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I have arrived...South America! First order of business, Learn

Espanol! The language barrier came as quite a shock, as my

high school level Spanish has proved below that of a 2 year old

here. Good thing hand gestures and body language

are universal. The sign for bathroom seems to be the same in

every language.After flying into Lima, Peru a few weeks ago, my

first impressions of South Am have been wonderful! Well, with

one exception... the traffic. Ah, the joys of traveling throughcountries where SUV's are nothing more then a dream, and the

most luxurious means of transport come in the form of miniature

taxi cabs complete with carpeted dash and the quintessential

religious icon hanging from the rear view mirror. Chaos on

wheels! With a population of 8 million, half living well below the

poverty line, Lima could easily be summed up by honking, bad

drivers, honking brought on by bad drivers, and shear madness!

 After only 7 hours, I hopped the next bus south.

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Heading south from Lima, the bus ride provided much more then

 just a means of getting from A to B, it provided a Peruvian

education. I always imagined the coast to be lush and vegetated,

but boy was I wrong. Sand dunes taller then most buildings in Lima

towered over one side of the highway, while the other fell off into the

Pacific. Shantytowns turned ghost towns lined the highway,

showcasing hundreds of identical shacks constructed of nothing

more then stone and mud, separated equally by tiny plots of land.

In an attempt to jump start the Peruvian economy, the government

granted these mini-estates to the poor. The idea was good in

theory, but instead of using the land for farming and agriculture,

many of the people sold their 'estates' back to the government a few

years later to turn tiny profits. With these small fortunes, waves of 

people flocked to Lima in pursuit of better job opportunities. The

result has been overpopulation in Lima and the abandonment of a

corrupt governments attempt to better the economy.

 And just to clarify, I did not go to Pisco to see the

quakes aftermath, I went for it's one main

attraction: The Backpackers Galapagos Islands!

Who wants to spend hundreds of dollars to see

the Galapagos Islands wild life when you can see

Peru's for 10 USD. Yeah, the cheapo in me wins

out evertime. The boat ride was incredible,

transporting a small group of us to a National

Reserve where sea and bird life collide.

Thousands of birds grace the skies daily, gliding

effortlessly above the ocean in search of their 

next meal. Then, when the target is in sight,

DIVE, DIVE! Like a bullet, they nose dive into the

watery abyss, usually emerging victorious.

 As we neared Ballestas Islas, I heard what can only be

described as a loud moaning coming from within the

nearby caves. The source was nothing human, but

instead animal. The faint outline of hundreds of blubbery

bodies soon came into view and the source was

discovered...sea lions. Momma and baby seals splashed

around the shallows, while the males enjoyed game after 

game of King of the Hill. Condors, pelicans, and my

favorite, Penguins, were never more then a stones throw

away. One word of caution though: Be sure to keep your 

mouth closed while gazing in awe, otherwise you may

very well get an unexpected treat. Guavo is the Peruvian

term for bird poo and believe it or not, this poo brings in

big bucks for locals. Guavo makes some of the best

fertilizer in the world and provides one of the highest forms

of income for Pisco locals. Now, that is some expensive

sh**

Upon arrival into Pisco, I couldn't believe my eyes. 90% of the town was in ruins. Only a few structures remained standing, and even those showed signs of 

crumbling foundations. Pisco was rocked by a gigantic earthquake (8.4) last August and is still on the road to recovery. Unfortunately though, being an

extremely poor town already, there is very little funding available for re-building projects. Most families now live within the rubble that was once their homes.

Make-shift roofs constucted of tarp and tin provide protection, held up by nothing more then loose cement blocks. Cracks from the quake can still be seen

in the streets and small wooden crosses now stand where family and friends perished. The tragedy is still very much an open wound, re-opened daily by

 just glancing around town.

Carrying on south from Pisco myself, and 3 newly acquired Canadian amigas, discovered a tiny oasis village nestled in the Peruvian sand dunes,

Huacachina. Surrounded by miles of dunes, this tiny lagoon appears as a desert mirage, swathed in palm trees and covered with brightly colored huts.

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Pisco winery tours are not the only thing to do in

Huacachina though...this is the sand boarding

capital of the world. Sand buggies drop boarders

atop mountains of sand, some reaching as high

as 200 meters, and after a quick board waxing,

you're off. Of course, their is the stomach option,

but the real thrill is attempting to stand. I said,

"attempting", as I'm still recovering from a wicked

spill and finding sand in places I never knew

existed. All worth it though for those 6 seconds of 

gloryl And just like any good oasis, one must

savor the agua...either by the lagoon or in one of 

the many swim-up pool bars. Of course, I chose

the lagoon...wink wink.

Next stop: Arequipa, Peru © 

Total backpacker scene. I spent the first night savoring the local drink, Pisco. Similar to port but mixed with a touch of rice wine. Yeah, let's just say it

wouldn't be my first choice. However, thanks to the Pisco, my salsa dancing slowly improved as the night wore on...ok, so maybe I just thought it was

getting better.

For more of Reggie's crazy adventures, please visit: http://www.backpackerswanted.com

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