We arrived just after midnight and Abdul spent even more of his last money on 2 meals at a snack stand opposite the bus terminal, 2,50 Dollars each. The bus terminal closed for the night and we had to search for a place to sleep. My experience as a homeless led us to the hospital but the security did not want to let us inside. I appealed to his conscience and insisted for him to speak to the doctor on duty and ask for permission for us to enter and stay for the night. The hospital was completely fenced, had security and some benches underneath the roof, I wanted to stay here for the night. The doctor said yes and the security guided us to the covered parking area. The parking served as well as storage for old hospital furniture and at the end we had 2 beds, Abdul a regular First Aid bench and I a gynecological chair.

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I had an excellent sleep, nobody disturbed us in the morning and I slept until my brain took full control and remembered me of my situation and demanded for me to get up and move on. We asked for the way and walked out of town.

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Abdul had been travelling from Bolivia to Brazil to renew his passport and then via Manaus, Leticia, Bogota to Cartagena de Indias trying to catch a sailing boat to the Bahamas; he had sold his business in Copacabana at Lake Titicaca looking for a new job in the Bahamas but he had missed the sailing boat. He kept referring to having missed the sailing boat; he was very disappointed about that. He had sold his business for this one opportunity and had been late. During his journey he had not walked a lot, he was not used to walking and now he was complaining about the long 5 kilometer walk to the border.

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We arrived at the International Bridge; we left Ecuador, crossed the bridge and were in Peru. The border control did not bother; they were focused on the traffic. We had to change our remaining Dollars and I decided to walk back to Ecuador for a better rate and changed my remaining 12 Dollars for 36 Soles and spent the first Sol on a fresh pineapple juice.

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The border was in a rural and remote area, very little traffic and no chance to get a lift. We had walked already 5 kilometers from the hospital to the border and had to walk another 5 kilometers now from the border to the next village. Before we could have a break and rest a bit in the village I saw a truck that had just stopped to buy some drinks and so I ran immediately to the driver and asked him.

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First he refused, giving police controls as the reason but then he changed his mind and we climbed up onto the empty trailer and enjoyed 100 kilometers of extremely scenic nature up to the crossroads; I had to turn left, Abdul had to turn right.

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I was thirsty and I was at the crossroads in the middle of the desert; 3 or 4 houses and this drink and motor oil stand with a young boy sitting behind the refrigerator. I had to use 2 more Soles for a cold drink. I walked passed the crossroads to meet only the traffic really heading my direction and waited and waited and waited. I definitely had no more money for transport, I could not stop one of the buses, the vans or the communal cars, I had to wait for a lift. I had become patient and so far I have not had bad luck and had always reached my planned final destination. The car that stopped was a commercial car, but now that he had stopped and listened to my sad story he asked me in. We arrived at a toll station and the driver suggested for me to take the next chance for a lift right here; he would continue for just a few kilometers more and could then only leave me somewhere in the desert. I took his advice.

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The toll station was full with sales people with all kinds of food and drinks, I was a potential client and they offered me all their stuff but I had to reject and refer to my miserable situation. They were pretty amazed to see and spend some time with the German Gringo. The security in particular was extremely helpful and asked every truck and every bus.

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He was confident and assured me that I would catch one of the trucks all the way to Tarapoto today and I trusted him and left my luck in his hands. Time passed and after another hour in the heat the thirst was stronger than my decision to save money. The sales people had my favorite homemade Maracuja juice for 1 Sol and I had one and another hour later another one.

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I had put too much trust in the words of the security and had left it to him in a way to organize the next lift, the promised truck to Tarapoto. The toll station was a funny place, was secure, had food and drinks, still I did not want to stay here for the night. I had made quiet some kilometers already today but I thought I could have done more and I was still convinced to actually do more. I started again to lift my thumb but finally it was really the security who recommended me to kind of a pick-up/small truck who was empty and was heading home.

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I had my lift, I understood towards Olmos which was the next toll station. The toll stations would become my orientation, the street map above the toll station cabins would become my bible, my guide through the desert, my guide to the rainforest and to the city of Yurimaguas. I liked the open air lifts on the back of pick-ups or trucks, at least as long as it was nice warm and dry of course and this was the case this time again. I enjoyed very much being by myself in the back of this pick-up.

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I did not really understand the drivers comment about the distance or my final destination but after almost 2 hours just before a bridge over a river they stopped, they had to turn right onto a dirt track and recommended for me to take a taxi to ‘El Cruce’. I was more or less 20 minutes before Olmos, started walking while still trying to get another lift.

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I walked into the night thinking that the distance would not be too far but it was. I tried to get a lift but no chance, I asked several times for the way and I had to stay on the main road and continue up to ‘El Cruce’. I lifted my thumb and a local taxi stopped and invited me for the next 2 kilometers but I was still not at ‘El Cruce’. I lifted my thumb and the eldest truck still driving in Peru stopped and we drove up the hill at a speed of 15 kilometers and finally he really dropped me off at ‘El Cruce’. I walked to the agency for the bus tickets and sat down on the bench. I had walked probably a total of 15 kilometers but I had reached ‘El Cruce’.

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I was thirsty and had to spend 2 more Soles for a drink, I was not hungry and just needed to recharge the battery. I stayed on the bench until the agency closed at 23:00 hours and was not sure where to sleep. I wanted to be as close to the shop of Grandma, she was open the whole night. ‘El Cruce’ was obviously the crossroads of the 2 main roads outside Olmos but was not a part of the town anymore, ‘El Cruce’ existed of more or less 20 shops, 10 on each side of the road, a gas station and the agency for the bus tickets. I tried to sleep on the bench on the terrace of the shop of Grandma, right next to Grandma in her rocking chair and actually I managed for some time. Grandma was sleeping as well but her shop was still open and at some point in the early morning hours some truck drivers stopped and asked for a coffee. Grandma woke up, got up and served coffee. This was the time for me to look for a different place. The options were limited; I walked 2 shops down the road and just lay down in front of the shop right in the corner.

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For a small understanding of the days travel, I have included a Google Earth map. The red pins mark the locations I have stopped and taken pictures. At the bottom of the page you will find a link for all the pictures I have taken. The link will open in a Google+ Album.

Please click on map to enlarge!!!

See map and distances / Siehe Karte und Entfernungen / Ver mapa e distâncias / Ver mapa y distancias

0 km      Macara

50 km    Las Lomas

90 km    Tambogrande

125 km  Chulucanas

255 km  Olmos

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