Trying to avoid commercial tour packages, we'ved followed the unbeaten (and some beaten) tracks in a week that's included multiple adventures, a bit of watching the world go by and time spent mingling with the locals and fellow travellers alike!
After flying into Lima and spending a day/night looking around the city, we've spent the last week working our way down to Arequipa located in southern Peru.
It's truly an adventure. Even the most trivial activities, such as going to the bank, buying bananas or booking our next trip can be challenging due to the language barrier. Fortunately the years spent studying Spanish in high school were not done in vain! Shane's Spanish however is proving to be of very little assistance (although that doesn't stop him trying to negotiate anything and everything!) It is also great to meet other travellers along the way. People seem rather adventurous, open minded and ready to experience the local culture.
First stop as we headed Sth from Lima was Paracas to visit Ballestas Islands. We met two self-reliant blond Dutch girls on our way and jumped on a local speed boat out to the islands. Shane couldn't wipe his smile off of his face. Probably because he was mesmerised by the thousands of animals living on the islands, chilled out sea lions, curious penguins, enormous pelicans, clumsy crabs, colourful sea stars, giant jelly fish...great start to the trip!
Sea Lion soaking up the attention on Ballestas Islands
Next stop was Huacachina where we ventured out to a beautiful Oasis in the middle of the desert. Surrounding the Oasis were giant sand dunes (the worlds biggest apparently) where we jumped in Sand Dune buggies (which literally fly!) for a wild ride up to the top of the dunes. With Sand Boards in hand we joined a couple of snowboard experts from Colorado. We had no choice but try to impress them by ripping up the dunes for a couple of hours. I think they had a good laugh at some of the 'awkward' maneuvers that we tried to pull off (generally unsuccessfully although we did have our moments).
Probably the highlight of the week this. Brilliant couple of hours!
The following day we headed further south to World Heritage listed Nazca Lines. We were joined by a couple of German photographers on our 6 seater airplane (smallest plane flight either of us had been on!) for a 'joy' flight over the lines of Nazca. Whilst the Germans were in their element taking a thousand photos, we kept quiet at the back trying to manage our churning stomachs. Unfortunately for one of us, effort was not successful...!
Putting on a brave face after the Nazca Lines 'joy' flight
From Nasca we took an overnight bus to Arequipa which sits in Southern Peru at the base of the Andes Mountain Range. Great spot where we spent a day touring the city and exploring various vantage points to capture the phenomenal landscape and surrounding mountains.
Hanging out in Arequipa
If possible, the itinerary for the coming week looks even better.
3 day trekking tour around the Colca Canyon starting tomorrow and then up to Cusco to commence the much anticipated Inca Trail.
LG - Life's Good!!
Wow sounds like your little adventure is proving not only exciting and exhilerating but at times a little awesome with the lack of language {spanish} so l suppose a lot of bluff is happening! Good luck for your future escapades amigos! xxx
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