Lazing by the Lagoon

by Gem | Peru | Huacachina

Our overnight bus ride to Ica was very pleasant. We had our first cama-seat (literally ‘bed seat’) experience and even Dan managed to get some shut-eye! We arrived at Ica at 9 in the morning and got a taxi straight to Huacachina, which had been described to us as a desert oasis. And that’s more or less what it is. The whole town is set around a lagoon that’s in the middle of miles upon miles of towering sand dunes. Quite a spectacular sight! We found a nice hotel with a swimming pool and views of the dunes and promptly collapsed into sun loungers for the rest of the day, only surfacing to eat.  I tried the local speciality, ceviche, which is basically raw seafood marinated in lime and chilli.  It was very tasty but the marinade is a bit overpowering!

Huacachina is a popular stop-off point for travellers so there are quite a few decent bars and restaurants, especially considering how small the place is.  There was a hippy-vibe to the town, and in the evening hemp bags and home-made jewellery stalls were set up around the lagoon.   The shopper in me is beginning to get a little bit frustrated that I can’t really buy anything thanks to the limitations of living out of a backpack!  Although I think much of the stuff on offer over here would see me laughed out of any London establishment!

Our last day in Huacachina followed more or less the same plan, although we did climb up the dunes for sunset. It’s bloody hard work, clambering up a steep sand dune! And we were greeted at the top by a small sand storm, which did hamper the experience somewhat. But the views were good, sand as far as the eye can see. And it was much easier running down the dunes than climbing up them! We had a really lovely relaxing couple of days, just what we needed after the chaos of Cuzco and before the lawlessness of Lima!