Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
THE NAZCA LINES AND A WHOLE LOAD OF SAND!!!! 21st - 23rd March
The next morning we were woken up quite early by the sound of the waves and the heat from the sun. We got back into the sea for a bit fefore a game of frisbie and some food at the resteraunt. Before we knew it we were back on Swampy and heading for Nazca. We made a quick stop along the way at the Chauchilla cemetry where I saw more ancient dead bodies (there´s been a lot on this trip). It was absolutely boiling as we were in the middle of the desert, but the dry climate is why the mummies, which were over 1000 years old, were so well preserved.
We arrived at Nazca early afternoon. We had a dip in the pool, followed by a nap and some homemade soup. Nazca is a small town set in a green valley surrounded by mountains and overlooked by Cerro Blanco, the highest sand dune in the world (2078m). About 22km north of Nazca, are the famous Nazca lines, ancient giant figures cut into the floor of stony desert. The images are kind of like crop circles and it´s not known exactly how they got there or what they are, but they´re pretty cool. The designs include a dog, a an enormous monkey, birds (one with a wingspan of over 100m), a spider and a tree. the lines are best appreciated from the air - it is forbidden to drive or walk on them.
Before bed we watched a cheesey American documentary about the lines and the theories. It´s belieed that the lines are either something to do with the stars, something to do with under ground water sources or something to do with ancient rituals. I believed the latter. It´s also thought that the Nazca people may have had some sort of hot air balloon device to create the lines. It was all very intriguing.
The next morning we headed to what we thought was a bar called "Canada" with our Candian friends. Very dissapointingly it turned out to be "Kanadia" whatever that means, but still had some good food and a quick wander around town before our flight over the Nazca Lines.
Later that morning, 5 of us met our pilot and boarded our 6 seater plane (I was co-pilot). A few people had been sick on the flights before us so I was a little nervous, but also quite excited as I had theimpression that the plane did acrobatics and flew upside down. We were all pretty disapointed when we discovered that the details of teh flight had been greatly exaggerated, but it was a cool flight, with lots of swooping and leaning from side to side. Thankfully I wasn´t ill, although there were a few green faces near the back of the plane. The lines were pretty cool although I don´t know how well my pics have come out.
After the trip I ate 5 ice lollies then got on Swampy and headed for our overnight excursion to the Oasis town of Huacachina in the middle of the desert. After a few more ice lollies, we then boarded our 4x4 sand dune buggies and headed right into the desert. The ride was crazy - our driver took us over seriously high, steep sand dunes with huge drops at top speeds. It was so much fun, one of the biggest adrenaline rushes of the trip. We then all met up at the top of a sand dunes, got the sand boards out the back of our buggies, and sand boarded down on our fronts. It was incredible. I even had a go at boardeing standing up, although I wasn´t much cop. Cimbing back up wasn´t much fun, but it was totally worth it. We then got picked up and taken to a bigger, steepr dune which was even more fun, although I was heading right for a group of people at teh bottom of the run. They were all forced to scarper as I collided neck first with someone elses board (which left a bruise).
We had one more dune to board down which was quite cool as it had gotton really dark by this point, which added to the excitement. Then eventually we set off deeper into the desert to get to our campsite for the evening in the middle of absolutely no where! Our guides prepared a bbq for us and we were provided with unlimited free pisco sours (the local drink). Thankfully, these were too strong for me so I stuck to water-thank god! because the night slowly turned into to utter carnage. I think it was something to do with the full moon. Including Doris, there was about 70 of us, many of whom were totally intoxicated, clambering up sand dunes in every direction as far as the eye could see with people pairing off everywhere. Something entertaining was happening in every direction you looked. People jumping over the fire, a naked Pat trying despertaely to run up a sand dune (which is the hardest thing ever by the way!).
By far the most eventful and funniest night of my life. It was then topped off by us sleeping under the stars without tents. It was perfect!
The next day was Easter Sunday. I was woken up by the sun at about 7am then boarded the dune buggies to head back to Huacachina. It was hilarious to wake up and see little footprints leading off to various smudge lines in the desert! also varoius couples, either running away from each other, throwing up, despertaely trying to grab underwear etc. Luckily i slept under the stars with Grace and Chelsea - we have formed our own club. The club of girls with boyfriends who dont cheat! There are only 4 of us! but we are a force to be recconed with i tell you!
When we got back to the resteraunt, we dipped our feet in the pool and exchanged gossip from the previous night.
- comments