We said goodbye to Ecuador and boarded our plane to Lima, Peru. After the 3hr flight our journey was only just beginning - we still had an 8hr bus journey ahead of us before we arrived in Nazca. Luckily, we had opted for a comfortable 'Cruz del Sur' bus which is the luxury option in Peru. Sat in our reclining seats with pillows and blankets, we were given a free lunch, hot drinks and treated to a few movies. The buses even have free WIFI and bingo sessions! Nothing short of luxury compared to the death traps we were used to in Ecuador!

But upon arrival in Nazca our luck had run out! The purpose of our visit was to see the famous 'Nazca Lines' - a series of enormous figures, shapes and extensive lines etched in the desert and spread across 500sq km. The most elaborate designs represent animals, including a monkey, a lizard and condor with a 150m wing span. The lines were created 2000 years ago but their purpose remains a mystery. From the ground the lines are virtually imperceptible, so a 30min flight is the best way to appreciate them. However, we were told there were no flights! Apparently, the fuel ship that supplies the airport hadn't appeared this week and all planes were grounded due to the lack of fuel! Nightmare - we'd travelled for 12hrs just to see the lines! The next best thing is a sketchy view from a 30m high tower where it's possible to make out two figures the 'tree' and the 'hands'.

The next morning we headed down to the bus stop to catch a bus to the viewing tower. We waited and waited and waited (for over an hour) but the bus never arrived! We learnt that there was a car race happening nearby and the roads were closed! Unable to believe our bad luck, we went back to our hostel to think of a plan C. The hostel owner informed us that the car race would be over by the afternoon so the road would be open again allowing us to get to the viewing tower. Not wanting to take any chances we booked a private tour guide to take us there as well as a few other sites in the area.

Our luck finally improved - Marco, our local tour guide was great - very informative and very passionate about his ancestors history. He took us to an aqueduct build hundreds of years ago (and still in perfect working order) which is used to direct water to farm land - vital when you live in a desert! An Inca temple which used to be used to administer the land and people. Sadly, it was all but destroyed by the Spanish when they arrived in Peru. Finally, Marco took us to the viewing tower to see the 'Nazca Lines'. We were able to make out the figures much easier than expected and naturally Marco gave us lots of information, so perhaps missing the flight wasn't so bad after all. He even took us to a natural hill to enjoy an amazing sunset over the desert.

Check out ‘Peru - Nazca Lines’ at http://gallery.me.com/peterjprice/101778