Well, what a time it was. Looking back on my adventures in South America after 5 years was an eye opener. It was great to re-visit this website and see some of the places I’d seen and people I’d met along the way. This gave me real encouragement to have another go with this website on my next trip.

How quickly it all came to an end though. I didn’t realise at the time that this “overblown” health thing in Europe would stop me dead in my tracks, lock me up for 2 weeks and send me straight back home, minus the bike.

As it turned out, it was quite an anxious time waiting to get the last UK rescue flight home. Not quite the evacuation of Saigon, but it didn’t feel all that calm and there were stories of people not getting on that flight and having to spend the next 6 months locked up in Peru.

For my part I did what any entitled westerner would do and complained to my MP to get me home (ignored). Also wrote to my local newspaper to try to build a bit of pressure which resulted in a half-decent article. The public comments at the time did make me laugh. The article is still live here: Leicester Mercury.

Looking back, the tone that’s set is a bit off really. At the time none of us knew how serious the whole thing really was and how many lives would be lost. It caused a real fracture in society in many ways and will become an historic event that will long be referred to.

Thankfully before the rescue plane was sorted, I was able to store Bumble at the home of the Air B&B host, with the hope of one day making it back to continue my trip.

Actually getting out was somewhat interesting. We had to assemble in the main square in Arequipa at dawn and await transport to the airport. It was here that I met the typical bunch of gap-year public school kids who had been backpacking through Peru. Us English are such thoughtful travelers..

After much queuing a flight took us from Arequipa to Lima. Then there was an unusual scramble on the runway as we grabbed our own bags and boarded the flight back to the UK.

As it turned out, a return to South America was not possible so I had to decide what to do with Bumble. I did some research and found a great charity in Arequipa that helps disadvantaged people in need of a bit of support – Intiwawa – who were more than happy to accept Bumble as a donation. As with most countries in the global south red-tape is an industry in itself, but after a trip to the Peru embassy in London, I was finally able to sign over the ownership of Bumble to the charity.

They were able to immediately able to put her to work delivering presents to kids… like a little black and yellow Rudolf!!