We left Arequipa having decided we needed a longer respite from high altitude (fuzzy heads, sleepless nights and snotty noses) so headed for the coast. Before we had gone far we decided it would be a pity to come all this way and not visit the world's deepest canyon: Cotahuasi Canyon (3354 metres deep.1850 metres deeper than the Grand Canyon). Unluckily the only way there is along a 200 kilometre dusty and bumpy unpaved road that reaches the dizzying height of 4700metres at one point. Along the way it became obvious that the work to the fan had not fixed Gerties squeak, so further investigation was needed. This involved the bonnet up, me reversing uphill with Peter hanging over the engine (and of course with Peter giving instructions -more revs, less revs, what are you doing!). The answer turned out to be the alternator fan catching on a metal turbo hose. It was quickly fixed with a cable tie. Hopefully for the final time!

The canyon is spectacular but not content with having reached the edge we decided to drive down to the bottom. It took two hours on a road that had 52 hairpin bends in 30 miles. Gerty was quite dizzy by the time she got us to the bottom, which is still at 2000 metres. We camped wild by the side of the river and ate the sweet potato and onions that Gerties engine had cooked for us.

We left early next morning and headed back visiting a small park, with a few rather good dinosaur footprints, on the way. We only made a brief visit because Peter seemed to become a magnet for very small black biting flies as soon as he walked into the park. His arm was covered in lumps by the time we left and he was not happy. The day after his whole forearm was swollen and he was convinced he had something horrid. The first aid box was raided and all suitable medication was applied for 24 hours. Man flu had nothing on this!

Finally we reached the coast and felt relieved to see the altimeter read 26 (similar to Royston). We decided Gerty needed a bit of a clean as she was covered in dust so popped into a car wash - a man with a pressure wash and ramp. Gerty came out looking like new but minus a few bits of paint-opps.

We drove north along the Pan-American highway which runs up the coast for most of Peru and camped wild on a rather exposed cliff top. It did have great views but showering was tricky! The whole coastline consists of desert right up to the foothills of the Andes. This is because of the cold Humboldt current that runs up the coast and cools the air causing it to condense into a thick sea fog that deprives the land of any moisture (except times of El Nino).

The following day we reached Puerto Inca, a small bay with lots of ruins of the old Inca port which supplied goods to Cusco. Peter was suffering from his bites so we had a day resting watching seals and diving birds in the bay.

After driving for what seemed forever through dry, dusty, windy desert we arrived at Nazca or Nasca (it is spelt both ways). Not what we would describe as a pretty town, our first hotel was soon abandoned as even our earplugs could not keep out the incessant noise especially that of car horns.

The Nazca lines are the main tourist attraction so we joined the masses and headed to a tourist agency to book a visit. I am not known for my tolerance of flights in small planes so am not sure why I decided to go on a flight in a six seater Cessna. I managed to see half of the lines before my head was buried in the small plastic bag kindly provided by the airline. The lines are massive. First noticed from the air 70 years ago they were etched in the stony desert between 400BC to 600AD (over 500 square kilometres) by the Nazca people. They consist of lots of lines, geometric shapes, animals and birds including a whale, dog, monkey, condor and hummingbird. The theories concerning their purpose are numerous including an astronomical calendar, site of ritual practices, a map of water sources and best of all; a runway for alien spaceships. Basically no one really knows.

Peter likes a bit of archaeological engineering so we visited a vast underground aqueduct system of channels with spiral air vents and S bends, again built by the Nazca people and so good that they are still used today to bring water into the area.

The nearby ceremonial centre consisting of temples, adobe platforms, plazas and sunken chambers shows just what a clever lot the Nazcans were.

We also visited one of several Nazca graveyards. The dead are buried in the foetal position in a dry adobe brick pit with timber roof. Because of the treasures buried with them all have been plundered by grave diggers who left bones and pottery shards all over the desert. Only a few mummies remain in their graves.