Good Bye Peru

I am writing this bit in Toronto, Canada.
It has now been some time since we left Peru. I am looking back and many people ask me “Well, what do you think of Peru?” I am puzzled as to how to answer the question. You should definitely go to Peru if you have never seen it. The trip we took was very educational, we learned a lot about the country, about the culture, the heritage, and the way of life in Peru. Having been exposed to many places in the world and seen various daily routines, I can say Peru is a good country to live in. Of course, it is not as rich as it would like to be, or even as educated as it could be, but it is a country where the inhabitants can be proud to live. No, I am not sorry I missed Machu Picchu. I found it somehow fitting that I travel and do not see or do the ‘usual’ things.
Looking back now, I find that the Jungle Tour was the most outstanding. There is just no way to ride a motorcycle thru this mud and vegetation. Roads are necessary and no matter what the riding skill level is, I do not understand how Helge Pedersen (www.globeriders.com) rode his bike thru the Darien Gap. Very unbelievable if it had not been for the pictures he brought back and published in his book ’10 Years on Two Wheels’. I take my hat off to him. Naturally, I had heard about the Inca Empire before I visited Peru but I was not aware how sophisticated the culture was until I saw the buildings and walls, the way cities were planned and the way food was collected and stored. The vast organizational setup and talents of the past, the power, and the knowledge can and must be seen to be appreciated.
So, yes, by all means, visit Peru. It is necessary to see and should be on everybody’s Bucket list. Carol and I took the trip to Peru without a bike to see ‘if’ we could ride our bikes all the way from Canada to Argentina. We thought Peru would give us an idea as to what we would experience while riding in South America. I can report that yes, riding in South America is not a problem. With the right precautions, finding shelter each night and getting enough fuel, it is not too difficult to ride and Carol and I are thinking further about taking the trip down to Tierra de Fuego. Meanwhile, we also know we are getting older and there is just so much more to see in the world, so many continents to visit, so many experiences to collect that we are running a race against time. Our friends Jean and Ross Copas just bought two KLR’s 650 and are preparing, along with friends of theirs, to do just such a trip. They are planning to ride from Canada to Tierra del Fuego. They will leave in October 2010, having planned a visit to Antarctica in January of 2011. I will see how their travel goes before I commit myself to riding this distance. Carol and I are preparing to visit Europe again starting in May of this year. Our bikes are already waiting for us in Heidelberg. I will write more blogs once we are there.