Nazca, Peru

22nd August – 23rd August 2017

After arriving back at the hotel, from the desert, we had a buffet breakfast (which lots of people couldn’t actually stomach) before setting off. It was quite an easy morning because we didn’t have to take tents down, or do back locker, or prepare breakfast, so it was great! We left for Nazca at about 8.

Not very far down the road, we stopped for our first (and only) grocery shop for this leg of the trip. We only had two nights camping on this part of the trip (besides the Inca Trail hike, but everything is included for us there), and they were two nights together, so it was easy to get all the food in one place and then we were sorted. The plan was to be back on the truck and ready to set off for 9.30, but Phoebe had tried to get cash out and the machine swallowed her card and the bank didn’t open until 10, so we had to wait for that. Due to South Americans having no urgency, we didn’t actually leave until nearly 11! Once we had set off, we had a bit of time to nap (which was needed, but difficult to get) as we had a couple of hours drive ahead of us. I didn’t feel too bad that I couldn’t sleep because I was sat behind David and Rianne who genuinely provide entertainment by just talking to each other.

Due to the amount of traffic, we didn’t get through towns very quickly, so the drive was a bit longer than expected. We arrived at the Nazca lines viewing tower at around 2ish and had a brief stop there. The Nazca lines were dug by a group of people between 500BC and 500AD. Although there are lots of theories surrounding why they are there and what they are for, no one knows the actual reason – it is a mystery. We were able to go up the viewing tower and see some of the patterns, but the whole thing is 420km², so it was impossible to see them all, unless you went on a plane (which was $120 for half an hour, so I gave that a miss).

After a brief stop, we went on to the hotel (campground). We arrived at about 3 o’clock and the people who had paid extra to go in the plane were whisked off quickly, while the rest of us set up our tents and had time to sort ourselves out.

Me and Naomi helped each other set up our tents, because it isn’t really a one man job, but then I cleaned mine out and got my bags and de-sanded them as best I could. I got my sleeping bag and mat out to dry off in the sun and then had some chill time.

The weather was scorching hot and in the hotel grounds were some pools that the majority of the group went to. Although it was so hot outside, the water was freezing. I took the plunge and jumped in, but as it was so cold, I got straight back out again to dry off and warm up.

We were going to go back out again when the people who went in the plane were back, but we were all so tired that David and Rianne thought it was best to save it all for the second day when people were a little more refreshed.

It was my cook groups turn to do dinner in Nazca and we did an amazing job. Just before dinner though, we had a gathering around the pool and had birthday cake for Emelia whose birthday it was. It did feel a little weird having dessert first though. For dinner, Celine had decided to do sausages with mash and broccoli and cauliflower and then Char made gravy from scratch – it was amazing! We worked so well as a team and everyone was happy with what they were given to eat, even if the mash was a bit heavy with all the cream and butter in it! My favourite was the gravy – Char did an amazing job!

After dinner and clean up, everyone disappeared to their tents for an early-ish night – it was definitely needed.

After another rubbish night’s sleep, I was up extra early because my cook group were on breakfast duty and everything (including tents) had to be packed away before we started cooking because we wouldn’t have time after. My alarm was set for 5.45 but I was already awake anyway. I lay in my sleeping bag a little longer, trying to wish the cold away. About five minutes later, I got myself up and dressed; I didn’t want to leave my tent but I knew as soon as the sun came up, it would get warmer.

I rolled my sleeping bag up and packed all my things into my backpack. Once it was all packed up, I emptied my tent and then it was time to take it down. Taking a two-man tent down on my own was hard work; I felt like I had already done a day’s work by 6.30.

To prepare breakfast, we were meeting at 6.45 to cut the fruit and make the porridge. I didn’t have a specific job at first, so I set up the washing up bowls and put the chairs out for everyone. People were at breakfast so early because Rianne had done the tent demonstration at 6.45, so everyone was packed and at the back locker before they should have been – it was nice to not be involved with back locker for once! Although we were ready with breakfast early, we were still a little bit late leaving because we’re not as efficient with the washing up on this leg.

Just after 8, we set off towards our first stop of the day, with Juan (our guide from the hotel).

Within 10 minutes, we arrived at the aqueducts in Nazca. Juan talked about the water under the ground and how it always flows to keep it clean, but the water is never over ground because it doesn’t rain where the aqueducts are. He showed us the wells that are dotted along the water which workers use to go down and clean under the tunnels. We then walked to the river beds which are all dried up at this time of year, but in January – March, water flows down from the mountains and fills the rivers to a few metres high. Part way through the tour of the aqueducts, Juan’s cousin David turned up to film us for an advert for Nazca, so every so often, we had to say ‘Come and visit Nazca, Peru, there’s still so much to discover’.

We got back into the truck and drove a bit further through Nazca to the pyramids – Juan kept telling us that Egypt aren’t the only country with pyramids. The pyramids were only discovered in recent years and it took them 25 years to uncover what they have so far, but there is so much more to discover yet, but the archaeologists have run out of money. We could see parts of other pyramids that will probably go much further down but they haven’t had chance to work on these yet – this year is the first year that archaeologists haven’t turned up to work. The sun was burning down on us while we were at the pyramids, so we got back in the truck and drove on.

We drove at least 12km to the pyramids and back on dirt roads which were incredibly bumpy and not comfortable at all. We got back on smooth roads, before going off onto another dirt track to get to the cemetery with mummies in. Luckily we parked in the shade when we got to the cemetery as it was getting much hotter outside. We walked around the different graves – which were originally discovered by grave robbers so weren’t in the best condition. It was interesting to see because the bodies were wrapped and buried in the foetal position, but it was also kind of creepy to see. We walked around all of the graves getting a talk from Juan at each, but they all looked the same and it was so hot, so we gradually filtered back to the truck. At the top end of the cemetery, there were lots of stones piled up because people believe that it they leave a stone, and then they can take their spirit with them.

Back at the truck, we had lunch (prepared by Stephanie’s team) so I just sat in the truck to cool off while it was being prepared. We had salad and tuna and bread, but I wasn’t very full after it because there wasn’t very much available.

After lunch, we said goodbye to Juan and David (the video man) and drove towards Puerto Inka.

Nazca was a quick but busy visit, with only a one night stay, but we needed to get to the next stop before dark.

To travel is to live, Katie x