Peru

Location:	Arequipa
Mileage:	15,800

We cross the border with ease. It is very quiet and we ride south to Chiclayo. It’s a ride across the Sechura Desert. There are no facilities on this road. No fuel, no services, no food or drink. This 130 mile stretch almost catches a few riders out, as they crawl into Morrope on only fumes. Riders are quite shocked by Northern Peru. The change is immediate. Life is obviously hard. Houses are straw mats in the desert, no water and no electricity. Rubbish is dumped on the edge of town and blows across the scrub, plastics clinging to the small thorny trees.

There is some relief in the small seaside town of Huanchaco. It’s on the coast and we get some blue sky before the normal low mists and fog swirl in and drop the temperatures so we need fleeces again for the first time in many weeks.

From here, we take the gorge road of Canyon del Pato. It’s pretty rough this year and roadworks on part of the section does not help as riders struggle over stretches of deep gravel and some sandy hairpins. We have four riders with passengers. Their efforts constantly surprise us, as they all make the canyon without dumping their passengers or bike on the ground. Maybe they don’t get too testosterone fired up, to rip up the road when their loved one is on the back. Everyone enjoys a cold beer in Caraz and then take Kevin out for birthday celebrations.

From here we take the tarmac road back down to the Pan Am, have a noisy night in the rough and ready town of Barranca, then battle our way around Lima in the rush hour, before making the relative calm of Nasca and at last, our first rest day since Colombia. The flight over the Nasca Lines turns a few green! We’ve been joined by two other GlobeBusters guides (Peter and Alan), who have arrived early for the Patagonia trip (it’s a standalone ride with ten customers booking for the five week stretch from Santiago to Buenos Aires). They spend time with Jeff the Van Man to try and sort out Paul’s bike, which gradually has been getting more problematic to start each day. They identify a problem with the starter motor, which is resolved and the bike now starts first time, every time.

We are now on the gringo trail of Southern Peru, taking in Cusco and Machu Picchu, Puno and Lake Titicaca and the white city of Arequipa. It’s the first time we have had contact with tourists for a long time and it also means that the quality of restaurants and accommodation improves too to cater for the mainstream holiday maker. We have only few problems to sort out over this period – a few riders are suffering from altitude symptoms and Jim’s bike has conked out. Between Van Man Jeff, Peter and Alan, we manage to get the one Suzuki V-Strom back on its feet and Jim is all smiles, narrowly escaping van riding until Santiago. It’s great that all the bikes are still rolling; the only time the bikes have ended up in the van is because the rider is not too good.

We have a final group meal in Arequipa to mark the end of Peru. Everyone is in high spirits. So far, so good.

Ecuador

Location:	Chiclayo
Mileage:	13,700

We have a bad border crossing into Ecuador. There is only one guy issuing bike permits, one computer and a bad internet connection. It sometimes takes him 45 minutes to do one permit and there are 20 bikes waiting. By the time he finishes, it is dark. We have 80 miles to ride to Otovalo and the final group does not make it in until 11pm. Everyone is pretty exhausted, but our hostess, Margaret is amazing, the fires are blazing and food and drink await. The difficulties do not dampen the smiles that we are now in our tenth country.

Ecuador is home to the Equator. This is a huge milestone for the group. There is much congratulation as the bikes line up on the equator line. We have all come so far and it is a very special time. This is our first time that we have led a group across the equator, thanks to riding in Colombia – now we are riding south over the mid-point of the earth and it feels different.

Ecuador is also tiny. It only takes us a few days to ride north to south, through Quito and down to Cuenca. From there we have some amazing mountain roads to get the border. For Nigel, it’s a bad day. He is caught out by a drifting vehicle, a tight bend and a little too much speed. Once again, we are lucky. He is hurting badly, is very bruised and his bike looks battered, but he manages to crawl into town. The next morning, he still climbs aboard the bike to continue the ride to the border. Riding all the miles is a non-negotiable for many.

Picture - The Equator: another milestone

Colombia

Location:	Pasto
Mileage:	12,500

Picture - Views from the roads in Colombia

Kevin and I last rode here in 2003. It was on the Trans Am World Record. We still have contacts with the local riders that helped us back then and all are eager to welcome the GlobeBusters team to Colombia. It is a huge event for BMW in Bogota too. Although some independent motorcycle travellers have been coming back to Colombia for a while, we are the first big group that they have had the opportunity to welcome and we attend a huge presentation, talk about the travels and GlobeBusters, and speak with the press.

It is the same in Medellin. Another enormous welcome from local riders, who come out in the evening to hear us speak, watch our films and are hugely happy that at last groups of riders are coming back to Colombia. They are so keen that we have a fantastic time in Colombia.

How can I describe Colombia? A country which retains a bad reputation, despite how security has improved over recent year. Two Colombians, Mauricio at Ruta 40 and his good friend, Carlos, accompany us on our ride through Colombia. They want to show us some of the smaller roads and some of the great places to take a break. Having such local insight is a massive bonus, as most stick to the main Pan American. There is no doubt that you do see a heavier military presence than in other countries, but this is good. It means that they are maintaining security.

The countryside and roads are some of the best we have ridden on. There are full days when the road are constant bends, tight, swooping through lush jungle landscapes, then as we push south through pine trees and then in the end, barren, brown desert. Everyone in our group is ecstatic at riding here. The landscapes, the people do not disappoint. The infrastructure is good, hotels are excellent, food is delicious.

We could not have had a better time here. We have been one the first of overseas motorcycle adventure companies to come back to Colombia and no doubt others will follow. . . .
 

Panama

Location:	Panama City
Mileage:	11,700

Picture - Bike freight

The first challenge of Panama is the second banana bridge. We ride around the corner and it is gone! There is a new bridge and the old one has been left to rot alongside it. Riders have a mix of relief and disappointment. So breeze over the new bridge and travel the beautiful road through Northern Panama, with sea views of Bocas del Toro and past tiny jungle villages. With only one night en route, we hit Panama City on Monday and get straight into the swing of bike freight.

The ride into Panama City takes us by surprise. Since we were here two years ago, the Panamanians have claimed around 300 metres of land into the sea, by building a completely new road into the bay! The Balboa Monument no longer looks over the sea but is in the central reservation. It takes some quick thinking to try and divert back to the hotel!

Freight is always an unpredictable beast. This time we have so many bikes, we have chartered our own plane for Bogota. But still it takes a hot and sweaty afternoon at the cargo airport to complete all paperwork and get Customs clearance for the export.

Panama City is always a milestone. We celebrate our achievement by going to a Panamanian folklore show and get ready for our flights to Bogota. There is palpable excitement. This would be the first Trans Americas group to ride in Colombia and we would be the first UK motorcycle tour company to take riders back into Colombia after a long period of overland travel being deemed too dangerous.

Costa Rica

Location:	Sarapiqi
Mileage:	10,900

Picture - Richard and Karen crossing the Costa Rica / Panama Banana Bridge

Beautiful and tropical Costa Rica. More developed than it's neighbours, and "americanised", with Burger King, KFC etc in many towns. Cars are more modern, but the roads are not. CR has some of the biggest potholes so far. Maybe its the heat, wet and humidity that plays havoc with road maintenance. Our first night is back on the beach, sandwiched between the palm trees and the ocean. The border had been horrific, with long delays issuing bike permits, so it was good to relax to the sound of crashing waves.
We then head for the central highlands and volcanoes. Arenal hides behind the clouds this year and it continues to be wet. And then we are stopped in our tracks again. An earthquake back in January had taken out the normal mountian road we use and so we had to do an impromptu diversion. Even this took us through the earthquake stricken region, as we slithered through roadworks, trying to rebuild the second road.

Costa Rica was proving to be more of a challenge than usual! But we all m ake it to the jungle lodge and more torrential rain. That's why it is the rain forest! The jungle clicks and buzzes around us and tiny brightly coloured poison frogs are dotted along the tropical walks. Most riders use their free day to go white water rafting or taking a swing through the jungle canopy.

Then it is border day! Everyone knows that the crossing involves two banana bridges - they have all seen The Ride DVD! These two rickety railway bridges always seem to claim a rider! Richard and Karen become the first riders to cross two up. Julia follows straight after (in 2004 she went down here, but now she's through!). Everyone tackles the challenge. Jim is the only one who struggles but he also makes it and we are all buzzing.

Its now Panama and the second banana bridge!

Honduras

Location:	Danli
Mileage:	10,100

Picture - Mountain roads in Honduras

It's tropical and sweaty in Honduras. We have a day off in Copan to visit the Mayan ruins, whilst Paul heads off to La Esperanza to return to a school that he helped years before as a charity project. Alas for Paul, his bike lets him down before he gets there. He manages to find local help and stays in a local hostal in San Juan, before being able to sort out the problem and meet us the following day.

Most of the dirt highland road in Honduras, has disappeared, except for a short 20 mile section of sharp rutted rocks. We bounce along it. Then its back to the Pan Am, a short stop for pizza, before the border town of Danli. The facilities aren't great and the hotel is basic. Three days in Honduras and despite the political instability, we see very little trouble. More military seem to be about than normal, but not giving us any hassle.

PS - The day after we left, ousted President Zelaya re-entered the country and all the fireworks kicked off again. We got out just in time!

Independence

Location:	Antigua Guate
Mileage:	9,700

Chichi is as delightful as ever and the riders wander through the Sunday market, but our departure the next day is delayed by the start of Independence Day parades closed the main road out of town. So we chill and watch the bands and dancers go by. It’s only 75 miles to Antigua anyway.

The main road is good. It’s been extended to dual carriageway and has perfect bends, but they are still working on it in places and you can find yourself back on the gravel. Antigua is beautiful. Lines of pastel coloured colonial houses, narrow cobbled streets all against a volcanic backdrop. We have two days rest here. The first day is spent joining in even more parades. The whole town is out waving flags, dancing, running the streets with flaming torches. It's a group evening meal tonight, which degenerates into a lining up shots of "Aguadiente de Guatemala" - the local firewater. At US$1 a bottle, it just couldn't be ignored!

Today some are nursing hangovers, the more energetic are climbing the volcano and others are just relaxing and getting done the jobs of the trip – laundry, emails, post. Honduras tomorrow.