Interaction with the locals

Everyone here in Peru is just thrilled to see the Dakar Rally come to their country. The headlines in all the newspapers talk about Peru in the eyes of the world and they all love it.

Every time we stop something happens and here are just a few examples from the cute to the bizarre.

The driver of the red rickshaw – called moto-cabs – in Chincha was flattered by all the questions and let us all play at cab driver. This was a particularly solid and well maintained example but the dozens of these dashing in every unpredictable direction made riding in Peruvian cities a real chariot race. Undoubtedly the streets of Areguipa and Nasca have been the most dangerous riding we have done. Seriously.

The three guys at the finish of the stage just wanted to be photographed with the gringos on big bikes who had come to visit. This happened a lot and was always done courteously wherever we went. People could not have been nicer regardless of country. On several occasions, ladies thrust their infants into my arms for a photo too. I am not too sure what this is all about – will the young lady one day be shown the day she met a tall darkly dressed stranger? Anyway, on each occasion, I make sure that the kid in question cannot fall from my arms.

Finally, when we arrived in Nasca, we were approached by a guy with a sack tied at the neck and offered a “pequeno zorro, cacherro de zorro”. Zorro? I’m old enough to remember that TV series but what is he selling? Well Zorro means fox and he had two fox cubs. I have no idea how he got them or what he thought anyone would do with one or how he expected gentlemen on motorbikes to make off with their purchase. Needless we declined and left sadder than when we arrived.