I needed to stop for a wee on my way to Cuzco.

As I pulled into the viewpoint overlooking Abancay I flipped the side stand down with my left foot and lent the bike over. As I put some weight on it there was a strange noise but my bike didn't stop leaning. I hoped off the bike as it crashed to the ground.

I tried to pick it up but, because it was on a slight down slope, it was too heavy. While thinking about what to do I heard a lorry coming up the hill. As it approached I waved at the driver and, pointing to my bike, hopefully conveyed that I'd appreciate some help to pick it up.

He changed down a gear and I thought he was going to stop but no, he just crawled on past staring straight ahead.

'Bastard' I thought, 'I won't be helping him when he breaks down'.

I emptied two of my boxes, heaved the bike upright and put it on the centre stand.

It was going to be much more difficult to find a hotel in Cuzco because I can't get off the bike without the side stand. The seat is very high (thirty seven inches) so I'd just have to look for lamp posts to lean it against.

I duly dropped it again, in an exceptionally elegant way, outside the first hotel I stopped at.