While Pia and Johannes (my new travel buddies – we had met in Guatemala then ran into each other in Cusco) were off doing the Inca Trail I had time to kill. I was tossing up my options when I was convinced to join the new Peru Hop, a bus that travels around Peru and lets you get on and off whenever you like. Nat from the hostel was going to join me.
I was hesitant, as a bus full of drunk 18 year olds isn’t really my thing, but when the day arrived we discovered it was just us. On a bus built for 50 people. Granted I wasn’t going to meet anyone on the bus, but at least I would have a comfortable (18 hour) journey to Huacachina.
I woke up the next day to find myself in the middle of the desert. Literally. There were sand dunes as far as the eye could see. Around the next corner I got to see the coast. It was unspoilt and stretched forever. There was no vegetation at all, just sand.
Around midday we arrived at the Nazcar Lines. For something so famous there was very little fuss about it. We pulled off the highway in the middle of the desert to the ‘lookout’. The ‘lookout’ was 20m high, had a tin roof and looked as though it hadn’t been maintained in 50 years. The lines themselves were no where nears wide as I had thought. But, it was great to actually see them in person.
(The drive to Nascar)
(The Nascar lookout)
(The lines)
(View the other way)
We arrived at Huacachina in the late afternoon to a shock of heat. And the hostel had a pool! Huacachina is situated in the middle of a desert, literally. An oasis in the middle of sand dunes.
There was no time to rest, we were off sandboarding! We piled into a dubious looking sand buggy driven by a mad man and set off.
I WAS TERRIFIED. I won’t lie, I spent a lot of the ride with my eyes closed. Shuli and Nat thought it was hilarious. Hoolio, the insane driver just went straight up and over the dunes. No slowing down. I guess we did have roll bars, but…
(Look how tiny the dune buggy is!)
Finally it was time to sandboard. In my typical fashion I went last in order to see how everyone else did it…and that no one died. And I went down on my tummy. After the initial ride and ending up alive but with a mouth full of sand, I promptly got back on to do it all over again.
(Look at me! I’m about to go sandboarding!)
(I can do it…just put my foot here…)
(Nah, I’ll just go down on my tummy…)
Next stop, Paracas.
