Another lazy day in Huacachina. We made some plans to spread out activities over the next few days but there are not so many activities and too many days still. We didn't want to get too far from Lima since we have to fly back home from there on Friday but I didn't think we would end up spending a week here. I guess we just need to get into the do nothing mode which is pretty hard for us.

Today we booked a dune buggy trip in the desert with some sand boarding included. We left at 4:00 p.m. in a buggy with 10 people. The driver took us screaming across the dunes, climbing up the hills then flying down on the other side. It was seriously like a roller coaster ride but even more fun. At the top of a very high hill he stopped and we all piled out to shake the sand off of us. I was crunching it in my teeth! Then he pulled out the sand boards (kind of like a primitive snowboard with straps) and after giving us a quick drill, one by one sent us (translates as "pushed us") speeding down the very steep hill. No time to think "what the hell am I doing?" You had to go on your stomach and face first so it was very scary. The only thing that would slow you down would be digging in your feet. The first time I went down I definitely used my feet but didn't feel that it had much of an impact on my speed. I had visions of becoming a human sand torpedo! Surprisingly I was more in control than I thought I would be and I made it to the bottom without taking any embarrassing spills. The worst part was when you get to the bottom the sand was suddenly hard and bumpy and the board was not much protection against the shaking up we got. They say the first time is always hardest....

Back into the buggy to more crazy dips and turns at high speed and then he stopped at another ridge. As we climbed up to look down we saw that it was even higher and steeper than the last one. Yikes! But we were pros now so off we went. It was a bit easier this time but still bloody fast. Omer had rented a real snowboard to go down like a professional but I don't think he went as fast as we did. There is way more control with the snowboard because you can make turns. I know that what I did was way scarier and faster!

After all of this adrenaline it was time to chill in front of a beautiful sunset so back in the buggy to the next point where we sat on the dunes in the fading sun before heading back to Huacachina to shower off all that sand. I still have it in my hair and ears!