Wednesday 23rd April 2025 Chulucanas to Sullana
St Georges Day, not that they celebrate that here in Peru, maybe Paddington bear does, but not met him yet and it’s our last full day in Peru!

Went for an Amazonia meal experience last night, actually all ok, lovely girl spent the time with us to explain all the dishes, quite difficult with the vegetarian option, but fair play to her we got it sorted and it was very nice. Bit disappointed with the cake situation though, supermarket had none, well that’s not good.

Still hitting the road early, with the nice early morning cool breeze, smash some miles out while I am still asleep, that’s the game plan, by the time I wake up half the rides gone, especially this morning on a 50 odd mile sprint to Sullana, about 25 miles from the Ecuadorian border.

Easy riding, through the green pastures, though it is getting a bit dryer in places now, quite exciting as we had to ford a couple of rivers in the morning, only about a foot deep, still good fun, cools the feet down that’s for sure. Then we came across a bridge that had been demolished by the flood last year, luckily they had mad a little bypass up and over the river, all good fun on the ripo road though a foot of water, made it without falling off, so quite pleased with my little self. Little flash back to a ride, not too long ago, with the effervescent Jonny Stevens, I can’t pedal through that as Bingo and I sailed through it majestically, we never ever let him forget it!, so glad he has recovered from his little mishap on the bike, happy riding in the summer Jonny, see you for a ride later. Though the bikes do need a decent clean, can feel the dirt and sand grinding, not good, will clean then a bit this afternoon.

Just taking in the sights, birds singing in the hedgerows, the odd massive lizard ventures out to say hello, then scuttles away, back to its little bolt hole, wandering what two idiots from Sunshine Corner are doing out these parts, well that’s what I am imagining. Stopped for a soft drink and a coffee in a little place Las Monicas, they had only just opened, but very willing to serve us, nice little stop, as we are in no rush today.

We amble through the miles with not a care in the world, up and down the rolling hills, few lemon orchards (or are they groves who knows), then grape vines, what a cycle route, lovely little restaurants dotted about the vines, enticing the tourist in, obviously far too expenses for us, so we tumble through, heading for the dusty delights of Sullana, it never disappoints as you enter the town, first the bit of rubbish, then the sandy side stream, where the taxis and the 3 wheeler put-puts set down, that’s chaos, then it settles down for a while, before the big rush to the town centre, all scary, but just pedal now, horns beeping keeping your line, with a little bit of Anglo Saxon terminology escaping my lips, when they get a bit close, but manage to escape through, with the tiniest of gaps.

Feels good when you see a place to stay, let’s try that, all in so easy, bikes out in the courtyard, hose pipe all ready, we just go for something to eat first, hoping the staff will clean the bikes, that’s what used to happen in days gone by, whatever happened to valet parking, probably have to pay the extra pound, that isn’t going to happen.

Nice afternoon cleaning the bikes (Bingo) me saying I am writing blog, but to be honest getting hammered by the pool, trying to scrouge some words from my lucid brain, with wild and wonderful thoughts falling through the empty space, sure I can get a song out of that!

Ended up with the Smiths, the miserable git, but good wordsmith (no pun intended), this Charming man, Punctured bicycle on a hillside desolate, then just cherry picking the lyrics ‘that someone so handsome should care’ just makes me smile, sums me up, the desolate guy on a mountain side wow he is so handsome in my dreams. but makes me get those extra miles in.

Good night think I need to eat.