South America update

Yep. It´s still there. Believe me, I know it´s still about. Here´s an update: Please excuse how brief it is, I´ve not got much internet time. This will bring you up to speed on the first couple of days:

Monday 26/02/07
This morning our tour was due to start proper. Ie., We got to see our tour coach-bus for the first time and also go somewhere. Firstly though we had to finish packing our stuff. As I done mine last night I went out onto the balcony to watch life go by as TT finished hers.

The building directly opposite the hotel is in a state. Its almost a complete wreck. There are bits falling off it, rusty scaffolding, broken windows, peeling paint, the lot. I'll post a piccie when I get back. But guess what made me laugh?

This morning a guy who obviously works in the building was using one of those industrial floor buffing things to try and shine up the pavement outside. I just found that amusing.

We went to an oasis in the desert called Huacachina oasis. We rode sand dune buggies. Excellent fun.

We had the chance to try sandboarding and I'm really sorry to admit I didn't partake. I was wearing jeans rather than shorts and didn't fancy the rest of the day with sand irritating my boy bits.

In the avo we went to a winery and got a guided tour. We then had a taster session which was genourous to say the least. We decided to buy a couple of bottles because it seemed unfair that the owners should give us a free tour, free tasters and then get nothing from it.

Having bought the wine (it was very cheap!) we got back on the bus at which point the tour leader asked us each for $20 to cover the cost of the tour. Bah! Don't even like wine that much, I only bought it because I thought they were getting nothing! Bastard tour leader...

We drove a couple of hours to Pisco where the hotel was superb. Very nice. The town itself was very poor though and most people can´t afford cars so they adapt motorcycles to carry extra passengers, goods and stuff like that.

Tues 27/02/07
TT woke up about 4am this morning with a sever case of travel illness. She spent most of the rest of the night in the bathroom. I felt really sorry for her as she hates being tired, and was pretty much falling asleep in there but unable to come out. My poor girly.

She proved to be amazingly brave though, because although she couldnt even face any breakfast she came with us to the port and caught a speed boat to the Ballestas islands where we could see sea lions, dolphins, and loads of rare birds. The guide was excellent.

We then drove to Nascar which took about 3 hours. As we approached we stopped at a tower that's been built to enable those scared of light planes or flying to see some of the Nascar lines from a little height. Honestly, from the ground you can't see a thing.

The tower climb only cost 1sol and even though we were planning to do the flight we done that too. It was a good whetter for the appetite of seeing them properly.

The flight itself was amazing. Got some great photos. I couldn't go with TT, the planes are very small 5 seaters and the group got split down the middle across two planes. Despite the fact she was feeling really ill she managed to do this activity too.

As my plane was taxi-ing down the runway the door to my right opened for no reason. The pilot began to accelerate and I had to tap him on the shoulder to get him to abort take off. He shouted Spanish through his radio, laughed at me a bit and then someone came running across the runway with gaffer tape to secure the door.

OK. There was no gaffer tape, but I wish there had been. The bloody door had just swung open for no reason!

The flight was not for the light hearted. The pilot hardly held onto the controls at all and several times as he turned around to try and point out the next icon we'd spot the plane would go into dive or climb or a spin. Luckily he never managed to roll it.

I had great fun even though I held on to my seat belt like grim death incase my door decided to open again.

None of the controls on the instrument panel worked by the way. Even the compass was jammed at SSW. Not a single thing.

When we landed I spotted TT and ran over to see if she{d enjoyed it as much as me. She was a greyish green colour and looked at me with big baby eyes and uttered: " I'm 95% dead and 5% not sure..... "

After a few minutes recovery we got back on the coach and headed for our next hotel. I'm here as I write this and it's amazing. Here's a link. Dead posh hotel in desert...

Have fun all, will post again soon.