Thursday Feb. 14, 2013
I must get up early again to go catch a bus for a 10-12 hour ride to get from Arequipa to Nasca. The bus leaves at 10:45am and we get to Nasca almost 12 hours later around 10:30pm. I get to "Nasca Trails Hostel" (40 soles for private room = 16$ Can.). The owners were waiting for me because I had made a reservation and they thought I would get there a bit earlier. I get to my room and go to bed not so long after because I must get up very early again in the morning.
Just before going for the plane ride
The monkey
The hummingbird
Click on image to see the whole picture album from "Nasca"
The Condor
Friday Feb. 15, 2013
I have a quick breakfast and leave as soon as possible to get to the airport for a plane tour above the famous Nasca Lines in the desert. The ride is short, around 30-35 minutes. The pilotes show us the main lines and I must say that it was an incredible experience to finally see the lines with my own eyes. I paid 80$ USD for the tour, it was a little ore than expected but I think I would have regretted not stopping in Nasca. Since I've been around South America that I hear people talk about the Nasca Lines and it is quite hard to imagine to size of the site and the mysteries of Nasca. In the afternoon I go for another tour to the pre-incan cemetery of mummies in "Chauchilla" at thirty kilometers from Nasca. There are a lot of mummies and they are very well preserved due to the extreme dryness of the desert. I must say that is was very cool to see this also. In the evening I was talking with two Australian girls that say they are going to the Planetarium that gives some extra information about the Nasca lines and the history since they have been discovered. I decided to join them there and I am quite happy that I did, because it was very interesting and I also suggest it to anyone going to Nasca.
Saturday Feb. 16, 2013
Today I can finally sleep a little more because my bus to go to Ica only leaves at 11:30am. I get there at 2pm and take a cab from Ica to Huacachina that is only a few minutes away. "Desert nights hostel" is the hostel I go to and it's right in front of the oasis and probably one of the best hostels in town (16.65 Soles = 6.52$ Can.). I spend the evening at the terrace of the restaurant of the hostel having a chat with a few other travelers and with a few beers.
The Oasis of Huacachina
Sunday Feb. 17, 2013
I'm up at 6:15am to go for a tour to the "Islas Ballestas" (50 soles = 20$ Can.), back from there around noon. I'm not completely impressed with this tour because most of the animals I had already seen in other places and it was only a boat tour from which we could not get off. I knew before leaving that it was like this, but I was half expecting to see a little more. But that's OK, I do not want to discourage others to go, because it was pretty nice anyways. I spend the afternoon walking around the small town and the oasis.
The small town of Paracas from where we went to the Islas Ballestas
The mysterious "Candleabra"
There were hundreds of sea lions under this natural arch
Peruvian Boobies
Pelican
Monday Feb. 18, 2013
In the morning I meet two other Quebecker at the restaurant while having breakfast. We leave a little later all together to go up the sand dunes near the oasis by foot. It was a bit harder than I would have imagined, but what a view from up there. I spend the day into town and at 4:30pm I leave with a group for a Dune Buggy ride in the sand dunes and we stop in a few places to slide down with sand-boards (tour 35 Soles = 13.70$ an.). So very cool, I wish I could have driven the Buggy and we had a great group that made it even better. Spend the evening with some friends and a few beers.
Click on image to see the picture album for "Huacachina & Islas Ballestas"
Huacachina viewed from the top of the sand dunes
Ahhhhhhhh!
Sunset over the dunes
An amazing group
Tuesday Feb. 19, 2013
I spent most of the day pretty relax at the hostel and walk around the place a bit. I leave at 4:15pm to get to Ica from where I took a bus that left at 5:20pm to go to Lime. When I got to Lima it was a strait taxi ride to the airport for a flight to Easter Island that left at 1:15am.
Sunset on the way to Lima
No comments:
Post a Comment