Into the Great Wide Open

After seven hours of driving yesterday afternoon, we arrived in Ica which is on the Southern coast of Peru. We spent the night in a town called Huacachina, which is the most stereotypical oasis in the middle of the desert I have ever seen. The town wasn´t super nice, but the setting was unique.

I was with six other volunteers and our leader was Pancho, the CCS tour guide. My roommate was Elizabeth, a Senior at the University of Georgia who happens to be a Phi Mu (sound similar to anyone else we know?!).

We woke up this morning to some cool weather and some low clouds. We couldn´t see the sun and it was much colder than we had anticipated on the coast, so we decided to have a long breakfast and kill some time before our first adventure. While the bread, jam, butter, and coffee and tea we were given were good, all of us wanted a little more for breakfast. Thus, after asking nicely we enjoyed some eggs too. Poor Pancho had to put up with some picky American eaters this weekend (a vegetarian, a girl who is allergic to gluten, and a girl who just had surgery who can only eat really bland things).

Finally it was time for the adventures to begin and we piled into a huge dune buggy to go sandboarding. We put on our glasses, similar to the kind you had to wear in high school chemistry class, and fastened our safety belts like we were getting ready for a ride at Six Flags. This picture to the left is NOT our group, but it is a picture that I found that looks exactly like the one we rode in.

The engine roared and we headed out over the dunes. We picked up speed and soon came to the top of a huge dune. As we headed over the top I expected to see the ocean, but instead there was a vast expanse of huge sand dunes. We quickly went over the top and the driver sped up as we went straight down the other side of the dune. We all screamed and I was now certain this would be like a roller coaster at Six Flags.

We sped through, over, and around the dunes. The wind was cool and the fog looked beautful over the dunes in the distance. I loved riding. I was laughing and screaming and fully enjoying this. We stopped for some pictures and the grey mist was gorgeous in the distance.

Next, our driver drove us to a tall dune and started getting the sand boards out of the back. We walked to the edge and he put wax on the bottom of the boards. I was reminded of the huge grass hill near our old house my sister and I would slide down on cardboard boxes when we were in elementary school. But this was much taller. And steeper. Pancho and the driver tell us we are going to go down the hill on our stomachs with our heads first. This went against everything I was ever told when sliding down anything.

Nervously (and quite skeptical) I watch the first volunteer give this a try. It was our favorite little Asian with a British accent Vincent who went first. He dragged his feet in the sand to slow himself down. He survived. Next, DAnn, a tall cross country runner from San Antonio. She survived and even went faster than Vincent. Ok, I was ready! I could do this. Adam the sarcastic British guy who lives in New York went next. Another survivor. Thus, I put my board down and took a deep breath. After a little push from the driver, I was off down the hill going faster than I imagined. It was great! Thrilling and fun. My board slowed and came to a hault. I stood up with a cheer and with the relief I had survived. I was ready for more!

Our sand buggy driver picked us up at the bottom and drove us to several more tall dunes. We took turns and each went down. We learned quickly to keep our mouths closed despite the urge to yell in order to keep the flying sand out of our mouths. DAnn and Jesse were brave enough to try sandboarding standing up. I was good on my stomach. Seemed more fun that way.

After sliding down several dunes, we got back in the sand buggy for a drive around. We waved at other groups as we passed. We screamed over hills and I put my hands in the air. I nearly couldn´t control my laughter when my seatbelt/harness came loose a few times on some big bumps...defeating the purpose of the seat belt.

We stopped at another smaller oasis and took some pictures and then our driver drove us around. I loved this part. I was reminded of favorite times tubing behind a ski boat. I pictured my Aunt Dorothy driving us on her ski boat as we clung to the tube behind the boat desperately hanging on as she tried to throw us off. It was so much fun and so was this!

The ride came to an end much too quickly (I could have done it all day) and we piled out to take showers before our next activity. What a fun morning!

Into the Great Wide Open, Tom Petty