Hotel Rio Verde Piura

... the road narrowed slightly. They simply sound their horn, several times, and you get out of the way. Well, that's the way it's supposed to work anyway unless the hard shoulder we're supposed to get onto is full of sand, or glass, or simply doesn't exist, in which case moving over is a bit difficult. Getting side swiped by a bus travelling at 80 kph isn't funny, a couple of them today came so close I did that sucking in my stomach and holding my breath thing that ...

... champion, teaches salsa, cooks well, is a cheecky chappy with the "Chicas", but is still a nice and humble chap.

2) Patricio. Rafting instructor. Isidro on speed. Managed to wind up and take the **** out of our girls for an hour and a half without them having any come-back except screams; a real achievement.

3) Brian. Worked at the Spanish School. Got 5 and 6 mixted up (in Spanish). Introduced himself as the "Master of Disaster" and could not have ...

... guide book got it spot on.

To kick things off and add to our anxiety, Peruvian security officials finger printed and then video taped each passenger as they entered the bus. These steps simply added to the anxiety that we and one other tourist were feeling about the trip ahead.

While the borders ended up posing no greater threat than an endless bureaucratic line, the customers raised their game to add ...

... the sink worked again, and he felt better, and we got on the bus to Chiclayo. Thankfully the bus ride was uneventful and Andy was fine until we found a hostel. That took a bit of walking around, as the ones listed in the Lonely Planet Guide book were either more expensive than listed, or just downright closed. The book did send us in the right direction to find a hotel, however, and we found a cheap place near the ...

... the rest of the morning with either my **** or face planted in the bog. At the clinic i was asked to give a sample but by that time i had nothing left in me. Spent the afternoon sleeping and watching telly and by 5 i was feeling pretty normal again. Thankfully it must have been food poisoning and not the dreaded parasite that matt and helen have been keeping as a pet. Out for dinner in the evening but i hadnt gotmy apetite back yet.

... a small group of jagged stone peaks covered in thousands and thousands of birds, crooning and swooping across the sea and sky. On the shore of the larger islands hundreds of sea lions basked in the sun and barked at each other and the passing tour boats. It was beyond imagination - one of the most amazing natural habitats we've seen. Our tour then took us to several beautiful vistas including a ...

... they already knew this). Aftersome time the grandmothers come and take them from us, and we get a kiss from the children, it was very sweet. The grandmother also took several photos of the whole thing so we are now famous in their family albumn. There is not much to do here, we could have caught a bus to the coast, but keen to get south. It ends up that we get stuck here for a couple of days as the buses to Lima are full!

Crossing the border from Ecuador into Peru came, the first town we came to shocked us both. The run down slum town, with awful stench of rotting rubbish and raw sewage, was a world away from the picturesque delights of Vilcabamba. Even our arrival in Piura left us a little anxious, as we passed rown upon row of very ...

... the bus driver anyway....so everyone had to wait. They were all really nice about it eventually! So here we are in Piura in the North of Peru, hanging out for the day till our flight to Lima, then we have one day there and fly to Cuzco. We're not exactly doing the tough budget trip this time so 2 flights instead of 30 hours on a bus sounded good. Particularly as that would probably turn into 40 hours with our current record!

... water to the sea perfect to swing, the colors to the sunsets all been good. after to takes the pictures in the hotel, in the night i goes to some bars in Mancora town, good ambient in the nigh, not to much people because is low season, but anyway the weather is horn, was good been there for some days. In ...