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Published: October 3rd 2007
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Tom
the mean lookin' motor biker... Tom had expressed an interest in motor biking while we were in Arequipa. The hostel advertised a 1, 2 or 3day motorbike trip! The guide of the bike tour, Eddie, happened to be in the hostel when Tom and I were discussing it. Tom being super keen asked him all about it and tested out his bike out the front. He asked if I was interested, though I was I had never ridden a motorbike before so was a little apprehensive. Eddie told me ''If you can ride a bicycle and drive a manuel car, you'll be fine... and we won't be riding on the road with cars, you'll love it...''
Eddie picked us up from the hostel at 8am and we took a taxi to his place. His bikes were inside his house and locked up as he told us he had already had two stolen, from inside his own home. We bought the bikes out onto the road in front of his house. WOW, I forgot how big, and heavy motorbikes were... it was about then I decided I couldn't ride one of these beasts. However Eddie was determind to teach me. So I sat on the bike
and practiced accelerating and clutching in and out! Seemed relatively easy... After a while practicing I took off up the street, I was very proud that I didn't stall or bunny hop. I practiced this for a while and was doing well until... a car was coming the other way and of course I freaked out, I forgot everything Eddie and Tom had taught me, I stopped but the bike didn't sound right (maybe cos I still had the acceleration cranking, whoops) I ended up stalling it and the weight of the bike over came me and it fell on top of me! I was fine, but was very shaken up... That was when I decided I definitely wasn't up for riding this thing all day! I asked Eddie if I could ride on the back of his bike. He was very understanding, though disappointed he couldn't teach me more!
Boy was I glad I made that decision...
So the ride went something like this:
We started out riding on the ROAD with CARS to the petrol station. Then rode along a road much like the Great Ocean Road, with not only CARS, but SEMI-TRAILORS and BUSSES flying around
evey corner (I was really thankful I had decided to be a passenger!)... then we hit the dirt roads, which were thick with sand, which the back tyres often skidded out in, and little creeks to cross and bumps and potholes to dodge... yeah I am sure as a first time motorbike rider I would have been fine... NOT!!!
We stopped and checked out a natural water sping that was crowded with locals. Was super warm too! We didn't swim cos Tom was too excited to get back on the bike so we biked on along more dirt roads... that's when I realised being passenger was maybe better than riding (Shi I know you wouldn't agree) cos I was able to check out the view instead of concentrating on the road. And wow were our surroundings amazing!! Most of the time we were biking it was us, the desert and an occasional lizard scurrying past. It really was spectacular. I had to pinch myself a few times just to realise I was/am in South America, Peru. I know I have been away nearly 4months but it is still often so surreal. To be biking around Peru was just incredible!!
A small Perivian town...
... we stopped in for some chicha and then later returned for a Fiesta... It is such a unique (and dangerous I know, but so fun) way to see a country! I must say my butt was in agony most of the time but our breath taking surroundings kept my mind off that!
We stopped in a small Perivian town and all I could think was ''now I am in real Peru''. The towns people were so sweet. We drank ''chicha'' which is a customery drink in Peru. It is the juice of red corn (as in sweet corn), they compress the corn to get the juice, add sugar and let it ferment for a day or two. It tasted nice, though I think it's an aquired taste, am sure I could get used to it! Eddie told us it's very healthy for the kidneys! Tom said, ''damn, I need something for my liver, not my kidneys!'' 😊
The towns people invited us to come back for lunch, Guinea Pig, potato and beans... hmmmm interesting!! And for a fiesta they were holding that night! We paid for our lunch in advance and said ''Hasta luego!''
We biked on stopping at various spots along the way so Eddie could point out towns, valleys
and rivers. We stopped at quite an eery sight. A sight where a plane carrying 126 people, inc the piolet, crash landed and no-one survived. Eddie told us he and his sisters heard about the crash the morning it happened and drove there to be of any assistance. He said there were emergency people everywhere and the plane was unrecognisable. He said it he couldn't even tell it wa once a plane, it was just a whole lot of debris. The crash was that servire that the plane just crumbled on impact! How horrible to witness such a crash! There were still remains from the plane on the ground where we were standing, 11yrs on!
We stopped in another very Perivian town (sorry I can't recall names) and drank some more chicha, then headed for our Guinea Pig lunch (sorry Aunty Mary)!! On our way Eddie realised he had a flat. Luckily he brought all his equipment with him and with the help of Tom we were on out way in about half an hour. Am glad it was fixable cos as you can see from the photos we really were in the middle of nowhere!
We made it
back to the town safely and discovered it was decorated beautifully for their Fiesta they were having that night to celebrate the conception of Maria.
So we literally were served a whole guinea pig, flattened on a plate, the head and legs still on... wierd! Sorry I don't have a pic for you. Though there wasn't much meat to spk of, it was really tastey. The fatty parts of it tasted much the same as pork rind (Dad you would have loved it). It wasn't the most filling lunch as there wasn't much of it. Am sure you can imagine guinea pigs aren't the meatiest animals.
After lunch we visited the church which was all lit up, was really beautiful. Then they had a parade with towns people riding horses around the centre, donkeys with bundles of sticks on their backs, and a live jazz/percussion band. Was so special to be a part of it. We chatted to some locals who were so lovely and thrilled that Tom and I were able to join then for their celebration. It was fun to be the only tourists in town! And to have only Spanish spoken to you! We were there
till dusk but decided to head back to Arequipa as it was getting dark and the dirt roads could be dangerous at night (the lighting on the bikes wasn't too crash hot... sorry Dad 😊).
We had some sketchy over takings of busses and semi-trailors on our way home (and our way there). I had to close my eyes a few times! I must admit I was often thinking I could get really ## up if I came off this bike! But I didn't! We made it back to Eddie's place safe and sound and then took him into town (in a taxi which I am sure was more unsafe than the bikes, it was like a Mini, and the driver drove at a million miles an hour) to shout him a delicious hot choc with cinnamon. For those of you who like hot choc you should try this out!!
Motorbiking was definitely a fantastic way to see Peru! To have the wind blowing on your face and nature so close was, as I said before, spectacular!
A big thanx to Tom for encouraging me to go along! Not only did we discover some of the countryside but also
Us and the counrty
Was very peaceful... when the motorbikes were off :) a couple of gorgeous towns, beautiful people, guinea pig, and of course chicha!
We arrived back at the hostel just after 8pm... WHAT A DAY!!
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