Haucachina desert, wow, what an enchanting and magical place. I
hesitated when the owner if the hostel offered me 'bugging and sandboarding' I
don't know why, the 'adventure' hormone was lost that day but deep inside
something kicked me up the arse and thankfully I said yes! 4pm we strapped into
the 'desert adventure' buggy and by the formula 1 style seat belts I started to
wonder whether I should have worn a bra for this.
4pm was much more of a sensible time to travel through the desert,
much better than the 2pm post lunch stroll I decided to take up the sand dunes
in my strapless dress and Haviana flip flops, I confidently power walked it up
the dune to very quickly realise how fucking hot this sand actually was. What
was I thinking? But I'm quarter of the way up now and people can see me from
there sunbeds at the bottom near the oasis, I can't give up now I told myself,
I'm blonde and pale but I can do this!!
Two and half minutes in to the mental boost I gave myself , I gave up,
and 'Bridget Jones' style slipped all the way back down to the bottom with
nothing but embarrassment and burns.
I was safe inside the buggy, strapped in and ready for a nice little
drive. I should of known by looking at the transformer style truck that this
was going to be bumpy and fast. It was. Ripping through the sand dunes was
exhilarating, some parts we were practically vertical driving up the side of
the sandy mountains, it was, I knew going to be an experience I would never
forget. As we stopped to sand board down the side of a dune I knew I'd have to
be brave, this looked scary. We climbed the rest if the way the buggy couldn't
make and we were standing at the top now, the sun on my back not a cloud in the
sky, I was going to conquer this bloody dune and love it. There were 3 ways
which you could board, on your feet (much like snow boarding) on your bum (like
a sledge) or on your tummy (like a wimp) I went for the safe option, tummy.
I was like a bird! Free and alone, in that moment I felt amazing. 3
more times we 'rode' the dunes, in between each stop we sped through the desert
faster than before. At 5.30pm was sunset, we pulled up at what seemed like a
pathway leading straight to the sun. We sat and watched, each person on the
buggy separating themselves from each other to be alone in their thoughts,
couples wrapping their arms round each other, it was beautiful the sun sank as
quick as that, but watching it was better than any film I'd ever seen.
Plunged in to darkness and winter it felt as nighttime is a cold, cold
time in the desert, we quickly revved up, strapped up and sped back to our
hostel where I treated myself to a stiff Pisco Sour and apologised to my
un-scaffolded chest for that unforeseen roller coaster ride.
Back tomorrow I think, a day in the sunshine and up sticks back to
Lima. I have to get a job, and I have to find a decent place to stay......
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