First leg in Peru

We have now spent our first few days in Peru, and things haven’t turned out quite as planed.

Three days ago we set out from Rio Bamba on what is the longest day on the bus so far. The plan was to get to the border and perhaps be able to cross over.

That day was also the most shaky and dusty so far.

We made out to the border quite late so we didn’t cross it. We set up bush camp at the customs station where we need the papers for the buses to be stamped.

Next morning we set off, somehow we managed to drive past the customs office where our passports should be stamped and signed out of Ecuador, so that we had to turn back when we came to the Peruvian side.

Back in Ecuador we had no problems getting our papers fixed and ready for another go at Peru.

On the Peruvian border we were told that there was a general strike in the area that we were entering and locals were blocking the roads.

We got our papers stamped and Marco decided to try and see if we could make it through to Punta Sal, we stopped for lunch in a small town just inside the border. In Puerto la Cruz we got to the roadblocks and were told that the strike would be over by six that night.

Where we stopped was an military rest and recreation area and we were allowed to park our buses there and use the beach and two bungalows with showers and toilets.

The beach was magnificent and the water was great so we got a few good hours with sun, fun and water.

Around six we had dinner and Marco informed us that we would spend the night there. The people working at the sites arranged a bonfire for us on the beach, we got hold of some beer and had a few bottles of rum that went down.

The mosquitoes there was dreadful but we survived. I’m not sure when I went to bed, but I guess I didn’t sleep long. I tried sleeping in the but out was full of mosquitoes so I grabbed my sleeping bag and went to sleep in the sand outside the bus.

Yesterday we finally made it to Punta Sal, and I’m glad we were spouted halted by the protests because Punta Sal wasn’t as nice. But we were still able to relax in the sun and got some good food.

We are now heading for Huanchaco where we’ll have two nights before we head toward Lima.