Day 351 Saturday 22 March Abancay to Ollantaytambo 221km

Our hotel was really bad, like the one we had in Bogota Colombia. We were on a busy intersection and the traffic continued throughout the night, but worse was the “Ladies of the night” that worked the corner under my window, they are a happy bunch as there were Giggles and Laughter and lots of Bantering and discussions happening under my window. I eventually up-graded my earplug, issued to the Mine Workers in South Africa, to wet toilet paper which I inserted very deep into my brain, and this morning I think I retrieved about half, so will need to ask Rocky to use my Long-Nose-Pliers to remove what broke off. I feel he is more like a surgeon than the other guys.

Some went for a nap yesterday afternoon, some did the Blog and two others went out for Cocktails, Pisco Sours. They wanted to order two plates of Bar Snacks, and yes, it got lost in translation and this arrived;

So they called for help and this turned out to be our shared dinner, washed down with a Pisco Sour.

Then we walked around on the streets and Peens found us a Night Market;

Milsy had some washing done and could only collect at 8h00, so we left late after finding a place selling coffee. It was a good thing as the mountain pass waiting for us was still covered in fog. We left at 8h30 and immediately started climbing up the mountain and then we stayed in the mountains for the most of the day, only the last 50km was running in a wide valley. It was a blessing to find a straight road as we had been Twisting the whole day.

Breakfast stop about 40km into the ride was at a place where 6 trucks had already stopped for food, we had soup. The restaurant part was full of truckers and other motorists, so we went to sit in their overflow area, the Barn, between Tractors, ploughs, old racing cars and straw where the animals sleep.

We were on back roads and there were very little traffic, but today must be some special day, like we would probable call Arbor Day, or maybe the 1st of the crops were being celebrated, but there were a festive mood and celebrations in this one town we rode through. And then we found people cutting the grass next to the road, and others spraying poison on weeds, and the entire families were out, next to the road. others sat next to the road making a Braai while kids were kicking the soccerball. Not sure what it was, will ask tonight, but these are some photos of the processions we passed.

Click on this video;

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Here are some photos of today;

I stopped to buy Oranges form this lady, only later did I see where the trees are planted, against the side of the mountain, high up, I don’t know how they get there to pick the oranges.

Some stopped for Ice cream, again:

Orange Orchard below;

We booked into our hotel and some walked back to the Village Square for a beer. Peens and Millsy rode there and had a beer with us, but, the pub is right next to the police department and when they got on their bikes to leave the police pounced on them for Drinking & Driving. Peens pretended he did not see them stopping him and raced away leaving Millsy to negotiate his way out of pending arrest.

There were several sever speed-bumps today, and towards the end of todays ride Rock’s Top Box broke off its bracket and was about to fall off. We used tie-downs and got him home. Pie found us a real hotel on Booking.com and we are here for 2 nights as tomorrow at 6h40 our train to Machu Picchu leaves. Tex and Pie is running around now getting tickets, Peens is doing a more permanent fix to Rockies Top Box. Once again the “Jumper Cables” we bought off the back of an electrician’s van comes in handy as they are being cannibalised to tie the Top Box back to Rocky’s bike.

My 1st ride in a Tuk-Tuk here in Peru today.

We are now in a tourist hub with many tourists-transport, shops and restaurants. But there is also lots of Inca Ruins here which one needs to go and look at, but it is the hub for the train to the main-site of Machu Picchu.

OK my Pumpkins, that is enough from me now, tomorrow will be a long day, I hear my ticket back is only 6 hours later, some got tickets back after only 2 hours.

Fleisch

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