Monday 21st April 2025 Chiclayo to Olmos
Really nice meal in a posh restaurant last night, felt we needed spoiling, bit of a steak place, so the guy was a bit confused, but managed to get a lovely salad, with all the trimmings and a big bowl of chips, in my element, Bingo had some meat thing not sure but he enjoyed it, I was concentrating on getting my salad, happy days. Enjoyed the walk home through the back streets of Chiclayo, stopped to get some yogurt and chocolate cake for pudding, lovely.

Nice little 64 miles tomorrow, breaking of the Pam Am highway and heading inland to the Ecuadorian border should cross in to Ecuador on Thursday all being well, today we are heading for a small town Olmos, few hotels / hostels so we should be ok for digs, worry about that later, got to get there first.

Navigated out of Chiclayo, relatively easily, cause we booked the the digs on the right side of town, getting good at this now! The road is single carriageway with a decent hard shoulder so not to bad, just get a bit leary when you go through the small villages, as the road just disappears on to the ripo for a short while, most of the traffic is fine, just the taxis and put- puts that are weaving in and out all the time and just stop right in front of you! Just give them a smiley face and carry on.

The scenery is getting a lot greener now, even rained a little, nothing serious just a few drops, but a lot more humid now, can even hear the birds in the hedgerows, makes a very pleasant change after all the corporate agricultural land we have been through, sure they insecticide everything as do not see any birds, wildlife or even insects as you cycle through mile afte mile of cultivated fields all heavily fenced off, with big warning signs, very peculiar, but certainly not good. So good to have the insects buzzing about us again, hopefully be back on the wildlife spotting again.

Doing well today, just turning over the pedals, part of a rest day, taking in the sights, little ice cream and soft drink stop just outside Illimo, both feel good, sun is breaking through and getting very hot, put on the sun screen and sunglasses, then end up with sun screen in my eye, all good just wash it out with half of my water, it was fine, just me being a drama queen again. with less than 20 miles to go, who needs water!

Last 8 mile just a little climb, only about a mile, but pretty steep, feels good going up these now, at low altitude, really easy, but we both know we will be hitting the mountains again pretty soon bring them on.

Just breezed into Olmos, little race with a young lad, was not going to let him win, had the country to think off, gave him a high five for his efforts though,. Soon at the dig, was in the fridge before we booked a room, bit cheeky , but was very thirsty, all sorted including the tab behind the bar.

Nice relaxing afternoon, little swim in the pool and half a pizza in the bar over the road, with a few cold ones, what a holiday.