So....arrived in Pisco, where you get dropped on the PanAmerican highway, from which you then have to get a taxi into the town. We were lucky and met 2 american guys on the bus who we shared a taxi with into Pisco. They wern´t staying in the same place as us though...we got dropped off first and it was a case of, grab bags, run for the hostel door, and stay inside all evening!!

Pisco was very run down (due to the earthquake that destroyed most of it a few years ago) and we didn´t feel particularly safe walking around the streets. Fortunately we booked a trip to Paracas for the next day, which left at 7am, so we jumped on our shabby old bus and headed for the bay at Paracas. Spent the morning on a boat tour of the Islas de Balestas, which was brilliant. Weather was overcast but not cold, so still had an enjoyable morning watching all the wildlife on the island. It is known as the ´Poor Man´s Galapagos´so we got our taste of the wildlife even if it´s not quite as impressive as the Galapagos Islands!

After our boat tour we jumped on the bus and headed off to Paracas National Reserve which was very desert like, but pretty impressive. The weather cleared up at lunch and we spent the whole afternoon in bright sunshine, eating lunch by a small fishing dock, then eventually heading back to Pisco to collect our bags and catch the bus onto Ica.