Vandy in Paracas

Two days after we touched down in Lima, everybody packed up a hiking backpack’s worth of clothes and headed down to Paracas, a quaint, sea-side town located south of Lima. While Lima’s beach is quaint and expansive, the clear waters and flocks of seagulls of Paracus are another level of picturesque. One morning, we were fortunate enough to board a boat and sail around the bay area, capturing photos of diverse bird species, sea lions, PENGUINS and archaic looking rocks that looked like that had been molded from the ocean’s constant battering. The cool breeze blowing in my face, being sprinkled with ocean water was an entirely new and welcoming sensation and a sharp contrast to the arid sand deserts we traversed and conquered later. Sand boarding was one of the most fun experiences on the trip because it was so head-on and physical. It even got competitive when people were trying to wax up their boards for maximum velocity in order to surmount two hills or get the farthest distance. Getting so physically involved in such a thrilling, yet entirely safe activity was a welcome contrast to the church tours and historical ruins we had visited (both of which were still great). A couple of us even got to row a boat on a small oasis near the sand dunes. Armed with only a one and a half functional paddles, we managed to use our wits, teamwork and coordination to complete a whole lap without tipping over in what was most likely very close to an Olympic record time. One clumsy rower even managed to get us stranded on the other side and rip the paddle from its holder and in the process, meet some friendly tourists that helped us repair our yacht and return to the other side. Paracas was fun in the most adventurous and childish way that made me remember days of going to Disney land or theme parks where entertainment and fun were the top priority. It is definitely worth the bugs bites and long car rides.