Yesterday we went to the argentinian Embassy only to find that we were in the wrong place and in fact needed the consulate. After some wrong turns and eventually relenting and getting a taxi we arrived there to find it resembled a prision waiting room. To add to confusion they don´t speak any english.. and my spanish only goes as far as ´necessitito un visa´ - eventually we worked out what documentation was required and went to a local internet cafe to print the necessary details.. and make up the ones we didn´t already have. Thst done we went back filled in the forms and found out that we´d have to go back to Lima in about a week to collect it.. presuming I pass the criteria and am allowed a visa.

Loathed to spend anymore time in Lima we went to the Bus station to head for Huacachina near Ica. The bus ride was awesome, the DVDs were in English (simple things) and the scenery was another world, the area looks like desert that goes on as far as the eye can see though in fact is sand dunes that run right into the sea. The sun set over the sea and coupled with the wind swept drifts of sand dune made one of the most memorable sunsets I have ever seen!

We had to get a taxi from Ica bus station to Huacachina and made the mistake of getting the dodgy taxi.. they told us where we wanted to stay was no longer standing and after asking for several other options they dropped us at a place we did not want to be, a place so dodgy that I didn´t want to leave my bag on it´s own in the room. We called the place that had supposedly fallen down and they answered, said they had roon and gave us directions. When we arrived a simple sigh of ´this is much better´escaped me. This hostel sold us a beer, did our washing and has organised our trip. Huacachina is basically a small settlement in the middle of the dumes surrounding an oversized pond which our hostel (cheaper than that other dump too) steps out on to... this arvo we´re off sand bording (oh dear) and dune buggying (yeay)