Oasis --sand, sand, more sand
Trip Start
Oct 23, 2008
1
18
36
Trip End
Dec 18, 2008
Huacachina,
Peru
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Early the next mornig -- much to everyones dismay -- we climbed into the back of a sup´d up dune buggy filled the back with sand boards and shot off into the desert. We zigged and zagged, flew over monsterous dunes, and drove in fantastic figure eights -- our roller coaster ride across the sands. At the top of a large dune, we stopped, strapped boards to our feet and were off. Sweaty and covered in sand, our driver picked us up and took us to another dune. This went on for the next two hours
It seems important to stress at this point that sand has the unique property of fixing itself to you in very strange and uncomfortable places.... places sand shouldn´t go. It is also very difficult to get rid of -- one shower just won´t do -- it takes several showers at regular intervals in order to truly clean oneself. I wish I had Q-tips.
We returned to the hostel dirty nasty messes. We cleaned up, ate some lunch and layed about the pool for most of the afternoon.
A bit before sunset, we made the strenuous climb up the dunes behind our hostel to watch the sunset. The pinks, and yellows -- the reds, oranges and blues -- across a sea of sand. I´ve never seen anything quite as beautiful as the sun settnig across the desert. It was truly amazing
About 15m. from us, a top the highest dune sat a lone shirtless man. He sat in deep meditaion -- laying at his feet were his five dogs. A few minutes before sunset a few kids came up the dunes with a radio blasting. Kali, Ross and I rolled our eyes. The desert man got up and ran screaming at the kids, gesturing that he was going to break their radio -- they quickly left. Muchas Gracias. Kali made friends with his dogs.
The wind was blowing -- the only sounds. The desert was at peace -- so were we.
Eventually we ran along the ridge of sand, hopping and jumping --making our way down into the oasis and out of the desert.
It was perfect.
