After my rear suspension repair, several options were presenting themselves to me. I had the possibility of returning north to visit the places I had missed, having to go as directly as possible to Santiago (Cusco, Bolivia, northern Argentina), but my heart was just not there and going back several thousand of kilometres was not something I was enthusiastically considering.
I had to cross Peru and Northern Chile fast to get my suspension fixed. I was nevertheless hit by major cultural differences and modern infrastructure.
I don’t leave Peru by choice. My bike’s suspension issues pushed me southward where it will undergo major surgery in Chile! Sand and wine to wrap things up!
A bad navigation decision got me badly isolated. The high altitude path that I got stuck on, even if spectacular, became a very chilling challenge.
Ecuador was a contrast from Colombia. Multiply this by 10 and you get the feeling I got when entering Peru! It was dusty, hot, poor, noisy, busy… And fun!
The past days were spent visiting the great cities of Cuenca, doing an incredible hike on a water filled crater, and driving the curvy roads of Ecuador.
I made it to the center of the world, Ecuador! As soon as I entered the country, I was struck by the contrast in scenery and the high quality of the roads.