So to update on the last few days:

Tuesday I ended up heading into central Lima with two Chilean guys I had met at my Hostel, Hector and Frederico. We had a look around the central plaza area and watched the changing of the guards at Government Palace. Here there were the most (riot) police I have ever seen, although I admit I have never gone on the Undie 500. Then there were other police/military kitted out with AK47 look alikes (or may have been the real thing), scary looking! We went to Chinatown for lunch and had a near death experience on the way in the ¨Jungle¨, which is an intersection where nobody pays any attention to the traffic lights and try to navigate by honking. Despite there also being a police officer trying to direct traffic. As you probably expect, it is not very effective. Lunch was yummy and very cheap, around NZ$3 for soup, noodles, rice and then the main dish! After lunch we went to the Francisco Monastery where there is an estimated 25000 people buried in catatombs (under the building). Really pretty gardens and paintings. Some of the wall paintings had been hidden for 100´s of years under layers of paint and were only discovered after an earthquake dimolished part of the wall (despite the earthquake dimolishing many buildings in the area, the monastery survived-with only a few nonvertical walls-because of the mortar in the brick walls letting the building sawy without crumbling. Really gorgeous church and stuff there too. We then headed back to Larcomar ( seaside shopping area in miraflores) for ice cream and watched parasails nearly crashing into the buildings. We then walked the 30 min walk back to Hostel. Beautiful views of the surfers down below.

That night had 3 drinks at the bar at the hostel, and was completely drunk. The bartender was pouring half and half for around NZ$10. Had a great night.

Woke up next day and had to move from Hostel in Barranco to Hotel in Miraflores. Went for a walk down to the beach first and then went and met up with tour group at new hotel. Everyone is really great in the group and all around the same age (20-31), and a mixture of nationalities, although I am the only Kiwi. A few of the people have been travelling for a few months after quitting jobs (JEALOUS!).

Went for a brief visit into central lima and then back for group meeting, dinner and then bed.

Up the next day (NYE) and on a 4 hour public bus ride to Pisco. Got there around 3pm and checked into hotel. Hotel was nearlythe only building in the area still standing after a recent earthquake. Nice hotel with a roof terrace where we drank before heading out for dinner and new years party.

Party was really fun! Circus themed and they went hard out! Ate grapes (tradition) and drank champers. Got home around 2am because we had a boat ride at 9am the next day.

Today woke up and went by private bus down to Paracas where we went on a boat ride out to the Ballestas islands where we saw sealions (heaps and heaps!), penguins, and so many birds!!! We also saw the famous Candelabra on the hillside, amazing! Had lunch and a look around some markets at Paracas (bought a cute Peruvian bag) before getting back onto bus and driving for 2 hours to Wachina (sp?), a desert oasis with (HUGE) sand dunes surrounding it. We went for quick dip in the pool (it was around 30 degrees out and we were desperate to cool off!). We then got into 9 seater dune buggies and headed off driving around the sand dunes. Our driver Alfredo was so crazy! Driving crazy speeds down HUGE sand dunes (the biggest I have ever seen), we would often get a huge amount of air and it was the most fun experience! Several times it felt like he nearly rolled the buggie but I think this was just him pushing the limits and he knew exactly what he was doing. A few of us gave him a huge tip because he was better than the other groups driver. We then went sand boarding, down the same huge dunes on snowboard like contraptions on our tummies. So much fun! Came out with a few scrapes and bruises and sand everywhere! We were travelling so fast down these dunes.

We then headed back to our bus, got an ice cream and made the 2 hour journey to Nasca (further south), all ready for a few tours around the area and a flight over the Nasca lines tomorrow.

Hope everyone is fine back home and enjoying my updates xoxo