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Traveler The Long Way Home

Day 148

A day in Lima

September 10, 2022 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

A 9 hour sightseeing marathon in Lima. The carved wooden balconies of the houses in the old city strongly reminded me of Jeddah.
I was chatted up by an indigenous guy who convinced me it was time for me to try the Peruvian national drink, the Pisco sour, and some coca leaves to give Mr endurance for some more sight seeing. Don't know if it helped, but who knows, perhaps I had broken down on some board walk had I not chewed then...Read more

Traveler The Long Way Home

Day 154

Bad thing come in threes

September 16, 2022 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

I am having a streak of bad luck.
First my breakdown on my way back down from the Laguna 69, which resulted in a 2-day workshop tournament, as they as well discovered some fault on my axle joints. They took everything apart, cleaned, greased it…. Great job guys! But unfortunately, they did not get the wheel alignment right, so I had 2 more workshop stops to get that resolved. Then I happily continue my journey, thinking everything is hunky dory when Lola overheats on a level road. In the middle of the desert. I check, nothing wrong with the fluid levels. As just before the next bigger town a mountain awaits to be climbed. No way I get up there, so I have to stop in the next village to find a mechanic. I have seen all sorts of workshops, small, large, tidy, messy, but this really beats it. Messy as!!! This does not fill me with confidence, but, what choice do I have!?
He quickly diagnoses my problem, the radiator fan is defective. He is trying to order a new one.
In the meantime I take Rexel for a walk, up a steep hill, strewn with rocks. Now he has the idea to chase a cat. We continue our walk, I wonder why he is walking quietly beside me, this hardly ever happens. At one stage he shows me his hind leg, I check the paw, but cannot find a thorn or anything else. So we continue on.
Once back at the van he starts to lick his leg. I check and find this very pronounced lump. Without hoping, I ask the mechanic if they had a Vet in the village. He immediately opens his phone, and 2 minutes later he tells me the vet would arrive at my van. How’s that for a service? The vet later thought it might be a fracture in the tibia of Rexel’s hind leg due to a big lump on his bone.
Good thing is, we can stay in Lola, parked outside the workshop. Once the car is finished, hopefully, tomorrow, on Sunday, we go back to Ica to attend to the animal clinic on Monday. He might require surgery…. Okay, it’s only a 2-hour drive, no problem for a car with a functioning cooling system. If it is not ready, I will have to take a taxi. Will be nice to be transported for a change. And until then no walks. I don’t really know how I will tell my dog this.
They say bad things come in threes. Well, I am down three, so let the good times happen!
PS: during surgery one of the screws from his previous accident was removed as it protruded far out of his bone, and in addition a 3cm long thorn.Read more

Traveler The Long Way Home

Day 158

Nazca Lines

September 20, 2022 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

Today, on my way to Cusco I drove past the Nazca Lines. These geoglyphes are believed to date back well past 2000 years. Some of them are so large, they can be seen from space. To create them the loose rocks are taken so the lighter earth beneeth can be seen. As it does hardly ever rain and there is no vegetation these remained in good health ever since. They are assumed to have been created for ceremonial purposes.Read more