Good and bad things happened  and in the end all is good. It is only the way what you are going to do with the situation!! And how you say under travelers, travelling is changing plans.

From Tena and the hot jungle we went again in the mountains to Cuenca, where we could arrange some things. It is a beautiful city and a safe parking place for the motorbikes we found as well in the hostal. From Cuenca we went over Loja to Villcabamba. In that hostal relaxing is very easy. And for all bikers - these route is absolutly fantastic. You are riding between 2300 and 3400 m through mountains and the longest straight road is maybe 500 m and that for 250 km :-)))). From there we went to Peru. From Villcabamba goes a street to Peru. We wanted to ride it, but after a few km of gravel, than dirt and because of the rain finally mud, so we decided to turn around because the working staff at a building place said, it is going to be worth and we would have had 160 km before us. So we just went to the next border to Macara.

Slide show to watch the pictures in a bigger format

                                     
Left: The hostal lobby as garage - it can´t be more secure.
Reight: And when you are in South America you have to try it - guinea pig.

                                     
Merry christmas to all. We know now, why lots of travellers do no writing postcards. After thinking to all, who wanted to have one - 84 postcards. That is not the problem, but at the post office we got 168 stemps -  HÄÄÄ. To Europe it is 2,60 USD and he only had 2 and 0,60. And than the collegue behind the desk said 178 USD - UFFF. Anyway we already wrote the postcards, so we will send them. But certainly it will be the only postcard. You have to think, in Equador you get a meal for 2,60 USD - enjoy your meal!

                                     
The way to Villcabamba.                                                                           Our favourite bench at the hostal.

 View from the bench.

                                     
Left: On the way to Peru. A mixture between dirt, dust and rain, that is no fun
Right: On the way back the boys installed a 1,5 m wide and 8 m long tube. We asked how long they will need and one of them said till 15:00 h hää. It is 11:00 h now and it is raining. So we improvised and built a house.

                                     
Camping at the river                                                                                  At the Equadorian border 

                                     
In Peru                                                                                                     And now everyone is wondering ???? Two kilometers after the border in Peru a pig crossed the road and than suddenly decided to turn around and run straight into Christines front wheel. Because of the accident Christine broke her wrist. The Peruian police brought us in the next hospital in  Equador. The doctor said, it will lst about 4 weeks and gave her two injections and a cast. For all we paid 30 USD. The motorbikes were standing at the poice station at the border.

                                     
Left: At the following day we found in Equador someone who would bring Christines bike to Piura about 180 km. But when we uploaded the bike the peruian taxi driver started screeming and made a big hastle. So we found out, that for equadorian cars it is not allowed to services like that. But the peruian guys only had combis ad they wanted to lay my bike in the back of their cars - no thanks.
Right: We had enough. So we packed all luggage at the Transalp and with Christine on the back we went to Piura. Riding on a spunge must be similar, the bike was so overloaded

                                     
The police men, who brought us to the hospital.                                       Tobi at the bus terminal in order to pick up the AT.

                                     
and Christine organized cartons                                                                  and sometimes you need luck

                                     
Left: At the hostal we had to repack everything, because we just have now half of the space and we still want to camp.
Right: So what should we do nown. Over the Das Motorrad Reise Forum and Horizons Unlimited we sent a “help us” message, if there is someone where we can park the bike for 4 weeks. And we found some help in Lima. The guys from Lima Moto Club helped us at once and offered us a safe place for my bike. Now we had to find out how do we get the motorbike to Lima. Around the corner of our hostal we found the company “Linea Transport” There we inquired, of course we are shipping motorbikes was the answer :-)))) After they saw the bike the prize rose - propably they thought it would be a  125 - from 200 to 280 Soles, but 70€ for 1000 km and it can be at their company in Lima for a while :-)). The only problem was we had to pack it. Ok, others are packing christmas presents and we Christines motorbike

                                     
Ready to get transported.                                                                        Now we are travelling on the Afrika Twin together

                                     
Sights you won´t find at the street,                                                             The streets are pretty straight in that part of Peru but lots of rubish.

                                     
Left: Hostal Swiss in Truchillo
Rights: Chan Chan is the worldwide biggest city built with adope, but the Spanish destroyed the city around 1500.

                                     
On the way to Huaraz in the Cordillera Blanca. It is ab absolutly fantasic area and the streets are similar bad.

Camping place

                                     
What a view, and there it was quite cold - 3°C - at over 4000 m

                                  
Left: After the Transalp arrived in Lima we luckily found out, that only the screen and the lamp mask was defect. The right cover of the panier had a transport demage. Because we are in South America and not at home you just have to now where to go. The guys from Lima Moto Club especially Rodrigo and Jorge helped us a lot. In a “motorbike workshop” we could get the lamp mask and the cover of the panier fixed. At the screen they just changed the glas and glued the new one in the old holder.
Reight: We just went to the next transport company, because Trans Linea only delivers to the northern part of Peru. At CRUZ DEL SUR the Transalp had to go on the scale. And on time on the 24th for christmas we packed the good Transalp and sent it to Arequipa. There she has to wait till Christines wrist is ok again in order to ride to Chile.

Merry Christmas from Peru - Tobias and Christine!

                                     
Left: They invited us to the Christmas party from Lima Moto Club. It was funny even if we did not understand so much.
Reight: Left to reight: Gino, the boss of the mechanic shop; Rodrigo, where we could stay and he organized the contact to the club; Jorge, he helped us in the city and mechanic shop to organize parts.

Some impressions from the road:

                                     
One lock would be ok or?                                                                         One piece pork for lunch.

                                     
Taxi??? I just can not see any houses in the dessert

                                     
Crane? good handwork stone for stone

                                     
Sugar cane on the way

                                     
Pothole or crater?