On the way home... New York

Back to Lima for one last night out with the guys from the hostel (who are always there every time I stop off in Lima!) before it's time to pack my backpack for the final time, and head for home...

But not before stopping off in New York for a few hours. Cab into Times Square, drop into McDonalds for breakfast (just to compare...), a spot of shopping in Virgin megastore and onto a city bus tour... After taking in the main sites on offer on the south of the island, a quick walk through Central Park is all I have time for before persuading a taxi driver to take me back to the airport, even though his shift was about to end... Back to JFK in plenty of time for my plane.... home...

Huaraz

After a short pit-stop in Lima, I've headed north to Huaraz. Back at altitude (3712m), in a lodge, in the middle of the mountains, with nothing to do but read, walk, party, and get bitten by sand flies... really itchy! I stayed in the "Cave Dorm": 11 beds jammed into the sides of a round tower built around the rock face... cosy!


After two days of doing nothing, I decide it's time for another day trip. This time to Laguna Llanganuco, a glacial water lake at, yes, you guessed it, 3850m... pose for the camera!!
It was a very tough day, trying to hold a conversation with the girl from Lima next to me on the bus (although I'm sure she could speak English but wouldn't), topped off with a Spanish speaking guide... very tiring! I wish I could speak more Spanish... (perhaps deciding that six months ago would have been a good idea!!)

Ballestas Islands

Just off the coast at Pisco (the home of Pisco Sour), the "poor man's Galapagos" is home to thousands of birds, pelicans, cormorants, a few penguins and hundreds of sea-lions. Just half an hour on the cold water we find the islands - small cliffs covered in guano, and you can't miss the smell (and you can hardly see the cliff for the birds)!

Huacachina... sunshine at last

The oasis in the desert... time for some sunbathing! You may think that South America is always warm - but I've been waiting for this sunshine and heat for a long time! The main reason to come to Huacachina is to go sand boarding, and I didn't miss out...

First you lock yourself into the sand-buggie, and try not to scream as the driver hurtles you up and over the sand dunes... and then they give you a snowboard and point you in the direction of the steepest slope... I tried to stand and board down "properly", but after falling over twice, I went for the "lie down and hang on, head first" option. Exhilarating!! Maybe that's why I needed to chill out here for five days!!

Nazca Lines

After an 8 hour bus journey, we, Robbie and I, arrive in Nazca. Robbie is an Australian who is also travelling alone, who, after 10 seconds, I managed to convince that he wanted to see the Nazca lines!!

The 30 minute flight over the lines, was a very sickening experience. Tipping to the left so the people on the left side can a figure, and then back around and tipping to the right so the people on the right can see.... after 15 figures everyone's stomach was quite churned. Luckily we'd had a day with no wind...

Lonely in Lima

Back in Lima, only this time I'm all on my own, and missing Emma very much. I've managed to spend five days doing not much sightseeing, rather going to lots of night clubs, late nights / early mornings and the odd hangover (which aren't as much fun without Emma!) Went to see "Pirates of the Caribbean", played some pool, and, been to McDonalds... Met some really nice people, so I'm staying another day to have a good night out with a group of Irish girls who turned up at the hostel today, before heading to south Nazca.

Tiwanaku

Just a day trip from La Paz, we visited the empire of the Tiwanaku - living for almost 1000 years before the Incas. Apparently, the Incas used the techniques of the Tiwanaku to build their temples. Still, it's pretty impressive, intricate carvings on huge pieces of rock... otherwise known as funky men statues!

La Paz and the "world´s most dangerous road"

So Emma finally talked me into taking the trip to the "world´s most dangerous road" - from La Paz to Coroico, 64km long road starting at over 4000m and dropping, steadily, to a more normal altitude - ¿1500m? All this, not in a bus, no, on a bike. Yes, on a mountain bike... thanks Em! And on this day, it´s been raining, the stones are slippy, and we´re told that it´s easier to control a bike with a little speed...

Now, those of you who have seen me on a ski slope will know I´m a bit of an adrenaline junky... so - with the chain coming off only once, only two near-slips of the rear wheel, and a few (too many) slightly out of control moments where another sheer drop around another blind-corner comes a little too close to my front wheel - we arrive at Coroico - muddy...

After a very, very relaxing following day, in the most beautiful setting you can imagine - we also had to imagine it, as it was misty and we could only just see out of the door - finished another book, and geared ourselves up for the journey back - on a bus... driven by a 20 year old with no front teeth... 10m visibility, it was a rather harrowing experience - with a coach coming downhill stopping only one foot in front of us around yet another blind corner - I was very, very, very relieved to arrive back in La Paz and step onto tarmac! Seeing all those vertical drops from the comfort of the minibus.... and we cycled down it! Madness...