Ooohh Peru

When I arrived in Oruro yesterday it was like a ghost town. Everything closes down from 12 until 230 so of course that was when I was there. I was exhausted from maybe 1 hour of sleep in the mountains and thought I could stop the race for a night. Drove around the town looking for a moto mechanic but could not. Went to the best hotel in Oruro for 20 bucks a nite and despite exhaustion had a shower then went back out to start searching. It was a dumpy hotel by any other countries standards but bolivia is a tough place. All around people yelling la paz la paz la paz or cochacochabamba to lure people to their buses. Had some chicken at a chinese restaurant and found some sunscreen face was sun and wind burnt as my lotion fell out 3 days earlier. my face started tingling everytime after I got off the bike. So, I found the mechanic and he musta been 100 years old but he was kind. I waited, maybe an hour then found another passerby who directed me to a nice store that had stp fuel treatment. I put that in the tank, and took it for a ride. Give us the keys the mechanic said I will return I replied. The stp didn´t seem to make a difference so I had a choice. I decided to trust the mechanic, be clear about me leaving the next day early and that 5 til 7 was all we had. The carbs covers weren´t even off at 7 and a younger guy was dusting them off. Return at 8 he said. So I went down the street to the market where there were many traditional bolivian women selling fruit, wearing big bell dresses down to ankles, multiple layers of wool sweaters, usually a bright blanket of pink and green wrapped around the shoulders and the crown, a brown felt bowler sitting high on the head. Lest we forget th ponytails, i believe they grow them from childhood until death, so they get very long. The mechanic finished about 9. he had put a copper filament from electrical wire into the jet of the carbs. said it would help with less oxygen at the altitude. At the highest, I was at 4500 m, and in Oruro about 3800. Whaled down the street to check, and it seemed much better. An amazing sleep with 3 thick grey wool blankets and woke up about 7. got everything together, went down to the store to get tyre repair, gas, and was off at 10. La Paz proved easy because of asking directions twice i got onto the right road in 15 minutes. But then, I went too far, and was heading the way of Copacabana, which mom had said be prepared for very long waits at the border. So I wanted to go the south route Laja etc so about 18 km turnaround and 3 preguntas or questions in spanish. Reached the border in an hour, and was in peru officially by 5 pm. Then, I hit the hail. Couldn´t believe it, and happened so quickly had no time to change helmets and got pelted hard for about an eternity, or 3 minutes. Peering through one eye, and to the side of the windshield, I could see blue sky and salvation. Now, i am heading in the direction of Puro, Arequipa, and Lima. The mechanic destroyed the wire that connects the wheel to the speedometer, odometer and tripometer as he didn´t put enough slack in the wire when he remounted the tank. I was angry with the old fart and would strangle him right now but my acceleration is really good, and a good day of riding. So now its Motorcycle Diaries, estimating mileage and distance as I go, until I can find another one but not before Lima, 1200 km away. Btw I am straight west of La Paz.