The riding is tough in the more remote corners of the Andes; rest days in towns and villages along the way are required from time to time, so perhaps these snapshots represent the places in-between the places in-between.
Espinar, Peru
Santo Tomás, Peru
I went looking for a new pair of socks only to be grabbed for an interview on local radio.
Huancavelica, Peru
Copacabana, Bolivia
“Three nights you are staying, yes? Here you are..” said the girl at my lodging as, to my surprise, and to a degree, shock, she handed me three rolls of toilet paper. Her generosity was perhaps not entirely unjustified. I was very sick here on my bike nine years ago, but this time managed to leave town with a credit of one complete roll and only a slightly grumbly stomach.
Ayacucho, Peru
Pucapampa, Peru
The village of Pucapampa sits high in the cordilleras at just a bit more than 4000m. Super friendly as usual the local folk seemed to have some sort of nationality blindspot. Mostly they seem to assume I’m Spanish. One chap asked me, I said “no, soy ingles”. .. “ah ingles” he says. One of his friends arrives, asks him where I’m from .. “oh he’s german” he says….
Cafayate, Argentina
Copacabana, Bolivia
Cusco, Peru
Ayacucho, Peru
Copacabana, Bolivia
Cafayate, Argentina
Cusco, Peru
Huancaya, Peru
A final steep descent through a forest made intensely fragrant by rain,to arrive, trundling down narrow, rain-slicked cobbled streets in search of sustenance and rest. I found it in the form of a litre of local yogurt and a rickety old chair under the eaves of a small shop on the plaza from which to watch the rain cascading off the tin roofs.
Huancavelica, Peru
Espinar, Peru
Chivay, Peru
Indeed it is one of life’s great pleasures to sit on a stool at the market with a steaming glass of emoliente, watch the world go by, and enjoy the occasional conversation with passing locals.
Espinar, Peru
Caylloma, Peru
Caylloma, Peru
Ride through one valley and the people, lovely as they are, will tell you that the next valley is full of bad people that will kill and rob you… arrive in the next valley however, also full of lovely people, and they will express shock that you’ve cycled through the first valley without being robbed or killed, because you know, that valley is full of bad people.
Cusco, Peru
Huancavelica, Peru
Huancavelica, Peru
Cusco, Peru
Copacabana, Bolivia
Cajamarca, Peru
I had hoped I might at least acquire some superpowers, or a glow in the dark party trick as a consequence of being irradiated at a dodgy-looking backstreet x-ray clinic, one situated somewhat ominously next to a funeral parlour….
Velille, Peru
Juli, Peru