The little adventures of Northern Peru.

Heading out of Lima (a two hour fight through traffic, pedestrians and animals on a quiet Sunday morning) we make a B line, using the trusty GPS, for the motorway. North of Lima is much the same as the south, sand dunes, chicken farms and heat. It's almost time to get out of Peru but not before a quick side trip back into the Andes to Huaraz.
Of course every day is different and this one was no exception. We heard about the police being dodgy up in the north but weren't quite expecting to be pulled over so soon. Well I wasn't pulled over, Mike was. I was merrily following Mike, sitting at about 50km/hr, no idea what the speed limit was due to a convenient (for the police) lack of signs, when I notice Mike to start looking in his mirror, he's slowed right down by now and I'm thinking 'Cmon, lets get a move on, we've passed through the town, why are you slowing down?' Then I look in my mirror. Ah, that'd be a cop car following us. Damn it, he's got both of us for god knows what. Just a second, he overtakes me, cutting me up squeezing in between Mike and me. I get a sort of 'It's not you' sort of dismissive wave then the lights go on. He wants Mike. We pull over and this chubby chap gets out, all smiles. Hola, de donde viaje? etc! Espousa?, no, cama matrimonial? Quanto es BMW? and so it goes on for a few moments, this facination with our marital status and the value of Mike's bike. I've guessed by this time that they're not just curious, both cops'd be asking questions if they were, not just Mr Chubby while Mr Skinny loiters by the car. Mike hands over his fake licence, confirming that he is indeed from Scotland and yes whiskey comes from Scotland. Then Mr A**hole, formally know as Mr Chubby, produces a little book of fines. 170 soles, or could that be 340 soles! He's done with making small talk that may include me and drags Mike over to the car. I find it very frustrating coming from a culture where women are pretty much treated as equals, to a culture where males reign supreme and I should be at home having 9 children. So I'm left out of the negotiations (I'd only annoy Mike if I was trying to help anyway) and wait patiently by my bike for the outcome. 85 soles out of pocket and very one very peeved Mike. Mr A**hole, although remaining all smiles, suddenly became 'No entiendo' when Mike asked for evidence of this speeding fine, or for a reciept, or to be taken to the police station. And despite me being hot on the tail of Mike, I'm not fined (Bribed), one advantage of being a female then I guess.
So a 6 hour ride to Huaraz turns into 10 as we slow down to 35km for every cop car parked at either side of each village and town. Of course this annoys the locals, truck drivers and police alike but we're not giving them any more excuses to try this trick again. They can't fine us for going too slowly.