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Lines And The Sand: Adventures In Peru

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Going from Chile to Peru was an instant culture shock. I noticed the differences immediately.

Firstly, the Peruvian men are EXTREMELY more forward then the Chileans. I’ve never been told, “I love you” so many times in one day.

Secondly, EVERY taxi that comes past you has to press their horn, letting you know they are available and are expecting you to get in.

If you can deal with this, then Peru has some really great hidden gems that aren’t as trampled over as Machu Picchu.

The infamous Nazca lines were first on my hit list.

Photo: Hannah Watkins

Photo: Hannah Watkins

When I first heard about these mysterious lines a few months prior to going to South America, I was more then keen to lay eyes on them for myself.  The lines were made by natives hundreds of years ago and still remain a mystery today.

For around $110 you can take a 30-minute flight over the ancient drawings on a pencil plane. From whales to aliens, to giants and spiders, the flight gives you a 360-degree view of all the lines.

The Nazca Lines. Photo: Hannah Watkins

The Nazca Lines. Photo: Hannah Watkins

My suggestion (or warning) is to take travel sickness tablets, or don’t move at all when in motion. I usually have a strong stomach but for me, this flight was a bad experience. I ended up having a bad case of motion sickness for the whole flight and the four other people with me had to suffer for my bad luck.

Once I found my stomach again, I boarded a bus to Ica. While Ica isn’t much to rave about, the small town of Huacachina, found about five kilometres away, definitely is.

The Backpackers oasis town of Huacachina, Peru. Photo: Hannah Watkins

The Backpackers oasis town of Huacachina, Peru. Photo: Hannah Watkins

Huacachina is the sand boarding desert paradise of Peru – A definite must for all of those travelling through Peru.

I spent 4 days here and had the most incredible time.

The town was established as an exclusive resort oasis for high-class Peruvians back in the 40’s and 50’s.

With pools a plenty and the whole town resembling a resort, Huacachina has evolved into a back packers paradise.

Photo: Hannah Watkins

Photo: Hannah Watkins

Staying in a desert has its advantages. Enjoying the dunes and practicing your sand-boarding skills, being one of them.

The main attraction of Huacachina is the sand buggy tours.

Take one crazy Peruvian driver and give him complete freedom over the ten-story-high dunes that are found here and you have the perfect recipe for the best rollercoaster experience of your life.

Sunset over Huacachina, Peru. Photo: Hannah Watkins

Sunset over Huacachina, Peru. Photo: Hannah Watkins

You can find tours for about $35, which includes sand boards and around 2.5 hours of high-speed buggy adventures.

Being only five hours by bus south of Lima and having such a fun and relaxed atmosphere, you can get stuck in Huacachina for days (just like me!).

Photo: Hannah Watkins

Photo: Hannah Watkins

Due to the intense heat, days are usually spent lazing by the pool and the afternoons are all about the dunes. If you aren’t doing a sand buggy tour then you can hire a sand board at the bottom of the dunes for around $2.50 for 2 hours. Without a doubt, my highlight each day was watching the incredible sunsets. Each night a different sky was on display.

This place is well worth a visit – and don’t worry if you can’t stand up on the sand boards straight away, you go faster on your stomach anyway.

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Hannah Watkins in BoliviaAbout Hannah: Hannah has spent the last seven years living, working and studying in Sydney, Australia where she worked professionally in the corporate event industry. She is a recent full-time traveller deciding to quit the rat race and explore the world. She hopes to inspire people to live their dreams as she lives out her on. Only new to the writing game she hopes to captivate people with the lessons learnt and the stories gained from the travellers road. You can read more about her travels and experiences on the road on her personal blog “Blue Marble Adventures”

 

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