Great Weekend with some Bad Points

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I had one of the best weekends of my life this weekend, along with some of the worst experiences. And to top it off, I am hurt, and might have to go to the doctor here :-( So I guess I¨ll start from the beginning.
We left at 10:00pm on Friday night to drive to Paracas. There were 11 of us, plus a guide, his sister, and the driver. So 14 total, in a tiny van. We all thought it would be smart to take sleeping aids for the 6 hour drive, so we could just fall asleep and wake up at the hotel in Paracas. I even decided a couple glasses of wine with my new friends Jennifer and Eden would help me sleep even better.
What we didn´t take into consideration was that this ride was through the Andes Mountains, on windy, insane roads, and that there was going to be no way to get comfortable or sleep on this trip. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. The people in the front were so hot they were sweating, us in the back were so cold we were shaking. There was nowhere to put your legs or head. I seriously think I know what refugees feel like now. Or people trying to get to California from Mexico in the back of trucks.
When we got to Paracas, after 7 1/2 HOURS DRIVING, at 5:30am, we all crashed hard. On beds that felt like they wee made out of granite.
We were woken up 2 1/2 hours later for breakfast. After breakfast, we got back into our death mobile and heading a few minutes to the Pacific Coast, where were proceeded to get on a little boat and head out to Islas Ballestas (the poor man´s Galapagos). This was actually amazing and really woke us up. There were penguins, sea lions, and millions and millions of birds. This is were they get all the bird poop that they export for fertilizers. It was beautiful and a little creepy at the same time. Some about so many birds you can barely see the sky is a little scary.
After lunch, we went out to Reserva Nacional de Paracas, which is a Natl Park encompassing miles of huge dunes and Pacific Coastline. It felt like driving on the moon.
That night we stayed at the same hotel in Paracas, and I convinced everybody that we should eat at this nice hotel that was across the street. Well, it was not exactly across the street and most of us never even found it. We ended up eating the worst meal we´ve had here at some hole in the wall, then had to walk back in the pitch black (because all the street lights went out on our way). Needless to say the girls loved me for that.
Sunday was one of the most exhilarating days of my life. We left Paracas in the morning and went to a vineyard in Pisco, where they make wine and pisco (of course). We toured the winery, then drank quite a bit of wine and pisco. The wine wasn´t that great, but it was fun anyway.
We left the vineyard and headed to Huacachina. Huacachina is an oasis in the middle of the desert. We all hopped on 2 giant dune buggies and headed out into the thousands of acres of sand dunes. It really looked like something out of the movie Dune. After crashing around for a while, we all jumped out and hoped on sandboards. I of course had to show off because I was the only guy, and the only one who said he could snowboard well (I lied a little). Well, I did real good for the first couple hills. Went down first and took pictures of the girls coming down. Most of them did real well.
But then we got to a point where you could do normal hills, or real big hills. I took the big one, and about half way down realized I was going too fast. I was flying. (the thing about sandboard if you can´t carve like a snowboard without your edge being buried in sand) So I tried to slow down, caught my toe edges, and went flying...I think I rolled head over heals about four times before stopping. Luckily Julie was the only one who saw this. I wasn´t hurt and I got right up and got to the bottom of the hill. Where I stood for quite some time getting very sunburned while waiting for the girls. Later on my head started feeling funny, and every day since then this pain right where my right arm connects to my torso has gotten worse and worse. I really think I torn something. Every time I take a breath, it hurts. But it was still worth it...it was so much fun!
We drove to Nasca that night, and had a great Italian meal at a restaurant that I suggested. And I made up for the night before! They gave a free pisco sours...and everybody loved their meal. Well, except for Julia and Brandi, who got the wrong pizza and went they sent it back twice, our waiter literally said ¨pizza finished, no pizza for you¨ and took it away. It was sad, but so funny at the same time.
After dinner Charlotte, Tami, Julie, Natasha, Jessica, Claire, and I went out with Juan Carlos, another waiter from the restaurant, and had a dance party in a deserted bar that played lost of American 80´s music.
That was the best day so far.
The next morning, we flew over the Nasca lines, which were amazing, but smaller that I though from the air. I was the only one who didn´t get queasy on the little 3 person planes.
Then we got in the death mobile and started the 10 hour drive home. We had to leave straight from the lines, and not go to the ruins because there were reports on the radio of bandits robbing people on the roads.
The ride went much better than expected and we got home about 12:30 last night and were up at 7:30 this morning to go to work.
This is a crazy week year, because it is the actual Independence Day. So most of the schools close soon. So I think I´m going to go work in a clinic (maybe they will give me pain killers!) And the think they are having a bull run here on Thursday.

Well, gotta run for lunch. Talk to you all soon.

Kevin

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Photos

Boarding
This is about 1 sec before I ate sand!

Condor Nasca Line
These lines were made in the desert by the Nasca people about 1500 years ago. The common belief right now is they were an offering to the gods for rain. Ironically the civilization was wiped off the face of the Earth by the rains of El Nino.

Comments

[Kevin R.]

Didn't you do something stupid like that in Hawaii a couple years ago too?

[shawndean]

Kevin, Kevin Kevin, don't you know that you are giving your mother a heart attack..

[Sarena]

Hey, and didn't you do something stupid like that on a snowboard a few years ago too? :)