
Gum trees by the side of the road on the way into Abancay… we could even smell the eucalyptus. So good!
25 October – Day 95
Ayacucho, Peru to Abancay, Peru
Distance: 390kms
We drove further than expected today because – not withstanding the 90 minutes we spent riding around Ayacucho in circles and in the morning peak hour traffic looking for a petrol station that sold 95 or 97 octane fuel (*sigh*) – we made relatively good time to our intended stop.
For this reason, we pressed on to Abancay so that we had a shorter day to Cusco tomorrow. We’ll be having a few days off there, and we need it.
Yesterday’s post contains a good summary of the road conditions; it was pretty much more of the same today: windy, roadworks, river crossings, uphill, downhill, gravel etc.
So instead of talking about the day, I figured I’d provide a helpful summary of how to interpret car indicator signals on the roads in Peru and the central/south American region more generally. It’s based on extensive firsthand experience, and other travellers may find it of use.
Left indicator:
- Please overtake me.
- I am about to pull out and overtake the car in front of me.
- Although I am driving very slowly, if you pull out to overtake me I will speed up and move across the road to reduce the amount of space you have to do so.
- I am turning left.
- I am turning right.
- I am continuing straight ahead.
- I am pulling over to the side of the road.
- I am doing a u-turn in the middle of the road.
- I am stopping unexpectedly and have my hazard lights on but I’ve blown one of the bulbs.
- I am driving “normally” and have my indictor on for no apparent reason.
Both indicators simultaneously (ie hazard lights):
- I am stopping unexpectedly because there is traffic/animals/an obstacle in the road ahead.
- Please overtake me.
- Don’t overtake me, it’s dangerous right now.
- I am turning left.
- I am turning right.
- I am continuing straight ahead.
Right indicator:
- See ‘left indicator’ above.