The drive after leaving Huanchaco and Chan Chan is uneventful. We drive through the desert, far from the ocean, and the barren landscape left and right of the highway is adorned with garbage. Not a bit of trash. A lot of trash. Incredibly much trash. The wind whips across the plain and shredded plastic bag remnants blow from the bushes.

Everything is on the floor, from car tires to yoghurt pots. Peru is the dirtiest country that we have seen in South America, that is, that I have seen in the world.

While Bolivia shocked us already after the border at Lake Titicaca, the shock hit us. This section of the Panamericana is the sad culmination of this record.

Day 9 without breakdown

Before the city of Chiclayo we stop in the afternoon at a truck stop. There is a restaurant, toilets and security. We don’t let the heavy trucks disturb us.

During the night Sara gets slightly poisoned again and pays homage to the porcelain god, who also demands a human sacrifice.

The next day we continue through the barren, garbage-strewn desert to Piura.

There we will be guests of the couchsurfer Giancarlo.