Move to Huaraz.
I am moving from Trujillo to Huaraz, going inland.
However, the motorcycle's engine output is unstable and shaky when the engine is at low RPM (4000 RPM or less). I can't believe it's malfunctioning after only 3000 km. It seems to be a problem at low altitudes, and I suspect it's because the gasoline in Peru (84 octane) was a very murky color. It might have been a bad batch from a gas station near the desert, which was sparsely populated. After that, I tried 90 octane, but it didn't change, so I might try 95 octane next. If it doesn't work, I plan to take it to a TVS authorized dealer in Lima, where I can also get 95 octane (high-octane). In any case, I plan to change the oil there.
Today, I felt like I was ripped off for lunch. The old man seemed suspicious. There was no price list, so I guess it's unavoidable. It should have been around 200 yen, but I was charged 500 yen. It's a bit disappointing. I should have asked the price beforehand. Also, I should have left immediately if I encountered a suspicious-looking old man.
Originally, I planned to enter the mountainous area and move along the mountains to Huaraz. However, at a fork in the road, the gate was closed, and the road ahead was a dirt road, so I decided to run along the coast for a while before heading towards Huaraz. Google Maps navigation sometimes does this. It often suggests routes that are not major roads.
According to Google Maps navigation, the distance is 300 km, and it estimates 5 hours. I planned to leave around 8 am and arrive in the evening, which would take about 8 hours. I arrived roughly on schedule.
I have arrived in the town of Huaraz. The altitude is 3300m.
Tomorrow, I will cross a mountain pass at 5000m. (Actually, it was a little lower.)
I made a video of this section.
South American motorcycle touring: Peru - Trujillo to Huaraz by moomin
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm27662995
The accommodation here is as follows:
Hospedaje Casa Blanca
Single room: US$13, includes breakfast.
It's not bad for being in the town center, but it's difficult to get a motorcycle inside because of the steps. It might not fit a large motorcycle.
However, the motorcycle's engine output is unstable and shaky when the engine is at low RPM (4000 RPM or less). I can't believe it's malfunctioning after only 3000 km. It seems to be a problem at low altitudes, and I suspect it's because the gasoline in Peru (84 octane) was a very murky color. It might have been a bad batch from a gas station near the desert, which was sparsely populated. After that, I tried 90 octane, but it didn't change, so I might try 95 octane next. If it doesn't work, I plan to take it to a TVS authorized dealer in Lima, where I can also get 95 octane (high-octane). In any case, I plan to change the oil there.
Today, I felt like I was ripped off for lunch. The old man seemed suspicious. There was no price list, so I guess it's unavoidable. It should have been around 200 yen, but I was charged 500 yen. It's a bit disappointing. I should have asked the price beforehand. Also, I should have left immediately if I encountered a suspicious-looking old man.
Originally, I planned to enter the mountainous area and move along the mountains to Huaraz. However, at a fork in the road, the gate was closed, and the road ahead was a dirt road, so I decided to run along the coast for a while before heading towards Huaraz. Google Maps navigation sometimes does this. It often suggests routes that are not major roads.
According to Google Maps navigation, the distance is 300 km, and it estimates 5 hours. I planned to leave around 8 am and arrive in the evening, which would take about 8 hours. I arrived roughly on schedule.
I have arrived in the town of Huaraz. The altitude is 3300m.
Tomorrow, I will cross a mountain pass at 5000m. (Actually, it was a little lower.)
I made a video of this section.
South American motorcycle touring: Peru - Trujillo to Huaraz by moomin
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm27662995
The accommodation here is as follows:
Hospedaje Casa Blanca
Single room: US$13, includes breakfast.
It's not bad for being in the town center, but it's difficult to get a motorcycle inside because of the steps. It might not fit a large motorcycle.
South American motorcycle touring route change.
I am currently in the town of Huaráz, located in the mountainous region of Peru. However, this is not limited to Huaráz; the mountainous areas have been experiencing bad weather lately.
During this season, the western side of the Andes Mountains is often cloudy in the morning, and it seems that rain falls almost 100% of the time in the evening. The weather forecast has been showing rain every day. Therefore, in the mountainous areas, it is basic matter to move and sightsee in the morning.
Getting wet in the rain lowers my mood, and it is also a hassle to prepare rain gear. With this in mind, it seems that the areas around Machu Picchu and Cusco, as well as Bolivia, are also experiencing heavy rain. When I checked, it seems to be the case.
In addition, with my current schedule, it seems that I will not be able to make it to the Rio Carnival at the beginning of February. Therefore, I will postpone the areas around Cusco (including Machu Picchu) and reschedule to visit them during the early part of the dry season in April.
■Original schedule: Peru (Lima) → Nazca → Cusco → Bolivia → Chile → Argentina → Brazil
■New schedule: Peru (Lima) → Nazca → Chile → Argentina → Brazil → (Paraguay?) → Bolivia → Peru (Cusco) → Lima.
First, instead of going directly to Cusco, we will head south, explore the Nazca area, enter Chile, and skip Bolivia for now, aiming for the southernmost point.
After that, we will head to Brazil to see the Rio Carnival (early February), and then aim for Bolivia and Peru again.
This way, we will probably be able to make it to the Rio Carnival, and the areas around Bolivia and Cusco will likely be more sunny than they are now. The slight drop in temperature is a drawback, but I think a cold wind during the dry season is better than getting drenched in cold rain in the afternoon. Looking at the annual temperature, it doesn't drop much even though it's winter near the equator, so it's better to go during the dry season. Originally, it's a place with high altitude and it's quite cold even in summer. If it's cold in summer and we get rained on, it would be a disaster.
If that's the case, even if we go on an Amazon tour now, there's a high probability of getting rained on, and it's tight on the schedule, so we'll put it off for later. The standard route is to fly from Lima to Iquitos and take an Amazon cruise, but we might find something better if we go to Cusco or somewhere else.
Ultimately, whether or not we will travel through Central and North America by motorcycle is still under consideration, but either way, it's convenient to return to Lima, Peru, because we need to find air tickets to send the motorcycle to Central America or dispose of it in a city.
The airfare from Lima, Peru to Easter Island is about the same price as flying from Santiago, Chile. If we're sending the motorcycle, it will take about 1-2 weeks, so we can use that time to visit Easter Island or take an Amazon tour. In that sense, it's convenient to return to Lima. Therefore, this time we will pass through Lima without sightseeing much, and we will visit it when we return.
During this season, the western side of the Andes Mountains is often cloudy in the morning, and it seems that rain falls almost 100% of the time in the evening. The weather forecast has been showing rain every day. Therefore, in the mountainous areas, it is basic matter to move and sightsee in the morning.
Getting wet in the rain lowers my mood, and it is also a hassle to prepare rain gear. With this in mind, it seems that the areas around Machu Picchu and Cusco, as well as Bolivia, are also experiencing heavy rain. When I checked, it seems to be the case.
In addition, with my current schedule, it seems that I will not be able to make it to the Rio Carnival at the beginning of February. Therefore, I will postpone the areas around Cusco (including Machu Picchu) and reschedule to visit them during the early part of the dry season in April.
■Original schedule: Peru (Lima) → Nazca → Cusco → Bolivia → Chile → Argentina → Brazil
■New schedule: Peru (Lima) → Nazca → Chile → Argentina → Brazil → (Paraguay?) → Bolivia → Peru (Cusco) → Lima.
First, instead of going directly to Cusco, we will head south, explore the Nazca area, enter Chile, and skip Bolivia for now, aiming for the southernmost point.
After that, we will head to Brazil to see the Rio Carnival (early February), and then aim for Bolivia and Peru again.
This way, we will probably be able to make it to the Rio Carnival, and the areas around Bolivia and Cusco will likely be more sunny than they are now. The slight drop in temperature is a drawback, but I think a cold wind during the dry season is better than getting drenched in cold rain in the afternoon. Looking at the annual temperature, it doesn't drop much even though it's winter near the equator, so it's better to go during the dry season. Originally, it's a place with high altitude and it's quite cold even in summer. If it's cold in summer and we get rained on, it would be a disaster.
If that's the case, even if we go on an Amazon tour now, there's a high probability of getting rained on, and it's tight on the schedule, so we'll put it off for later. The standard route is to fly from Lima to Iquitos and take an Amazon cruise, but we might find something better if we go to Cusco or somewhere else.
Ultimately, whether or not we will travel through Central and North America by motorcycle is still under consideration, but either way, it's convenient to return to Lima, Peru, because we need to find air tickets to send the motorcycle to Central America or dispose of it in a city.
The airfare from Lima, Peru to Easter Island is about the same price as flying from Santiago, Chile. If we're sending the motorcycle, it will take about 1-2 weeks, so we can use that time to visit Easter Island or take an Amazon tour. In that sense, it's convenient to return to Lima. Therefore, this time we will pass through Lima without sightseeing much, and we will visit it when we return.