It’s Murray and Tim here again with part 5 of our adventure cycling through South America!
Read below for our continued adventure in Peru, told through diary extracts from our family/close friends' Whatsapp group following along. Enjoy legends!
Day 97 - Monday
[2023/03/07]
Back on the bikes today!
Our legs were tender but managed to grind out the ride.
Mud, mud and more mud made for a slip-and-slide affair - luckily no falls but plenty of war paint! I must say - our bike setups do look that much better with some dirt on them!
On the whole, a good day out and keen to tackle whatever tomorrow throws at us! (Big day expected)
Day 104 - Monday
[2023/03/14]
Jeepers - 100 days on the bike, that went quickly!
Excuse my lack of comms, the last 7 days have been a whirlwind.
Freezing cold sleet and snow, Tim being hit by a nasty tummy bug and torrential downpours in the north have brought an end to our illustrious plans of surfing one of the longest waves in the world in Chicama (600km North of Lima in the desert).
Tim woke up this morning feeling strong enough to tackle the day and so we got on our bicycles with the intention of making our way down the Andes and onto the coast.
We had seen videos and heard many roads were impassable due to torrential rains causing mudslides, flooding and washed-away bridges but our route was deemed safe and clear to go… so we did…
After 30km we came across an awful scene. We were riding down a valley road with a surging river below us and loose rocks falling around us. Just before passing through a tunnel, ambulances and police cars streamed past, we knew things were bad. Exiting the tunnel we saw two crumpled passenger buses and a gaping hole in the muddied slope - they had been struck by a mudslide. Thankfully most people were safe but unfortunately, not everyone made it out.
Disheartened and shaken up, we caught a lift back to our departure town and are now on an overnight bus to Lima (this route is safe and operational).
Realising that we are at the peril of the mountains, we have opted for the safest and most sure route. Count your blessings friends!
At least there is some positive! We get to explore the much-anticipated capital, Lima - we’ve only heard good things!
Will give an update once we arrive and settle.
Ciao, for now x
Day 112 - Tuesday
[2023/03/22]
We’ve had a lovely past 5 days in Lima, the capital of Peru.
A mix mash of Sea Point’s promenade, Durban’s weather and Joburg’s vibe made for a homely feel. We also stayed with a friend of Tim’s who is from East London. Sam is a teacher and has fully settled into life here. TBH, both Tim and I said we could do a year or two here, it ticks a lot of boxes old Lima!
Cycling around the world has many perks, but saying goodbye is not one of them.
Ravaged roads and washed-away bridges in Northern Peru (and a recent earthquake) have put an end to our time on this magical continent, South America.
Until a week or two ago, plans were full steam ahead for Ecuador and Colombia but due to the above-mentioned drastic weather and no guaranteed date for things opening up, our route has changed.
Conditions on the ground have forced us to take to the air - we are heading to Panama as it makes more sense for our timeline and cash flow, thus missing out on Ecuador and Colombia. We’re very sad about this as we've only heard good things from travellers that we’ve met on the road about both countries!
With that said, it does mean we have more time in Central America!
South America has been as magical, wild and varied as you can imagine! Snow, desert, jungle and anything else you can imagine have been thrown at us and we’ve absolutely loved every second of it. We’ll definitely be back soon - there are too many places to visit in one lifetime!
About to board the plane! Will catch you next time when we touch down in Panama.