back to Quito from Finca Sommerwind’s where we waited for almost a week. We made many calls, emails and texts to arrange our bikes to be sent back to our countries, had a couple more meals and good coffee, and I finally managed to buy my Panama hat. We met some incredible people at finca Sommerwind’s, all on journeys of their own, and with absolutely amazing setups. Maybe it’s time to use a car for our next trip? Good luck to all of them on their journeys. The end of a trip with a slight anticlimax. Unfinished business along the Andes, but one we won’t be able to revisit anytime soon.

First half of Ecuador. 6 weeks in Peru and we went straight to Cuenca to get my rear shock fixed. Home of the Panama hat, we visited the factories where they weave toquilla straws to make their famous hats. Ranging from $38 to $5000, we thought long and hard to see if we could fit it on the motorcycles. We then moved on to Quito and did the famous chocolate and coffee tours of Ecuador. The city, people, and everything was so different from north Peru. The greenery was a very fresh change from the barren dryness. And most importantly, Ecuador was much cleaner than north Peru.

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Sacred Valley and Nazca - the highlight of Peru, the most famous scenes, and the most common sights. Most people fly in for two weeks to see these parts, and appreciate the history. Our special guest joined just to do that. 1, Ollantaytambo, a night stop here before the arduous journey to Machu Picchu. A train ride, a bus, then walk, then a bus and train to get back again. @danikhoo coordinated the entry times and the train ticket times so we were able to have a quick one day visit. I couldn’t make my mum walk the Inca trail. 2, Been there. Done that 3, Maras Salt Pans. The tears of a local legend bring the saline spring water flow into each and every pan. The small pans are filled up and left to dry, then harvested. Though interesting, the production is small 4, Moray - an Incan lab to grow crops at higher altitudes. Saplings are planted at the bottom and slowly moved up to higher altitudes at older ages to allow them to adapt to higher altitudes. 5, naked Peruvian dog at Cusco market, in all its glory. At 3400m altitude, the naked dogs all have little jumpers from llama wool to keep warm. This one was basking in the evening sun 6, Pisac - yet another one of the many archeological sites, much larger than Machu Picchu, made to sustain a much larger population settled here. 7, we waited two days for the rain to subside before making our way up to 5100m to see the rainbow mountains. Two minutes of cloudy views was all we got before the snow came in. This doesn’t include a crazy mud filled motorcycle taxi ride up the very steep hills. My guy was slipping all over the place. I don’t think our bikes would have made it to the top without falling 8, from Cusco it was a 10 hour bus ride down to Nazca, to some warmth. We took a plane to see the Nazca lines from above. Pre- Incan lines from 200BC-500AD. The Nazca civilisation had their own stories, and like most South American cultures, they are mostly lost to history. We can only guess their meanings.

Sun, sea and surf - about a year ago I promised @danikhoo the South American voyage to have these three things. Little did we know only 6 months after we started the trip we finally got it. We’ve been cold since touching Patagonia along the Atlantic coast in mid January, then cold all the way up the Andes along the mountains, and along the Peruvian coast. Where the Humboldt current swings out further west to the Galapagos, we get sunshine just north of the most westerly point of South America. Despite the photos of Mancora, the sights of north Peru was not enjoyable. Rubbish and poverty follow each step along the Panamerican highway in Peru. Open burning of waste and crops is common all along the route. Photos 1-5, We stopped in Mancora, a touristy bubble for surfing but a glad break from hard life of Peruvians. Food also improved considerably to cater for tourists. We met our first Peruvian hairless dog, that wasn’t very friendly. I actually thought it was mangey at first. 6-9, We left our bikes in Zorritos to fly down to Lima to meet my mother, who joined us for two weeks along the Sacred Valley The hostel we stayed at had two Peruvian hairless dog, with patches all over and incredibly cute personalities. Harley at Zorritos, was a mixture of Peruvian hairless and doggo Argentina, so white patches and white hair. They lived by the sea, and had very dry skin. Harley had some purple ointment for her condition, adding to the strangeness of her appearance. I would love to have one anyway. The puppy was very shy and always cold, but incredibly cute.

6 months of riding and the fitness rock bottoms. I could barely paddle out the first day and @danikhoo went back for a second day. Success rate was a little lower without a push from behind. Without any fitness, you can’t develop any skills. Looking forward to getting back in shape after this tour is over.

Duck canyon ruined our suspensions. We bounced our way through the northern coast of Peru, checking out the old sites while contemplating our next moves to repair our bikes. 1-4, Chan Chan archeological complex used to be 11,000 hectares, housing the chimu civilisation. The complex had palaces, water sources, storage rooms and 12m high walls. The whole city was abandoned at some point because of El Niño - to see your whole city melt before your own eyes despite sacrificing multiple children must have been devastating. The mud bricks didn’t last the rain, and today they are covered with plastic to prevent further erosion 5, 6 - on the other side of town in Trujillo is Huaca del Sol y Luna. Temple of the Sun and Moon. Only the moon was open for visits. The Moches built these temples, dating 100-500AD, to be succeeded by the Chimus from 500-1000AD. The mud brick style was passed on from civilisation to civilisation. But a continent without a written language could only do so much. The bricks were imprinted with symbols to indicate the make of them. 7, north of Trujillo is El Brujo complex, better preserved with many more artifices in the museum. We followed the coast hoping to see the longest left hand wave in the world, but only saw the doom and gloom of that Pacific coast. Rain and leaking suspension made the day worse. 8 and 9, no tomb is left untouched. We bounced on north to Lambayeque to see the Royal Tomb of Sipan Museum, housing the Lord Sipan and the history of the many buried with him. Earrings and other adornments were found in the tombs, a stark contrast to the other archeological complexes that were emptied centuries ago by looters and the Spanish, desecrating holy tombs in search of gold and treasure.

The northern coast of Peru, where we saw the pre-Incan civilisations of the Chimus (1100- 1400AD), Moches (100-700AD) and Lambayeques (750-1375AD). The Incans (1400-1500AD) only conquered all of the region for 50 years before they were wiped out by the Spanish. Without a single written word, they build massive complexes, have funerary rituals and structures, and had huge populations up to 11,000 hectares. The game of thrones was never played, as they all existed individually and separately from each other.

1. Through the highest tunnel in the world in Peru brings you to three gorgeous Laguna from the all year glaciers. Beautiful hairpins, curving roads and amazing sights. One of the best roads we’ve ridden, possibly the best in Peru. 2. Over the mountains into the town of Chacas, we tried our first Guinea pig. Cuy, as they call it, is deep fried with legs attached. The meal was interesting, but not something we’d have again. The skin was thicker and more rubbery than expected, and meat is not much. 3. Our hosts at the restaurant decided to dress us up in traditional wear and have a photoshoot. Ponchos and hats along with skirts and shoulder bags over our riding gear and motocross boots. A weird combination to say the least, but immensely fun. 4 and 5. Back through the tunnel during sunset set some spectacular lighting. 6 and 7. The second day ride to the lakes. Testing the rear suspension @danikhoo had fixed in Lima, it broke again within half the journey to the lakes. It seized solid, then fixed itself on the way down somehow. Our smiles were actually quite tired by this point, but luckily we had a new one on its way.

Out of Lima, into the Cordillera Blanca. Beautiful mountains holding the most extensive tropical ice-covered mountain range in the world and has the largest concentration of ice in Peru. We rode up from the greyness of Lima to almost 3000m for sun and warmth. A day ride out to the highest tunnel in the world at 4800m, along with guinea pig for lunch.

Running up the coast to Lima because of Dani’s broken suspension. We dropped from the altitude of the Colca Canyon looking for some warmth by the sea, our hard wired brains again mistaking that the sea equals warmth, which has not been the case at any time along the Pacific. The cool Pacific currents bring the cool water up, causing a deep thick mist that the sun doesn’t penetrate. We rode in doom and gloom along the coast for three days before seeing some sun at Nazca, and a small window at the Paracas National park. The next few days in Lima we embarked on the food journey, looking for the promised tastes that make Peru so famous around the world 1, Nazca lines from the watchtower. Our quick run up to the north for repairs meant dropping by Nazca to be visited again. Huge lines of strange shapes, open to interpretation from ancient drawings. The illiterate Incans could never tell the future how to read between the lines, and so the mystery continues 2, a rare day of sunshine by the coast, we swapped our two wheeled vehicles for four. The entire coast of Peru used to be deep underwater, pushed high from the tectonic motions. The paracas national park solid ground was made from shells on the seabed. 3, I was disappointed to find out Colorado only meant red. It means the US state of Colorado just means red. In South America there were numerous uses of the name. Laguna, Cerro, and of course, in Paracas, a playa too. Made from crushed red rocks 4, 5, 6, three Peruvian classics, Panceta Crocante, Cerviche Mixto and Sanguche de Chincharron. 7, 8 - the little ray of Penang sunshine against the bleak greyness of Lima. Enhance with a very cute ridgeback along the Miraflores coastal walk

Second isn’t the first of losers. The beauty and history of Arequipa made it one of the nicest cities so far, and Colca canyon coming second to the very nearby Cotahuasi Canyon that runs parallel is inaccessible and difficult to travel. We enjoyed these two places immensely. 1, the Arequipa Cathedral at the main square of the city. Construction began in 1540 but it was rebuilt on numerous occasions due to earthquakes, fires and volcano eruptions nearby. The city is surrounded by 7 volcanoes, with beautiful snow capped peaks that hide the dark deeds of human sacrifices by the Incas. We visited the bodies of the sacrifices in a different museum preserved by the ice. Juveniles aged 13-16 were chosen at younger ages, brought to specific locations to prepare and celebrate being the chosen sacrifices. 2, Cloisters of the Company - a baroque styled church with intricate architecture showing the colonial history of this city. A step back to Europe and Spain where I’ve seen similar designs 3, Mercado Central - a huge bustling market, where whole rows of stalls sell similar products, and each booth sells the same items. All greengrocers have the exact same vegetables, all food stalls have the same food. We were surprised by the lack of variety when compared to food courts in Malaysia. Most stalls have the same few dishes, and there must have been at least 50 with very similar menus. 4, 5, 6, 7 we delved into the quiet life at the Santa Catalina Monastery. Each little living space for the nuns were donated and built by the families of the nuns, some being tiny enclosed spaces while others being huge in size. Each had the basic amenities of a toilet, kitchen and bedroom. Courtyards of orange, blue, red, and streets named after cities in Spain. We saw curiosities such as the leaking rock used for filtration, the communal clothes washing area and many other interesting aspects of monastery lifestyle that is definitely not for me 8, An appropriate sunset at the end of the monastery tour. The light shines favourably on those who believe, and those who don’t really believe but are curious and go visit 9, 10 - what’s the difference between a canyon and a gorge?