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Monday, 06.05.2002: Nasca - Paracas NP
It was another early start at 7-30am. We had a quick stop at the Maria Reiche watchtower to see 3 of the Nasca figures from the ground.
Quick stop at the Maria Reiche watchtower
It was very hot and sunny again today. We drove to a little oasis called Huacachina. The dunes were really high and steep and the most active ones in the group went sand boarding. The others had a relaxing late breakfast and a swim at the swimming pool of the local hotel.
We arrived at the Paracas NP in the afternoon and had a look at the Cathedral Rock.
Walk on the beach of Cathedral Rock
Afterwards we set up camp in the grounds of the Hotel Mirador. There were no showers but a big swimming pool with relaxing banana lounges. Quite a few didn´t bother setting up the tents and just slept in their sleeping bags on the lounges.
Tuesday, 07.05.2002: Paracas NP - Lima
We got new Kumuka T-Shirts from Prue this morning and put them on for the boat trip to the Ballestas Islands. The harbour was very smelly (Famoo had camped nearby!) and we were all glad when our little boat finally left the port at 8-15am.
On the way out we passed a couple of dolphins but didn´t stop for a photo. The water was quite choppy and the people in the back of the boat got really wet. We had our first stop at the big Candelabra, an ancient drawing etched into a hillside only visible from the sea.
Afterwards we went to one of the Ballestas Islands to see an abandoned Guano factory that exported bird shit as fertiliser (the white gold!), sea lions, cormorants, pelicans, and penguins.
Lots of birds on the Ballestas Islands
