The festival carried on again last night.  I was getting the knack of putting in my ear plugs so it was a bit better than other nights.  Loud music, I am told with more of a Peruvian tone than grunge rock.  We look forward to a quieter night tonight.

We continued our negotiations with Alfredo last night.  We said we didn’t want to do sand boarding or dune buggies in Huacachina.  The price came down to $220 USD per person.  We agreed to this one.  We found the hotel he was offering online and couldn’t find availability for our dates and the price for other dates was $120 CAD per night.  The $220 covers a direct bus from Paracas to Huacachina, 2 nights hotel there, transfer to Ica, bus from Ica to Nazca, 1 night in a hotel, flight over the Nazca lines.  We think this is good, if everything that is written on a handwritten voucher from Alfredo works out.  We pay him a deposit of $130 USD per person, a total of $520.  Feeling a bit apprehensive but wanting to believe him.  Are we cynical North Americans??  Perhaps, but we did put our faith in Alfredo last night 😉

We arrive at Alfredo’s office at 10:40 or so.  The bus is scheduled to leave at 11:20.  He escorts us to the bus to load our big bags in.  It is a Mercedes mini bus that holds about 30 passengers.  It looks decent!!

Our faith in humanity is being restored.  Just before departure we board the bus and settle in for a ride of just over an hour.  We are unclear still on what happens when we reach Huacachina.  We are to pick up bus tickets to Nazca somehow.  When we arrive at the bus company office in Huacachina we stay on the bus as we were told they would drop us directly at our hotel.  The bus hostess asks us to leave too as apparently our hotel is right next door to the bus office.  Very convenient.  Alfredo’s stock rises again.

 

This is what we see when we walk towards our room.  OK stock rises again!  This is truly an Oasis.

 

We settle into our rooms and head out to explore our new neighbourhood.

This is a sand boarding and sand skiing destination.  It is about 30 degrees and odd to see shops with skis and snow boards out front.

Here is the Oasis lagoon.  Some small boats to rent by the hour.

 

 

Just like in the movies, or maybe cartoons.  Idyllic .

 

 

 

We come across this bar and think we might just return just cuz!

 

 

As well a pseudo snow sports they also have dune buggies that take you out for a thrill and some awesome sunset shots.

 

 

 

I would guess that almost half of the vehicles here are these little yellow cars.  Most of them are taxis, but lots are private vehicles.   We did see 1 with a name on the back.  They are Daewoo.  To me Daewoo is stereo components (and I could be wrong) but I don’t believe I have seen a Daewoo car at home.  Wikipedia tells me they are big in automobiles.  Who knew!!

 

 

Stu and Greg decide to climb the dune.  Leslie and I wisely stay behind to record the event.

 

 

 

 

 

They get pretty high.  Greg reaches the top with his long legs.  Stu almost.  Very difficult walking in soft moving sand!

 

 

 

 

Later we return to this place

 

 

 

 

 

for Pisco Sours and some dinner.

 

 

 

One of the Peruvian specialties is called “Causa”.  This is a dish that is like a mashed potato sandwich.  There are various fillings.  This one is mashed potatoes formed to make the base, a chicken filling and then more mashed potatoes on top.  Quite tasty as Leslie shared with us.  🙂