29 May - 13 June
Up bright and early to see the brokers. Hoping that all the effort in giving power of attorney had worked and I could collect the bike today. Arrived and my hopes were soon dashed. It appears the papers declaring the personal effects for my bike from the shipping line only arrived on Thursday and the Bill of Lading only changed on Friday. None of the customs clearance had started.
There was no progress on Monday but Tuesday was spent getting papers stamped ready for my personal possessions to be physically separated from the bike.
Wednesday finally progress. The customs official came with us today to the bike storage area and supervised the separation of the bike from the personal belongings! The bike box was opened the two pannier which contained all my personal belongings removed and the box was the nailed back up with my “effectos personal” put onto a pallet and shrink wrapped.
This was followed by more running around and stamps between the customs building and the storage area, then back to where my bike was stored on the docks. Met another customs official who came with us to the bike. The crate was opened again and the customs guy checked the bike serial number and issued temporary import document and associated sticker for the bike. The bike was then nailed back up into the crate and we left for the day.
The following day was back at customs running from window to window to get the bike released. The bike released but at 16:00. With a working law change in Peru, I would have to pay $30 per hour after 17:00 in overtime for people at the port… so the bike was left until the next morning.
That evening for light relief we went to see mission impossible 3! Obviously they would never take a mission in Peru as they would never get through Customs.
Meanwhile Mike´s new jacket and gloves had arrived in Lima, 3 days after leaving England !, however, as with all things in Peru there were to be problems releasing it. To cut a long story short there were all sorts of Peruvian questions as to whether Mike´s jacket etc were for to be for personal use as opposed to resale. We were both mentally exhasted by this time and whilst Mike tried to fight his corner, it was evident that the process would be extended by however long it could be and the storage charges would continue to mount up. He eventually had to pay approximately $150 to get his parcel out. Our friend who had recommended the broker Mike used was furious but Mike was just pleased to have his jacket and the process to be over.
Knowing I was going to get the bike today we arrived at the brokers at 8:30 with tools and bike gear. Once we arrived at the cargo storage area we waited for a while whilst more papers were stamped and finally we were able to go to the create. It was opened in a couple of minutes and the bike rolled off. We started straight away and the battery was reconnected, fuel added to the tank. A couple of turns of the engine and it started. 3 months doing nothing. The battery had also been standing for 3 months. With the bike running we re-inflated the tyres with the electrical pump and a quick test of the brakes etc and we were ready to go!
As I hadn’t ridden for so many months, the appalling driving around Lima and I didn’t know how the ankle would handle the weight, Mike was going to ride the bike back.
Now the bike was running Mike headed off to start the servicing and prep work on the bike for the next phase of the trip.
I went back into the brokers office and I waited for my passport to be returned as this was being used to get my personal effects out of customs for Monday.
We had arranged to take one of the owners Jaquin and another guy at the Hotel, Freddy, out for some dinner as they had been a great help to us during our stay. We went out for a quick Chinese and to see the latest X-man film. In the restaurant we ordered the beer to find out there was a ban on alcohol over the weekend as it was election time!!!!! After a bit of persuading we were given drinks in a glass but the bottles were not brought to the table. After the film we headed back to a local restaurant that knew us in the hope of getting some more beer. We were able to get beer but this was served on Mugs!
With the bike back the servicing continued. On top of that, I had a fork seal that had blown and some minor niggles I wanted to sort out. In all I spent the whole weekend servicing the bike and late on Sunday I had my first ride. Fortunately, it was like I had not been off it (Please no puns) and it felt great.
Monday of yet another week was upon us and I had high hopes to get my personal effects today. It was not to be. A computer entry issue on the weight of the boxes had been made which too two days to resolve plus arguments between two internal customs departments meant my boxes weren’t released to the last thing on Thursday.
So in total it took 3 weeks to release the bike and 4 for my personal effects…..
With all the gear now available we spent the next two days re-organising all of our luggage, sending more stuff home and giving even more away. We are now both down to one bag on the outside of the panniers holding the sleeping bed!
The bikes are all clean and ready to go...
Us with the guys at the Casa Nostra...
We could finally continue our trip and at 6 am Sunday morning we left for Cusco again. As this was the first full day on the bike for me we were going to take it easy and the whole route was paved. However the weather had something else to say. We left in rain which was followed by thick fog before breaking into sunshine around Ica.
A dust storm in the distance...
We had planned to stop at Hauchina to do some sand boarding which is just outside Ica. The route as always is unmarked and after a short detour up a sand track we found the town.
As we parked up Maya who we had met in Cusco the first time who were travelling on a motorbike with a side car appeared. This was closely followed by Beth and Reise who we had met at Lima came out for their new house and after a quick chat and a tour around the house we went and had lunch with Maya and Andy. By the time we had finished lunch it was around 4 pm.
Maya & Andy with the bike...
We still had a 100 or so miles to complete until we made it to Nasca which was our overnight stopping point. I didn’t fancy having to drive at night on the first day back so we left with the decision to complete sand boarding at another time. The next day we left on the Cusco road.
The views were great and there was good riding on twisty roads all day. All day we went from being really hot to really cold as we climbed up the mountains and back down into the valleys with the highest pass of the day at 4300m.
A herd of Llamas including the Peruvian flag attached to one!
By the end of the day we had made it just past the halfway point on the road for Cusco. A quick overnight stop in a very small town we were back on the twisty roads again. A few miles on the road we met a group of brits touring in a selection of Mercedes vans. After a quick chat and being fed cookies we were off again.
The roads switched back all the way to Cusco and by the end I was getting fed up with hairpin corners. But there are worse things to complain about. We finally arrived in Cusco at around 4:30 in the afternoon.
John
Up bright and early to see the brokers. Hoping that all the effort in giving power of attorney had worked and I could collect the bike today. Arrived and my hopes were soon dashed. It appears the papers declaring the personal effects for my bike from the shipping line only arrived on Thursday and the Bill of Lading only changed on Friday. None of the customs clearance had started.
There was no progress on Monday but Tuesday was spent getting papers stamped ready for my personal possessions to be physically separated from the bike.
Wednesday finally progress. The customs official came with us today to the bike storage area and supervised the separation of the bike from the personal belongings! The bike box was opened the two pannier which contained all my personal belongings removed and the box was the nailed back up with my “effectos personal” put onto a pallet and shrink wrapped.
This was followed by more running around and stamps between the customs building and the storage area, then back to where my bike was stored on the docks. Met another customs official who came with us to the bike. The crate was opened again and the customs guy checked the bike serial number and issued temporary import document and associated sticker for the bike. The bike was then nailed back up into the crate and we left for the day.
The following day was back at customs running from window to window to get the bike released. The bike released but at 16:00. With a working law change in Peru, I would have to pay $30 per hour after 17:00 in overtime for people at the port… so the bike was left until the next morning.
That evening for light relief we went to see mission impossible 3! Obviously they would never take a mission in Peru as they would never get through Customs.
Meanwhile Mike´s new jacket and gloves had arrived in Lima, 3 days after leaving England !, however, as with all things in Peru there were to be problems releasing it. To cut a long story short there were all sorts of Peruvian questions as to whether Mike´s jacket etc were for to be for personal use as opposed to resale. We were both mentally exhasted by this time and whilst Mike tried to fight his corner, it was evident that the process would be extended by however long it could be
and the storage charges would continue to mount up. He eventually had to pay approximately $150 to get his parcel out. Our friend who had recommended the broker Mike used was furious but Mike was just pleased to have his jacket and the process to be over.Knowing I was going to get the bike today we arrived at the brokers at 8:30 with tools and bike gear. Once we arrived at the cargo storage area we waited for a while whilst more papers were stamped and finally we were able to go to the create. It was opened in a couple of minutes and the bike rolled off. We started straight away and the battery was reconnected, fuel added to the tank. A couple of turns of the engine and it started. 3 months doing nothing. The battery had also been standing for 3 months. With the bike running we re-inflated the tyres with the electrical pump and a quick test of the brakes etc and we were ready to go!
As I hadn’t ridden for so many months, the appalling driving around Lima and I didn’t know how the ankle would handle the weight, Mike was going to ride the bike back.
Now the bike was running Mike headed off to start the servicing and prep work on the bike for the next phase of the trip.
I went back into the brokers office and I waited for my passport to be returned as this was being used to get my personal effects out of customs for Monday.
We had arranged to take one of the owners Jaquin and another guy at the Hotel, Freddy, out for some dinner as they had been a great help to us during our stay. We went out for a quick Chinese and to see the latest X-man film. In the restaurant we ordered the beer to find out there was a ban on alcohol over the weekend as it was election time!!!!! After a bit of persuading we were given drinks in a glass but the bottles were not brought to the table. After the film we headed back to a local restaurant that knew us in the hope of getting some more beer. We were able to get beer but this was served on Mugs!
With the bike back the servicing continued. On top of that, I had a fork seal that had blown and some minor niggles I wanted to sort out. In all I spent the whole weekend servicing the bike and late on Sunday I had my first ride. Fortunately, it was like I had not been off it (Please no puns) and it felt great.
Monday of yet another week was upon us and I had high hopes to get my personal effects today. It was not to be. A computer entry issue on the weight of the boxes had been made which too two days to resolve plus arguments between two internal customs departments meant my boxes weren’t released to the last thing on Thursday.
So in total it took 3 weeks to release the bike and 4 for my personal effects…..
With all the gear now available we spent the next two days re-organising all of our luggage, sending more stuff home and giving even more away. We are now both down to one bag on the outside of the panniers holding the sleeping bed!
The bikes are all clean and ready to go...
Us with the guys at the Casa Nostra...
We could finally continue our trip and at 6 am Sunday morning we left for Cusco again. As this was the first full day on the bike for me we were going to take it easy and the whole route was paved. However the weather had something else to say. We left in rain which was followed by thick fog before breaking into sunshine around Ica.
A dust storm in the distance...
We had planned to stop at Hauchina to do some sand boarding which is just outside Ica. The route as always is unmarked and after a short detour up a sand track we found the town.
As we parked up Maya who we had met in Cusco the first time who were travelling on a motorbike with a side car appeared. This was closely followed by Beth and Reise who we had met at Lima came out for their new house and after a quick chat and a tour around the house we went and had lunch with Maya and Andy. By the time we had finished lunch it was around 4 pm.
Maya & Andy with the bike...
We still had a 100 or so miles to complete until we made it to Nasca which was our overnight stopping point. I didn’t fancy having to drive at night on the first day back so we left with the decision to complete sand boarding at another time. The next day we left on the Cusco road.
The views were great and there was good riding on twisty roads all day. All day we went from being really hot to really cold as we climbed up the mountains and back down into the valleys with the highest pass of the day at 4300m.
A herd of Llamas including the Peruvian flag attached to one!
By the end of the day we had made it just past the halfway point on the road for Cusco. A quick overnight stop in a very small town we were back on the twisty roads again. A few miles on the road we met a group of brits touring in a selection of Mercedes vans. After a quick chat and being fed cookies we were off again.
The roads switched back all the way to Cusco and by the end I was getting fed up with hairpin corners.
But there are worse things to complain about. We finally arrived in Cusco at around 4:30 in the afternoon.John
