So after the trauma of my blog going missing twice after having almost finished it last time i have been scared off the blog scene. I have finally found the strength (time and soberness allowing) to share with you the run down to new years eve in Peru.
I had started to read my book in the hammock before bed for 20 minutes or so. It had been great to help me sleep but Pat is getting bitten to hell by the mozzies. I had to call it a day when he got 3 to the face, looked lifestyle. I have also been try to play some ping pong, with limited results. Loco Matt whipped me and i lost to Thor after some very close games, im basically the whipping boy and I really enjoy it. We had a crazy big black German guy arrive, Levi. Me and the gang (Pat, Spanks, Thor and Levi) decided to climb the small island La Isla with cameras and beers for the sunset. We got some great pictures but to be honest the sky after the sunset was the real treat. The following days Spanks was on the way to Huanchaco. The morning she left pat was on the move as well and the two of them sped of into the sunset in Richards vw campervan. Pretty cool, especially for Pat as he didn't have a bus ticket and was going to wing it. Turns out he was fine!
The following Saturday Thor and i decided we were going out the clubs to get hammered. A few of us were drinking at the hostel when a friend of Abrahams turned up unexpectedly. Instantly the tempo went up as the rum flowed along with the Johnny Walker, soon the four of us plus loco Matt were on our way to the clubs. We turned up to what was the most unreal crowds of locals trying to get into these little clubs. The ques were Outrageous but Abraham managed to get us in for 20 soles and 2 beer's, incredible value. We danced around and got dirty looks from the men and cheeky glances from the chicitas for a few hours! A few more beers and lots of wild salsa dancing later we were back at the hostel. Few games of cards later we were done and decided we didnt need breakfast the next day. Abrahams friend pissed himself asleep on the sofa. Slick.
Thor had been talking about this oasis in the middle of the desert near Ica, Huacachina and showing us pictures. We decided to check it out the next day. We got up a bit late but got the bus about 11.30 to via Canete. When we got to Canete i didn't realise that you needed i.d to get on the bus at the terminal, luckily you could catch the same bus 10 metres outside of the terminal and for a few sol less. Strange? Sat on the last stretch of the second half of a 4 hr bus trip watching movies etc i decided i was thirsty. I grabbed my water bottle (which was attached to my day pack by a carabiner) and lifted it up. There was no back pack. The guy behind me had unclipped both my shoes and my water bottle (boh of which i could see) and left with my backpack. The contents consisted of basic items such as phone charger, plug adapter and toothbrush, more comfort items in say, half of the clothes i have here and then the luxury items. My book and camera, lenses and batteries. At the bus station around 5pm on the same sunday afternoon we decided we were getting nowhere explianing it to the bus officials and shot to Huacachina.
We looked at a few hostels before going back to the second one we viewed, always best to have seen them all despite Thor and Levi trying to work out which was best. We chose one out of the way a bit and he knew of Abrahams friend Richard (we met at Christmas), the guy who ran the place looked like a vampire. Unbelievably so. He hooked us up with a mega dune buggy ride leaving at 10am. We dumped our stuff and raced up the sand dunes to get the best sunset of my life. The hike took around 40 minutes in deep sand, It was like something out of aladdin the Disney film. After falling fown the dunes we had a shower and a quick bite and rested up. Hadn't been a great day.
10am and 'mental tom', a nickname we gave him, was ready for the ride. We blasted off into the desert in this mad sand buggy! It was only a 1.6l engine but had open exhaust pipes for 'performance' so sounded great but wasnt as fast as it could have been. We did go down some seriously steep drops though andbounced the shit out it. Every other dune or so we would stop off and get the sand boards out. Over the edges of the 200ft sand dune you go, sadly it is as slow as shit as we are riding 1" plyboard with velcro straps riveted on. It was a really good fun morning. Thor got loads of go pro footage on the buggy and some cool photos too. Great day so far!
After lunch i had to report my rucksack stolen and get a crime report for the insurance claim. We spoke to a local cop who booked us an appointment with the tourism police at 2pm. Quick cab and we arrived nice and early. Around 2.40pm Snr Llocalles sat down to establish what had happened. I had previously arranged for Thor to help explain my story. Despite his very good spanish it took ages. He wrote it all down in this big red notebook, which he later assured me was the master copy and the computer file was for backup only, wow! So after about an hour or so of explaining the events on the bus and what was missing we had done the easy bit, reported the crime. We now need a copy, so he spends another hour typing out 2 pages of A4 with Thor helping him and correcting his mistakes. A Chinese lady came in after some time as she had been robbed too a few days before, turns out Snr Llocalles had forgotten to ask what was in her rucksack when she reported it, so she had to come back at 5pm. We were ready to print, then he moves the laptop and the battery dies, it wasnt saved. Another hour pases, Levi is looking for the wi-fi while i contemplate ordering a pizza to the station. Levi found the wi-fi and got the password while i was charging my phone, Thor still helping Snr Llocalles re type the document. Eventually after he called in the help of a 12 yr old girl we were on our way with a crime report. A crap pizza and 5 hr bus journey awaited. Fun excursion.
The little restaurant we eat at has moved down to the beach. This is great but not all great. We rarely get Huancaina now but instead Ceviche. Ceviche is a local dish which is raw fish cooked in lime juice and chilli. I hate fish. So now 2 from 3 days we have a fish starter instead of my beloved Huancaina. I am however starting to enjoy the Ceviche, not keen on the octopus one though. The thing i like most about the beach is the view. You get to look at all the beach people and from the seat i sit in you can see in the women's toilet. I discovered this by accident.
New Years eve.
The night before new years eve we started playing jenga and looping louie. Looping louie is a board game with a old man strapped in to a plane on a tower like crane with the ability to go in any direction from his electronic motor and hit your 3 coins should you mis him with your paddle. We were playing with the peruvian boys for a shot of rum and soon it was only 1 life so the drinking got heavy fast. We were getting charged for new year!
We had a great surf in the morning at frontera beach. It had been a bit smaller so i took out the fish, caught loads of waves had a really good fun session as my last surf of 2014, good times. We got back and had lunch and pretty much got on with the rum beer and whatevers from there on. I had previously been to the laundrette to try and get some clean clothes, as i had a load kf my clothes knicked the other half were filthy! Luckily the washer lady had delivered despite putting us back 2 hours twice earlier.
By 10pm most people were drunk. Around 11.30 we walked down to the walkway on the beach to count in new years. We were armed with a 1.5l bottle of rum and a tiny tiny bit of ginger ale which was rank but did the job. The fireworks were unbelievable, by far the biggest and vast firework display i have seen. I can't really remember much else but i had a few pictures. Me with Francesco and some of the other Peruvians staying at the hostel, loco matt climbing on the roof, fireworks and a mad group selfie. Judging by the hangovers people had it was a great night. I felt like shit.
After a wasted day on new years day we recovered by sending off Levi, what a dude, it wasnt long before we waved goodbye to Thor too. He decided to head north and try to score the longest left wave in the world, Chicama. Meanwhile I was doing cool things like forgetting my wetsuit and only surfing for 40 minutes as i was cold yet got sun burn (true story)? Saw my first flying fish today. Madness.
Check out #landlockedsurferletloose for more pictures. Sadly i am struggling to take many as i don't have a camera anymore! Lets see what the insurance company says...
Dan
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