Hundred of miles across the desert to Lima

In the evening, after cooking a pasta diner with some squid, we went out on the beach to see some traditional Peruvian dancing. At midnight we were in bed, and stayed around until 1 p.m., to take advantage of the beach. In the afternoon, we would go to Trujillo, and we knew it would be harder to find a good spot to camp in the more populated area. I did quick a interview for a Los Angeles radio show and we left to cover the 200-miles to the city.

On our way out, we stopped at a market to buy fish and vegetables and got back to the Pan-American. I am so surprised by Northern Peru. Little did I know that we would be traveling through the sand desert until Lima. Here and there, there are some artificially irrigated areas, but often, you will go 70-miles before seeing a town or hamlet. It is also a large country, and I imagined being in Lima earlier than we would be. It now looks like Dan will leave us in Cuzco to go back to work.

And there is also a larger distance between gas stations we see. Now, we try to refuel each time there is 95-octane gasoline available, which is not that often.

We stopped in Huanchaco, a town few miles outside of Trujillo. As I was working on uploading pictures to my website, I was surprised to ear screams behind me. When I turned, I saw the French guys we have been spending time with in Colombia. They just arrived at the same spot than us and saw me at once. It was great to see them again. Traveling with more people and several vehicles is always safer and more comfortable.

We quickly agreed we would need some drinks to celebrate the event of having found each other, and soon we were having beers and eating ceviche (again). We decided to stick together for few days on our way south, and split before Lima, where they didn’t intend to spend time. With the kids, they travel at a slower pace than we do, since every afternoon they have to do homework. If you see families traveling for a long time in remote region, chances are that they are French. This is the only country at my knowledge that allows kids to not go to school for years, as long as they follow the governmental learning path, and send homework every few days by email.

We stayed Huanchaco for two nights, and camped on the beach. We spent the daytime visiting the Trujillo historical center, doing groceries, and checking out Chan Chan, the largest pre-Colombian city in South America, constructed of adobe brick and covered with carved surface. The huge city of 10,000 dwellings was built around AD 850.

Back on the road, we decided to drive and do an overnight stop in Tortugas, a small town in the desert, bordered by the Pacific Ocean.

We gathered it was worth seeing it by a Peruvian barman we met in Playa Rochas. He was saying it was the most beautiful beach of the whole country.

And indeed, we did find there the nicest place we saw so far in Peru. North of the fishing town was another bay, completely empty outside of a small fishing process plant. The site was gorgeous, huge and empty.

We parked the trucks in a way I was protected from the wind, made a fire and opened a bottle of rum. What can I say, there’s not much more you can ask when you get this beautiful place for yourself.

In the morning, Felix, one of our companions, cut my hair, as the US$1.50 haircut I got in Nicaragua was far behind, and the beatnik look is not necessary the best way to cross borders.

Then we said good-bye again to the rest of the convoy, and the three of us were gone to Lima, a bit less than 300-miles away. Again, we crossed huge sand deserts.

It is a pleasant drive, as long stretch are quite relaxing, unlike Lima which would be a giant automobile chocked metropolis.

*Sergio is posting for Nick, who’s having trouble to access the internet.