We just got back this Sunday from our trip to Ica, Paracas, and Chincha about 4 hours South of Lima. It was only a two day trip but it was one of the most layed back trips we've taken so far. We got to take a dune buggy ride, which was sooo fun! We strapped on our construction helmets, goggles, and makeshift "seatbelts" and let the crazy Peruvian driver lead the way. It was like being on a rollercoaster but not knowing where you were going or if it was safe because I'm pretty sure they don't have liability laws in Peru haha. From there, we got a GORGEOUS view of the sand dunes themselves, which were what I would have expected to see in the middle East or Egypt but certainly not in Peru. We got to sandboard down the dunes for the rest of the afternoon, but after taking a few diggers and realizing that falling on sand hurt about 10times more than snow, I opted for using the board as a sled...I felt like Kevin McAllister sledding down the stairs out his front door! Our hotel was actually a resort (thank you, exchange rate!) and it was amazing in itself...ponds, courtyards, pools, outdoor bar/restaurant, lifesize chess set, and a kid's playground that could occupy Abby, Ava, and Grayson for hours (and Anniston in about a year too!). Sunday we went to Las Islas Ballestas off the coast, where we saw literally thousands of birds, penguins, sea lions, and guano. It was nice, but the whole place literally smelled like pure cat piss. Sick! After that we went to an afro-peruano restaurant in Chincha and I ate like I'd never eaten food in my life. Our next trip is the Amazon in 3 weeks!! Better start taking my malaria pills now...
Things I've learned lately:
1. Peruvian women love the color purple more than the Purple People Eater, Barney, and Boy George combined.
2. Running in swim shorts and a referee shirt is totally normal for a Peruvian man.
3. It's illegal not to vote here. You will vote! And you will like it!!
4. I giggle when the sun comes out in Lima, it's like playing hide and seek!
5. You can get more bored than googling Google. I googled "How to build a skyscraper" and episodes of "The Big Comfy Couch" (you 90s kids know what I'm talkin about!)
6. Peruvian food makes me want to be the 1000 lbs. lady. She's my idol. Gluttony!
7. The Peruvian postal system is about as chaotic as the traffic.
8. Burritos are flat here. I just want a sleeping bag of beans and cheese, is that so much to ask?!
9. Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to chat is normal. You move around Peruvians, they don't move for you.
10. There's a 12-sided stone on the bottle of Inka Cola. Ask my friend Laura. I've also heard there's one on a bottle of Cusquena, but I could be wrong. ;)
Me with my friends Me-lay and Mrs. Kat on the beach from surfing!
Post surf sesh. I think I'm ready to go pro. And what a coincidence they gave me a pink wetsuit! (You get rented suits by the way and it's like putting on a hundred other people's skin that they peed in and has holes in it...lovely, lovely).
Our cajon lessons. Cajon=boxes that you drum on. I feel so cultured!
Our hotel in Ica. I layed in the grass on the side of the pond and minus the hotel, I felt like a hippie Alice in Wonderland. It's gettin real.
I love the exchange rate!!
The oasis where we had lunch. See that spot in between those tress? That's where I'll be constructing my future home.
My front seat view from the dune buggy...
Before sand boarding...pre-crash, that's why I'm smiling. What you can't see is the sand beard that had accumulated on my face. I still have a layer of sand in my hair, ears, nose, clothes, nails haha, there's no way Jasmine from Aladdin stayed that pretty in the desert.
Sand dunes. Now I know what Aladdin's world was like and I love it.
Who knew sand could be so gorgeous or so fun?!
Las Islas Ballestas view from the boat. This whole island is covered in birds. Cool? Yea, but now pretend a cat peed in your nose and that's what the smell was like haha, little distracting.
Penguinos! In Peru!
This is the life...
