Tuesday I fly to Cusco and you may inform it’s vital as a result of flying is my least favourite journey possibility. We’ve settled in to the campground in Arequipa however I might be gone Tuesday morning till Thursday night.
My passport expires subsequent yr and it’s time to resume which is an effective factor anyway as my pages are filling up with stamps at an alarming price. I contacted the US consulate in Cusco, a 3 day drive from right here, and I’ve an appointment to drop off my utility Tuesday morning.
The method takes as much as six weeks to get my new passport again so we needed to get it began as shortly as attainable as we wish to get to Brazil within the dry season, late July or early August. The factor about northern Brazil, Amazonia, is the presence of lengthy stretches of grime roads and some river crossings and in wet season the grime roads are barely satisfactory by specialised arduous core off roaders by no means thoughts a closely laden supply van.
So our plan is to attend till it’s stopped raining and the street is dry to see if we are able to cowl the 250 miles of grime when they’re graded and arduous. To go now could be unimaginable and we’d need to take the paved street east to the capital and the seashores or take a barge down river for 5 days. We would be capable to barge to Manaus if they will match a 9 foot tall 4 ton van with the vehicles or maybe in the event that they’ll take it with the vehicles. Oh and Rusty. A number of questions on transport and we solely get solutions once we are on scene. Hopefully the street might be satisfactory and we shan’t need to ponder cowl journey proper in the beginning of Brazil.
Not many overlanders journey this route and the overlanders which have traveled right here should not very informative about how they coped so we must be taught as we go. Freeway 319 in Brazil on the paved part:
With all that in thoughts this cease in Peru to resume my passport is a chance out for Layne to fly house to go to household and pals in order that’s what she is going to do later. I wish to take a street journey collectively earlier than she leaves to see some sights after which quiet down to some weeks alone with Rusty ready for all the things to return collectively.
There are a number of different campers within the campground, a pair from Switzerland who’ve tales to inform about driving Africa, and are on the town to repair the rear axle of their Toyota Land Cruiser, a Brazilian couple who advised a narrative about breaking their trailer in the midst of nowhere whereas Sean from Colorado and his girlfriend Isadora from Brazil have a Bailey starter motor. And us. One minute the place is empty…
…and the following it’s not. We sat round I to the chilly night time speaking about life on the street and the enjoyable of being a nomad amid the tribulations. It was good to not have a damaged van not less than for now and to be amongst strangers who had been pals.