#68 25,000 kilometres - Reece

With the border into Ecuador fast approaching we passed the 25,000km mark. Our journey began on a concrete parking lot outside the airport at 0km; passing cotton floating through the air like snow at 1,000km;  passing fields of sunflowers all staring at us at 10,000km. And now, some might say against odds, on a Peruvian highway cruising along, we passed 25,000km. 

We crossed this shortly afterwards,
 notice how the edge becomes a waterfall

From having visited 2 countries at 10,000km, we have now visited 7 (it takes a while to list them). EVERYTHING has kicked up a notch. It went from being a road trip to becoming an adventure. Our bike has taken us so far, to so many amazing places. But it has also tested us - Driving through thick mud with only mud ahead. Driving through sand so deep, Charlotte walked quicker beside me. Driving on a narrow gravel road along a cliff's edge, only to then come to a tricky river crossing.

What I will remember the most is the people we have met and seen. Outside Sucre, Bolivia by this little natural pool, I met an old man with no teeth and a wide grin plying me with mystery alcohol sourced from a large plastic bucket and served by a shot glass (the same glass used by everyone). During which, we both tried in vain to talk to each other (it is one thing understanding Spanish, another understanding Spanish from an old man with no teeth).

Another time in Bolivia we attended a small town festival down the road from where we were working. This tiny village filled with families all dancing and talking. They kept trying to feed us free food and alcohol, (again from buckets and shot glasses) - not taking no for an answer. This community welcoming us and not expecting anything in return, all the more significant when you consider how little money they have. The music sounded like terrible karaoke but we had a great time.

The only traffic at times

In Argentina, when we were camping people would see our little camp cooker and small pot of pasta, stare in disbelief at how little food we were eating and then bring over large cuts of meat to share with us – some of the best meat I have ever tasted.

A local helping set up our bike for a blessing

In Chile, we went out to dinner with a one eyed Chilean guy Charlotte had met who hailed from a town with less than 800 people. We could hardly understand him, he could hardly understand us but we had a great meal together where we ended up sharing a few rounds with some police officers next to us. 

But I can't talk about the people of South America without including the two most important 'P's, - Parades and Protests – it's magical to stop in a tiny town of about 500 and have over 1000 people in elaborate costumes dancing down the road - from belly dancers, to drummers, to mysterious creatures.  Not so magical when you're woken at 5am by a marching band playing for a school parade that decides to start the celebrations early - but no one complains or tells them to stop.

Pedestrians only on the main road

It's magical to witness a capital city shutdown , cars unable to drive because of large buses blocking the way, leaving a huge city made entirely of pedestrian only streets and mobs of police watching idly by. Not so magical when the only dirt road out of the tiny town you are staying in is blocked with tree trunks, dug out trenches and fires. 

But through all this I'm reminded by what a friend said to me, 'No matter where you are in the world, people are the same. Everyone like to drink a little, dance a little and most importantly have a good time' and I can't agree with the sentiment more.

The bike has allowed us to see many awe inspiring things, but also given us many challenges. But what is amazing is how we've overcome everything – Stuck in a small town, it's after 9pm, it’s dark and cold and it’s Easter Friday and there's nowhere to stay. Or an even smaller town, where the only place you can stay denies you because you broke their entrance with the bike. Or getting towed by a taxi through thick mud in the dark (night-time is a regularly theme here).Or filling up with petrol in another tiny town and then the motorbike won't start . I could keep going if you wanted. But if these problems have taught me anything, it's that no matter how difficult a challenge, we got through it. I could be confident that no matter what happened, it would get sorted, even if at the time you could not see how. 

We let her test the depth first

We weren't the only ones getting stuck

I'll finish with one more thing, maybe the thing I'll miss most about the trip when it's over. It’s being packed up and on the road by 8.30am. It is 9.30am now and we are out the town and into the countryside or winding up some mountain pass. A day of driving is before us but with so much time ahead I'm not worried about getting there,  just about living the moment. I'm not uncomfortable yet, I can relax and take it all in, the sights, the sounds, the serenity. No sign of human life, just the world spread out before me. Alone with my thoughts, I might be considering some philosophical problem, or simply wondering what happened to Toby from 'West Wing' (more of the latter). During a typical workday I would see 9.30am and think I have a whole day of hard work ahead. But on the bike I have a day ahead to enjoy life, a day to appreciate, a day to discover.