Day 120: Talara to Pacasmayo, Peru

Buenos!
A day of contrasts today. We were up early as usual in our flash hotel and packed up before breakfast and then on the road. We had to travel down a side road to the Panamericana through the posh sector and past a squatters' village






and the airforce base. No one has told me what this aircraft is yet?



Then we were on the road inland to Sullana and Piura. It was a good straight very straight road! And reasonable quick.



With some amazing scenery on the side as if the beach dunes had marched inland.






Sudden contrasts between barren and green.






We managed to bypass both of the big cities and that took us out to the desert proper. It was quite pleasant really - the temperature was around 24C and the road surface was good so we sat on around 100kph all the way. There was quite a head/cross wind though that sent my fuel consumption up to around 5.7 litres per hundred kms. We were on the lookout for sand drifts across the road but there were none. Phew!









After about 90kms we stopped for a pee and a stretch. Because of the wind I stopped under a tree which had these amazing flowers.



Kiwi checked out the sand. Hmmmm ... He didn't like it much.



Then this German cyclist appeared. He had done 100kms in five hours and was looking to sleep the night in his tent in the desert. He had been on the road alone for a number of years travelling, including NZ and Australia!



Good luck to him! But not for us thanks.

The fuel gauge was twitching by the time we rode into Chiclayo and battled our way through heavy traffic. Then we came across this amazing cafe which was offering a lunch buffet for 42 soles - about $NZD20! Shirley went mad with the camera.

Kokoda....



Avacado with shrimp.



Duck.



Tamales.



And one for Frances.



And a proud dessert chef.



On the spot griller.






And so we left replete and very quickly we were back in the desert again.



And suddenly back into green gardens.



And back to desert again.



At about 4pm we decided we had had enough and turned off to a beach front town called Pacasmayo. It took us a wee while to find the hotel advertised on a huge billboard at the turnoff but eventually we found it. We parked the girls as usual in the hotel foyer.






and went up to our rooms. While we were there a funeral procession went by below.



We went for a walk along the waterfront and out along the wharf.



Complete with pelicans roosting in a dinghy.



And a kiwi paddling in the surf.



Shirl took some photos of the sun as it set into the sea.



And that folks is about that. A good distance today and now we are tired. We have had a light dinner and a beer and that will do us. Another big day tomorrow.

Good night. Po marie.

Today's run: 422kms
Cumulative: 29,285kms
Tipovers: 7

Location:Pacasmayo, Peru