Week 6 - Desert Daze

Most of the last week has been spent either playing in the desert or driving through it. The actual climbing has been limited to a bit of bouldering by the beach and a short coastal scramble.

Beach Bouldering at Atiquipa

We´ve been keeping busy with other activities like a taking a Dune Buggy ride to see ancient pyramids and bones of the Nasca people.

Nasca Dune Buggy!

 Also "sandboarding" which is fun to try, but after a couple of tries we worked out its actually much faster and more exciting just to launch down on your belly...

The Sandboarding Team

Nasca Cemetery - Bones were dug up by graverobbers
 in the last 20 years. Some still have mummified flesh and hair...

 Reached Ariquipa now, Peru´s second largest city. Probably the nicest city we´ve been in so far in terms or atmosphere and architecture, but the centre is full of gringos and tour operators.In fact Asha has just got got her purse and camera stolen - a bit of a wake up call!

 On a separate note, I think I´ve now got used to the fact that our travels are dictated by the whims of the truck rather than the weather (which thankfully remains fine). I have a few more truck foibles to add to the list...

 1 - Brakes failed in Lima traffic and we squashed a taxi (nobody hurt!). This meant 2 extra days in Lima for repairs, and even more money spent on eating out! (17th Sept)

 2 - The steering also failed, possibly at the same time. Luckily this was a quick fix at the same garage. 3 - Spare wheel exploded while trying to change the inner tube (20th)

 4 - Alternator no longer charges secondary battery (ongoing) 5 - We cant get at the alternator to fix this cos the cab hydraulics are broken.

 6 - The brakes jammed on while we were a long way down a dirt track at Atiquipa (22nd) 7 - Front wheel burst and shredded itself while driving (24th) A nice Peruvian trucker helped us change it in return for beer.

 I guess you have to expect this sort of stuff when travelling in a 22 year old truck with an unknown mileage. (The odometer reads over 800,000km)

One of many "Erotic Pots" on show in Lima