So this morning in the garage next to the hotel decided to clean my chain again. Looks good and feels good to me too, so it will keep running for a while :) then checked the tire pressure, front tire was low and the back almost flat. WOW!!I looked over if there was a nail or something in the tire and could not see anything. I pumped it up, and started thinking what to do.
Sooooooo….decided to have my breakfast and wait. After a breakfast I can think better. Early breakfast here is 8 or 8:30 am. Coffee bread and ‘huevos revueltos’ scrambled eggs and jelly, butter and a ‘Juguito’ a fruit juice. That keeps me going for a while.
After breakfast I checked again my tire pressure and was holding up. Still I asked the receptionist if there was a tire repair shop nearby. There was one on my way South…..so decided to stop there and ask if they could look if there was something in there I could not see. To the repair shop was only a few km and we checked again the pressure there and it was still holding. The young fellow let me hold the bike to the side so he could roll the tire and there was nothing to see. I decided to risk it and continue my trip. After 50 km or so I stopped at a gas station and checked one more time and the tire was OK. I think some where someone decided to deflated my tire, because I can not find any other explanation. The valve was NOT leaking so continued my journey to Chimbote.
I also had my second encounter with the police…..yes I was passing a double line to get by one of those very slow little trucks. Ooooops….!!!…Busted….He indicated to stop on the side of the road.
I stopped my bike, lifted my helmet before the officer walked to me and said politely when he approached, …good morning and waited…..in the mean time I was taking my gloves off and the officer when stretching his hand out I shared his hand with a nice smile.. He looked at me and said where are you going? ….responding..to the next larger town Chimbote….. some silence….he asked now….are you riding with a partner?….no I am alone! with a nice smile………hmmmm he said surprised….then shaking negatively his head, you have been passing where it is forbidden.. I did not know quickly what to say but something as yes sir, but tried hard to stay in the same line…..and lifted my shoulders a little bit showing my guilt. I could clearly notice he was thinking which decision to take fine me or not…I turned my head now to the another officer approaching just to give him some time to think…may be a chance to show that Peruvian police are good guys….. also I had noticed that the second officer had been looking at my license plate…..and politely created him…’muy buenos dias’.He saw my hanging camera grabbed it and made a gesture of taking a picture with it. I mentioned I like to take pictures with it,then I asked laughing….. can I take a picture of you? He moved away so I did not do that.He stretched his hand out also and I did as well.So now looking back to the first officer….he was smiling…I did the same and finally he said:..... you be careful hmmmmm....you may continue, have a nice trip.He did not ask for any papers or drivers license so I was happy to be off the hook and no fine.
Arrived to Chimbote, it was Saturday, after getting to my hotel, I took the experience to take the ‘Collectivo’ a regular car with a illuminated sign on the roof with a number. I need #3 they told me in the hotel. Those cars have the function like a bus, but can only carry 4 people excluding the driver. You stand at a corner wave your hand, hop in with the people and say where you want to go. They drop you off at the corner, you need pay 1 Sol (35 cents of a dollar) and done. There are so many of those collectives so you just wait a few seconds. and you are on your way. That was my fun experience. Finally I got to see the beach ‘Playa’ which was a rock shore with a kind of boulevard.
There where large amount of fishing boats ankered in the bay, due to a rest day, or may be they go out in the evening. I do not know that.
What do people do on a resting day. People walk and the boulevard was full of people because a nice breeze from the sea feels very refreshing. If there is a shade they sit and watch. Youngsters hang out in small groups and giggle, young couples walk hand in had or kiss. The average life here has not so many modern influences, even if they watch TV the traditions keep on. Of course you see the teenagers and older youngsters in a restaurant glued to their cellphones, I observed 2 guys versus two girls. The guys almost had no conversation, I think they communicated by phone….:) The girls where checking their phone often but had a lively conversation. Older people had no phone that I saw. Many questions remain unanswered of course.
Came back to the hotel again with a ‘Collectivo’ and in a cool place to write and read and prepare for the next day of riding.
Where to go next? :)
———————————