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Published: June 20th 2008
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After heading out from Lima, I headed south along the coast of Peru to Pisco my next stopping off point. The town of Pisco is still recovering from the massive earthquake that it had about 2 years ago. Walking along the streets there are shops open among the rubble of the earthquake. Moving around the different streets are difficult as you have to make sure that you don´t fall into the massive sinkholes right by the shops. I seems that it will take many more years before the city will recover.
Heading out the next moring I took an early tour of the Ballesta Islands. Riding in our speed boat in the cold sea air was exciting but fridget and cold. Along the way to the islands we stop near the coast to see an example of the Nasca Lines. This was a massive glyph known as the candlelabra but is more likely a cactus tree. Moving further out to sea we finally arrived at the odifferous Ballesta Islands. It is home to many species of birds such as commarants, pelicans, boobies, and much more. The islands are also home to sea lions and the rediculously cute Humbolt Penguins. The
boat made it way along the island stopping near various areas so we could get pictures of the birds, sea lions, and penguins. The other thing the Ballesta Islands are known for is the many layers of smelly guano (Bird Crap). The island made that area of Peru alot of money in the 1800´s from the collecting and selling of the guano as fertilizer around the world. Today the guano is still collected and sold which gives the island a fabulous pungent aroma. We headed quickly back to shore via the speed boat and by the time we arrived we were all freezing from the cold wind and sea spray.
Taking a private transport we left Pisco and headed to the fabulous destination of Huaccachina. Huaccachina is a small oasis in the middle of giant sand dunes. The thing to do in Huaccachina is to head out to the sand dunes and do sand dune boarding. To get to the giant sand dunes you get strapped in to powerful Dune Buggies capable of holding nine people. The drives starts out of the town slowly but quickly opens up the throttle as we hurdle up giant sand dunes and then
we quickly go over the other side in a crazy roller coaster ride on the sand dunes. The driver is insane in how he handles the vehicle going up and down the dunes, cutting left and right, and taking turns to the point you think the buggy is going to flip over. Then the driver stops the dune buggy on top of one of the sand dunes. We all get out and the driver starts handing us sand boards as he waxes the bottom so they can slide faster. The boards have straps for your feet so you go down the sand dune snow board style but everybody dicides to do the boarding lying on the board on your stomach. You mount the board belly first, hold onto the straps, and then the driver gives you a push. You slide down the sand dune at what seems like a super fast speed face first and depending if you put your feet down in the sand as you go determines on how far you will slide and how fast. We do this several times where we get back into the buggy and we go on top of a sand dune that
is progressively higher each time untill we reach the final, steppest, and longest sand dune. We fly down this dune at fast speeds with the hope that we don´t fall off and crash but none of us do. We finish the last sand dune boarding and we get back into the dune buggy. Thinking we are going to have a leisurely ride back to the town the drives goes along going up down sand dunes crazier and faster then in the begging. We finally arrive speeding back into town satisfied, excited, thrilled, and ready for lunch.
Following lunch we take a three hour bus ride to the town of Nasca where we will spend the night. Near the town of Nasca we pass by the famous Nasca lines and we stop on the side of the highway to see a few of the lines via a high steel tower. Ascending the tower we got to the top were a cold strong wind was blowing. We viewed the few lines and arrived into the town of Nasca where I will spend the night. It has been an exciting day I will spend the rest of the evening cleaning out sand
from the various places it resided during our fabulous sand boarding experience. So I say good night from Nasca, Peru and I will fly over the Nasca Lines tomorrow.
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sharon abrams
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beautiful islands
Loved those islands, great pictures and you will find sand for a long time.