18-20/5/2013 Trujillo-Lima-Trujillo
Having to go to Lima for the bottom bracket bearings and a new stove. A bus was caught at 0830. It was an eight hour trip, not dissimilar to being put in a box for the duration. The windows on the bus were covered in a plastic adhesive on the outside. It had thousands of small holes in it .
For advertising on the exterior of the bus, great. From my seat, all I could see was outlines of landscape and buildings, daylight and that we were passing through desert for much of the trip.
No more.
Getting into Lima, and finally taking off my “blindfold”, an arrangement to meet Deirdre and Peter for tea was kept.
It was great to see them again.
They were booked into Lion Backpackers, a dormitory affair, like a rabbit warren. The spiral exterior staircase to the room I booked, really needed a firemans pole to descend, it was that narrow.
Anyway it sufficed.
I am so pleased to have visited Lima without my bike.
Arriving on a Saturday, most shops are closed Sundays, especially small dealers, the malls are open of course.
The day was spent just hanging about and walking with rest between.
The Hostel was in Miraflores, the upmarket area with prices to match. It was not a place for a touring cyclist on a budget.
Sunday Peter was flying back to the states. I went on the big hunt for a stove and the bike parts.
Lima each day, was shrouded in sea fog. It was very claustrophobic. We took a walk early morning to Limas beachfront, 15 minutes from the hotel. It was cliffs and and open Pacific ocean rolling in onto a beach of well worn round beach stones ranging in size from marbles to papaya sizes.
The made such a noise under the retreat of each wave.
No one was swimming but a few people were surfing.
About 0900 I headed off to find things, So pleased, a stove was found in the first shop I had on my list.
It took another few hours to finally locate the Shimano parts in downtown Lima.
Everything cost double and some, what it cost in the US.
I tried my best to lower their price, only saving S10 on S230.
It was kind of an elimination process finding the bike parts. To this, add the exorbitant prices some taxi drivers laid on me.
I would walk off in disgust,uttering muy caro, some would follow and offer a better fare ,the correct fare: others drove away.
I was in no mood and without time, to be stuffed around with dodgey taxi drivers.
This trip to Lima was more of a business trip and to catch up with Deirdre and Peter. Ideally it was about being in and out of this large city.
Here I will give you the addresses of the places where I got the stove and parts.
Shimano bike parts are best found in Central Lima at:
Av. Emancipacion,
Centro Lima.
There are dozens of tiny kiosks here with all manner of parts.
My taxi diver here was a good guy, half an hour in a cab was six dollars. He was the ultimate “if you don’t let me squeeze in here, you will damage your car” kind of guy.. He was brilliant at it. It was almost like dodgems. If there were 3 lanes on the road he created a fourth by driving down the white line dividing the lanes.
I will admit what I saw of Lima drivers they are great, all quite confident with coke bottle size gaps between moving cars.
And no visible aggression. I caught the rapid transit back to Miraflores for 2 soles, they are buses that have their own segregated lane.
The big flash stores in Miraflores, really only sell bikes and do maintenance. One store, everso upmarket did not even sell puncture repair kits, as they will fix it for you, at a cost.
The better two camping stores are:
Camping Centre
Av. Benavides1620
Lima 18
and
Altamira
Jr. Arica 880
Miraflores
Espalda Wong Ovalo
Gutierrez 510
César from the
Peru bike shop,
Tel. 998724021
Santiago de Sucro, Lima 33
He was ever so helpful, giving me directions to me about the small bike shops in the downtown.
This comes to you from the bus on the way to Trujillo, between potholes, braking and corners.
It left Lima at 1630, and hoorah, you could see signs of life through the windows.
The road just north of Lima, to the left is ochered coloured sand hills running steeply into the ocean some hundred plus feet below the bus.
The road, only, bisects this slope. It is desert in every sense of the definition. The Pacific rolled in below, though not as powerfully as in the city.
No sooner had this terrain been traversed, rice was growing on a small flat area by the ocean, totally bizarre, though just add water with the right soils and climate, hey presto!!
Deirdre and I are planning to have a day in Trujillo getting organized, then ride into the Andes and head south to east of Lima before she heads back to Canada.
We enjoyed each others company from Loja to Macará, so we decided to do this time together, besides I need her along to help me with my Spanish; she’s fluent. (This last comment was inserted by a Canadian optimist!!I like it).
Peter, due to health problems and bad luck had to head home to Green Bay in Michigan early. It works well for all. Deirdre is not left alone and can continue riding while I have a great riding companion for a time before heading south east to Cuzco.
We both ride at a similar speed nd share the same humour.
It will be so nice to get back to Trujillo with its great ceviches, jugos, emolientes, caldo de gallinas, frutas frescas y pan.
Lujos, Casa de Ciclistas has been a special place for a few days. He has kindly locked all my gear away for my trip to Lima. The other tourers met there have all been inspirational to say the least.
Especially Kate, she is amazingly independent, capable and can look after herself. The other night she too was repairing her stove. Her hands were covered in soot, though not her femininity. At no time was her Irish humour lacking. Safe riding Kate!!
Our bus got in at 0200, both of us weren’t tired as we had slept on the bus. A movie being played called “The Collector” contained scenes of human cruelty and violence like I have never seen before. The woman sitting across from me winced in unison with myself.
Luckily her children were asleep.
Today in Trujillo we went to Playa Huanchuco and had a swim, whilst marvelling at the guys in their reed canoes heading out in big surf to go crabbing.
Basic food was bought, our bikes were serviced, we washed clothes, ate, walked. Got new glass for a window that got broken.
I gave my stove to An Argentinian cyclist staying at the house. He goes juggling on the streets early morning to finance his trip.
It was nice to see him get it going. I was a leak in the hose thread, with thread tape it was fixed.
Making coffee on the MSR Whisperlite International this morning, it works great and most importantly is simply constructed.
Phil an English cyclist has given us a great route east of Chimbote, high into the Andes. He said its tough, one part is on gravel is 100km uphill.
We hope to do alot of camping on the way. Whilst both looking forward to the challenge.
Dinner tonight was a walk through the streets by the Casa and snacking on what fancied us. Emoliente opened the culinary stroll.
Trujillo, though, many have said is not a place to spend time has been such a relaxing city, with everything in walking distance.
People are so friendly, and prices are better than reasonable. Fruit, juices, ceviches are available on the streets everywhere. As are taxis, all 6000 of them and a great bus system.
I will have fond thoughts of this town and its people, especially Lujo as we ride south tomorrow on the Pan Am before once again become spell bound by the vistas in the Andes.
Having to go to Lima for the bottom bracket bearings and a new stove. A bus was caught at 0830. It was an eight hour trip, not dissimilar to being put in a box for the duration. The windows on the bus were covered in a plastic adhesive on the outside. It had thousands of small holes in it .
For advertising on the exterior of the bus, great. From my seat, all I could see was outlines of landscape and buildings, daylight and that we were passing through desert for much of the trip.
No more.
Getting into Lima, and finally taking off my “blindfold”, an arrangement to meet Deirdre and Peter for tea was kept.
It was great to see them again.
They were booked into Lion Backpackers, a dormitory affair, like a rabbit warren. The spiral exterior staircase to the room I booked, really needed a firemans pole to descend, it was that narrow.
Anyway it sufficed.
I am so pleased to have visited Lima without my bike.
Arriving on a Saturday, most shops are closed Sundays, especially small dealers, the malls are open of course.
The day was spent just hanging about and walking with rest between.
The Hostel was in Miraflores, the upmarket area with prices to match. It was not a place for a touring cyclist on a budget.
Sunday Peter was flying back to the states. I went on the big hunt for a stove and the bike parts.
Lima each day, was shrouded in sea fog. It was very claustrophobic. We took a walk early morning to Limas beachfront, 15 minutes from the hotel. It was cliffs and and open Pacific ocean rolling in onto a beach of well worn round beach stones ranging in size from marbles to papaya sizes.
The made such a noise under the retreat of each wave.
No one was swimming but a few people were surfing.
About 0900 I headed off to find things, So pleased, a stove was found in the first shop I had on my list.
It took another few hours to finally locate the Shimano parts in downtown Lima.
Everything cost double and some, what it cost in the US.
I tried my best to lower their price, only saving S10 on S230.
It was kind of an elimination process finding the bike parts. To this, add the exorbitant prices some taxi drivers laid on me.
I would walk off in disgust,uttering muy caro, some would follow and offer a better fare ,the correct fare: others drove away.
I was in no mood and without time, to be stuffed around with dodgey taxi drivers.
This trip to Lima was more of a business trip and to catch up with Deirdre and Peter. Ideally it was about being in and out of this large city.
Here I will give you the addresses of the places where I got the stove and parts.
Shimano bike parts are best found in Central Lima at:
Av. Emancipacion,
Centro Lima.
There are dozens of tiny kiosks here with all manner of parts.
My taxi diver here was a good guy, half an hour in a cab was six dollars. He was the ultimate “if you don’t let me squeeze in here, you will damage your car” kind of guy.. He was brilliant at it. It was almost like dodgems. If there were 3 lanes on the road he created a fourth by driving down the white line dividing the lanes.
I will admit what I saw of Lima drivers they are great, all quite confident with coke bottle size gaps between moving cars.
And no visible aggression. I caught the rapid transit back to Miraflores for 2 soles, they are buses that have their own segregated lane.
The big flash stores in Miraflores, really only sell bikes and do maintenance. One store, everso upmarket did not even sell puncture repair kits, as they will fix it for you, at a cost.
The better two camping stores are:
Camping Centre
Av. Benavides1620
Lima 18
and
Altamira
Jr. Arica 880
Miraflores
Espalda Wong Ovalo
Gutierrez 510
César from the
Peru bike shop,
Tel. 998724021
Santiago de Sucro, Lima 33
He was ever so helpful, giving me directions to me about the small bike shops in the downtown.
This comes to you from the bus on the way to Trujillo, between potholes, braking and corners.
It left Lima at 1630, and hoorah, you could see signs of life through the windows.
The road just north of Lima, to the left is ochered coloured sand hills running steeply into the ocean some hundred plus feet below the bus.
The road, only, bisects this slope. It is desert in every sense of the definition. The Pacific rolled in below, though not as powerfully as in the city.
No sooner had this terrain been traversed, rice was growing on a small flat area by the ocean, totally bizarre, though just add water with the right soils and climate, hey presto!!
Deirdre and I are planning to have a day in Trujillo getting organized, then ride into the Andes and head south to east of Lima before she heads back to Canada.
We enjoyed each others company from Loja to Macará, so we decided to do this time together, besides I need her along to help me with my Spanish; she’s fluent. (This last comment was inserted by a Canadian optimist!!I like it).
Peter, due to health problems and bad luck had to head home to Green Bay in Michigan early. It works well for all. Deirdre is not left alone and can continue riding while I have a great riding companion for a time before heading south east to Cuzco.
We both ride at a similar speed nd share the same humour.
It will be so nice to get back to Trujillo with its great ceviches, jugos, emolientes, caldo de gallinas, frutas frescas y pan.
Lujos, Casa de Ciclistas has been a special place for a few days. He has kindly locked all my gear away for my trip to Lima. The other tourers met there have all been inspirational to say the least.
Especially Kate, she is amazingly independent, capable and can look after herself. The other night she too was repairing her stove. Her hands were covered in soot, though not her femininity. At no time was her Irish humour lacking. Safe riding Kate!!
Our bus got in at 0200, both of us weren’t tired as we had slept on the bus. A movie being played called “The Collector” contained scenes of human cruelty and violence like I have never seen before. The woman sitting across from me winced in unison with myself.
Luckily her children were asleep.
Today in Trujillo we went to Playa Huanchuco and had a swim, whilst marvelling at the guys in their reed canoes heading out in big surf to go crabbing.
Basic food was bought, our bikes were serviced, we washed clothes, ate, walked. Got new glass for a window that got broken.
I gave my stove to An Argentinian cyclist staying at the house. He goes juggling on the streets early morning to finance his trip.
It was nice to see him get it going. I was a leak in the hose thread, with thread tape it was fixed.
Making coffee on the MSR Whisperlite International this morning, it works great and most importantly is simply constructed.
Phil an English cyclist has given us a great route east of Chimbote, high into the Andes. He said its tough, one part is on gravel is 100km uphill.
We hope to do alot of camping on the way. Whilst both looking forward to the challenge.
Dinner tonight was a walk through the streets by the Casa and snacking on what fancied us. Emoliente opened the culinary stroll.
Trujillo, though, many have said is not a place to spend time has been such a relaxing city, with everything in walking distance.
People are so friendly, and prices are better than reasonable. Fruit, juices, ceviches are available on the streets everywhere. As are taxis, all 6000 of them and a great bus system.
I will have fond thoughts of this town and its people, especially Lujo as we ride south tomorrow on the Pan Am before once again become spell bound by the vistas in the Andes.
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