Paracas and Lima quickie ' 7 July

We had heard about the "Poor Mans Gallapagoskipped it. Funnily Colca Canyon is the place in South America you have the greatest chance of seeing Condors, this according to one of our guides, is because every day s" in Paracas and since we are poor men we decided to head there, we had originally wanted to go to the Colca Canyon to do some hiking but since M's tummy was still grumbling we they throw a donkey into the canyon for the Condors and they get so fat gorging themselves they cant take off or at least fly quite low....but dont worry our guide said, they only thow old ones....you gotta love South America!

They say you get what you pay for and the Poor Mans Galapagos stands up to its name, its like buying a Gold Folex it is always an hour slow and the little diamonds got unstuck in the first week but then what do you expect at the price.... Paracas's only redeming feature was that we got to see something very much like the NASCA lines, a giant Candelabra etching into the sand that has stood there for hundreds of years through rain and wind unchanged for the Gods to look down upon. The sea lions, pelicans and penguins were also cool but the smell of Guana (bird pooh) was not as nice.

Also due to a transport strike we were stuck in this ugly little town for another day with nothing to do but play cards and drink with other stuck Gringos (this part was actually quite fun).

The next day we bused out to Lima, Perus capital city and an unremarkable place we'd been told. We found it to be a city a lot like Joburg, clean and pretty in places with some scattering of dirt, grit and grime, it felt like home and we liked it.

We also liked the mall that looks out over a cliff onto the ocean and the all you can eat sushi (Vix ate all she could and more!). That night we sampled the local night life with Gussy and Ben a gal and guy we had reunited with from Villa Tunari Bolivia days. At 3am in the morning when the Red room styled club was closing a local "Limian" invited us back to his house, at first apprehensive we followed and ended up having a great time with him and his friends playing guitar and singing along with a bottle of whiskey till the sun came up! Why we paid for accomodation we arent sure but at least the bags got a good nights sleep!

Next the grand vistas of Huaraz the spectacular....